Would you buy an off-the-rack kilt?

[Whidbey78]

It depends, as has been said already, on price, but also on intended use. No $500 hiking, camping and yardwork kilts. Some off the rack garments fit me, though not all.

In other words, if it works, yes. If not, no. I'd always prefer something built for me though as long as total destruction isn't likely.

I doubt I'll get anymore though, as I have decided to make my own for beating around the toolies...a few bucks (less than $20 for my last two, and about 15 for the one I'm starting tonight) in fabric won't break my heart.

Besides, it leaves more $$$$ to put away for Rocky and Josh's retirement funds.

[dutchy kilted]

I have bought several Utilikilts and Amerikilts and they have fit fine.
A tartan kilt I would have made, like my beloved casual from USAK.

[Bugbear]

Wasn't sure how to vote; I have, but wouldn't. I guess that equals no.

[SteveB]

Three Utilikilts, three Amerikilts, One Sport Kilt, two Stillwater kilts, one Burnett & Struth kilt.... O.K. a few off the peg, but then in the jeans casual I am a 24 length. I just dropped three inches off the hips, and the off the peg fit pretty darn good, but NOTHING fits like my hand sewn wool Tank. Next best is the bespoke work of Rocky and Mac.

I still wear the UK, and AK for mucking in the garden. I prefer to wear the bespoke kilts most of the time.

Slainte

[GG]

Of course I should buy a kilt-off-the-rack if the size was right and if I liked the quality and the price seemed reasonable.

In fact, the only garments ever made to my measures are kilts and mainly because the “standardized” 24” length is just a little bit to the high side. In fact I also prefer the kilt to sit a little bit lower than “prescribed”. Therefore 23” or 22.5” is my choice but I can live with the 24” ones.

I have several off-the-rack kilts, and except for the length they seem to fit me exactly as well as the bespoke kilts. Probably I’m a rather normal shape guy, not too fat, not too slim and with a pretty average hip to waist ratio.

If I should really benefit from having anything tailor-made it should be my trousers and my shorts, in fact, but like probably most men and most of you here I live with them readymade, even if it sometimes takes a little longer to find some right fitting ones.

And right fitting is far from being a question of price. When I buy branded trousers – I almost always do and my favourites are Hugo Boss and Tommy Hilfiger – I know that 80% of what I pay for is the brand and high margins; the remaining 20% is for the “quality”, meaning I could rather easily find some non-branded ones with the same “quality”.

To me the phrase “you get what you pay for” therefore is mainly a matter of feeling secured or an excuse for paying more than you really need to. And this excuse is more than welcome if we have a special interest in something. We tend – like me - to spend more than we, from a rational point of view, should do, being it on kilts, other garments, cameras, lenses, hi-fi equipment etc.

So yes, I have bought kilts off the rack, and I will do it again. And I certainly see nothing “wrong” in it and no one living on a budget should feel wrong if all of their kilts were off-the-rack.

Greg
www.dress2kilt.eu

[Woot22]

To me the phrase “you get what you pay for” therefore is mainly a matter of feeling secured or an excuse for paying more than you really need to. And this excuse is more than welcome if we have a special interest in something. We tend – like me - to spend more than we, from a rational point of view, should do, being it on kilts, other garments, cameras, lenses, hi-fi equipment etc.
www.dress2kilt.eu

Again, it's just my opinion but I feel it in not a matter of paying more for something than I ought too when purchasing a kilt. I also disagree with the notion of living on a budget as a rational for buying cheap. I purchased my first kilt, which was a tank, while serving as an E-4 in the Army. Wealthy I was not, I can assure you of that. I just saved and saved some more till I eventually could afford one. The plus side of buying a handmade kilt from Scotland is the length of time required to make it helps save some money to make the final purchase. Just my two or four cents worth.

[ragged tiger]

The last "off the rack" kilt I purchased was a Black Watch kilt from Things Celtic in Austin, TX. I am not sure who their economy kilt supplier is at the moment, but for around $110.00 I purchased 8-yard PV kilt with enough knife pleats in the back to make folks notice. The buckle closures are solid and the drape is quite nice as well.

Other than that, I have a Royal Stewart Sportkilt which I use from marching. I live in Texas so comfort is a big issue. If the fit is fairly good, then I have no problem wearing "off the rack".

[rtc872]

I'd like to add that in pipebands it is rare to get a kilt that was made for you. You made do and you generally looked good

[ForresterModern]

As others have said the factors are many, and all the stars must align in order for it to work for me. That being said, I have bought one cheap off the rack kilt that fits OK, not great, 8yd in PV and a relevant tartan, that is my infrequently worn weekender. A second similar purchase left me with an ill fitting rumpled mess of fabric and thread that I promptly shed. I have one 8yd wool trad that was bespoke for someone else, but for whatever reason ended up on Scotweb's clearance, that was close enough to my measurements to tempt me to buy it, and it looks and fits grand. So although technically "off the rack" it would probably not count.

All my other kilts have been bespoke to my non-traditional (highlander sized) measurements, and I am nearly certain, save for the possible but unlikely recurrence of a bespoke on clearence rack in my size, that I will from here on out only purchase made to measure for myself in kilts.

[OC Richard]

It seems that many are speaking of "off the rack" (or "off the peg" as the Brits say) in conjunction with "economy kilts" but what the poll meant to me personally was having a traditional 8-yard wool handsewn kilt made to measure vs finding a traditional 8-yard wool handsewn kilt on a rack somewhere.

Which is why I answered "yes".

Yes of course if I happened to see a traditional 8-yard wool handsewn kilt in a tartan I fancied that happened to fit me for a good price, I would be likely to buy it.

Some of the Highland Outfitters that attend Games around here, like Geoffrey Tailor and the Celtic Craft Centre, always have a couple dozen such kilts on display.

I always look through these but I've never found a tartan/sizing match.