Looking for Honest Opinion

[Crazy Dave]

Love my casual Kilt from Rocky. I don't think you can go wrong with it.

Dave

[Benning Boy]

Choosing a USAKilts casual is a no brainer. It is the ideal first tartan kilt.

Burrnet's and Struth, advertisers here, offer wool casual kilts that are very well made. The prices listed are in Canadian dollars, in genuine dollars the price is less. Call them. Their casuals will have a lining but no stabilizer.

Given the long history of kilts stabilizers are a fairly modern way of construction. As I recall Figheadair regulary wears an old fashioned kilt without a stabilizer. If it's good enough for him it's good enough for me. If I'm rembering things incorrectly I'm sure he will set me straight.

J. Higgins offers casual kilts also. They are good quality.

Kilts4less offer very good wool kilts

[Father Bill]

The prices listed are in Canadian dollars, in genuine dollars the price is less.

"Genuine"????

Unintentional, I'm sure, but a little bit offensive. Perhaps you mean "American dollars"?

[Benning Boy]

"Genuine"????

Unintentional, I'm sure, but a little bit offensive. Perhaps you mean "American dollars"?

Nope, Padre, genuine dollars. Maybe I should have written "real money." Every other kind of dollar, is just funny money.

Canadians accept payment in US dollars. They consider it real. However, no business here will accept my Canadian dollars, it's just funny money.

[MichiganKyle]

I have a couple of USA Kilts casual kilts. I wear kilts as normal everyday clothing, and they have worked well for me. They wash easily, they hold a pleat well, and the construction quality on them is (in my uneducated opinion) quite good for the price and holds up well to frequent wearing.

[PinellasPaul]

"The pleasure of quality long outlasts that of savings."

I have found this to be true many, many times in a variety of purchases.

Do not hurt yourself economically, of course. However, scrimping for a month or two or three to recover from a big purchase is far, far more comfortable than, in my personal experience, years of wishing that I had bought the quality item in the first place.

There have been several times in my life when I have chosen the cheaper thing in place of the quality thing. Many, many times I have ended up trashing the cheaper thing either because it failed and I ended up buying the quality thing eventually, or because I have been so disappointed with myself for choosing poorly that I junked the cheaper thing and waited without the thing at all until I could afford the quality thing. Talk about throwing away one's money.

Certainly I speak only about myself and from my experience. Alternately, I once wanted a big thing and I paid for it by giving up coffee for four years to please the wife; a complete monetary offset.

Best of luck, neighbor!

The pleasure of quality long outlasts that of savings.

[figheadair]

Given the long history of kilts stabilizers are a fairly modern way of construction. As I recall Figheadair regulary wears an old fashioned kilt without a stabilizer. If Tartan good enough for him it's good enough for me. If I'm rembering things incorrectly I'm sure he will set me straight.

Yes, I have a number of kilts made in the early-mid 19th century style; no cut out pleats, no stabilizer material and no lining.

[FossilHunter]

Yes, I have a number of kilts made in the early-mid 19th century style; no cut out pleats, no stabilizer material and no lining.

You don’t have issues with the fabric stretching or distorting?

[Kylahullu]

Yes, I have a number of kilts made in the early-mid 19th century style; no cut out pleats, no stabilizer material and no lining.

Just thinking; was it the norm at that time to NEVER wear the kilt without a belt and/or braces?

This lacking of inner srtucture seems to be the "normal" on used woollen ones from eBay, at least the missing stabilizer but the pleat cut done.
Even my only bespoke one doesn't pass the "pull the buckles test", even if I ordered it from a kilt-maker having a reasonable reputation. So, if you buckle them tight, as you have to if not wearing a belt, they stretch.

I have ended up to a rule "never tighten the straps tight" and never use them without a belt (or maybe braces/suspenders), a real belt, not some decorative one. Hoping this helps to prevent the deforming until I find the energy to fix the situation.

On the other hand, the USA-Kilt Casual has become my go-to kilt. Perfect for everyday wear and travelling. Doesn't weight more than lightweight trousers (easy to pack in the carry-on), doesn't have any metal (airport security). Only if the weather is a bit chilly it is a bit light side of a garment.

[OC Richard]

Yes, I have a number of kilts made in the early-mid 19th century style; no cut out pleats, no stabilizer material and no lining.

Evidence has come to light that Appalachian Hillbillies were still making kilts like that in the 1970s

Which were my first two kilts, made by my Grandmother, who had never seen a kilt closeup and only had a couple photos to go by. We didn't know about cutting out the pleats. I was so skinny it didn't matter much.

I suppose the army had to start cutting out the pleats at some point- as the yardage kept increasing the waist would get more and more bulky. I suppose it would have started with tailored Officers' kilts and gentlemen's civilian kilts. I suppose it varied from regiment to regiment when the soldiers stopped making their own kilts and the task went to the regimental tailors. I can imagine the soldier's self-made kilts not having niceties like cut-out pleats. Didn't the soldiers turn their kilts after the outside had got faded and worn?