Purchasing Dilemma

[biblemonkey]

I recently asked Hamish this question and thought I would put it out for discussion.

I recently had the opportunity to buy a wool 13oz. 8yd handstitched in the Scotland the Brave Universal tartan for an incredible $150 from a rental place closing it's doors. It is an amazing garment and is basically brand new. My question is this-I can still buy another handstitched from this gentleman (ex-hire) in another tartan (though not my clan tartan) or I could buy a semi-trad from USAkilts for a little more money in my clan's (Graham) tartan in high grade polyviscose. PV is all I can afford in a nice semi-trad. I know that eventually I will get a semi-trad in the Graham but I was wondering what you would advise about the chance to get another hand-stitched even if it is not in my clan seeing as how it is such a good price and not likely to be repeated? Would it be in bad taste to wear another clan even if it is not at official events and if so should I just stick with my clan in the semi-trad? One is my clan (but PV) and one is a great purchasing opportunity and it is hard to choose which one right now. Hope this made sense.

Hugh

[Cygnus]

That is a very good deal, biblemonkey!

As for wearing a tartan that isn't "yours", opinions vary (as you can see in this thread).

I would only wear a kilt in a tartan associated with my surname, but I don't expect everyone to follow this convention. Many wear tartans associated with their mothers' names, or the names of other ancestors.

If you have a connection to the tartan in question and you're willing to put up with the few who might openly criticize you for it (and they really are few), then I'd go ahead and do it.

Historically, people wore whatever tartans they liked and many people use this as justification to do the same. That's fine, but there is now a strong tradition of clan tartans, so it's important to keep that in mind if you choose to go "historical" in your kilt wearing.

Lastly, if you really want a high-quality wool kilt in the Graham tartan, why not keep what you have for the PV kilt and save up for one? In my experience saving and waiting make it even better when you finally get what you want.

[biblemonkey]

Lastly, if you really want a high-quality wool kilt in the Graham tartan, why not keep what you have for the PV kilt and save up for one? In my experience saving and waiting make it even better when you finally get what you want.

I am of a very frugal nature and can't see me bringing myself to spend $500-$700 for a 13-16 oz Graham 8 Yarder I want. And the Hynde (the other side of my family) is next to impossible to get unless I buy the material and conscript a tailor to do it as a one-shot. I seem to be more willing to spend a little less and get a few more kilts for daily wear than wait for a year and get the Graham tank I want. Plus, I would be terrified of ruining it somehow as my wife says I am kind of hard on clothes in general. I know that I will get the Graham Semi-traditional from USAkilts eventually for more formal family gatherings. Maybe I'm just a little excited about the deal and am getting impatient.

[Slowburn]

I am of a very frugal nature and can't see me bringing myself to spend $500-$700 for a 13-16 oz Graham 8 Yarder I want. And the Hynde (the other side of my family) is next to impossible to get unless I buy the material and conscript a tailor to do it as a one-shot. I seem to be more willing to spend a little less and get a few more kilts for daily wear than wait for a year and get the Graham tank I want. Plus, I would be terrified of ruining it somehow as my wife says I am kind of hard on clothes in general. I know that I will get the Graham Semi-traditional from USAkilts eventually for more formal family gatherings. Maybe I'm just a little excited about the deal and am getting impatient.

I believe some weavers treat thir wool with chemicals as to reduce the worries of staining. Some better aquainted with fabric providers might correct me on this.

[MrLion]

Depends on priorities with your goals or motives for kilt-wearing.
If you want to wear the kilt to honor your family heritage, and keep your expenses down, save up for and buy the tartan that best represents your heritage.
If you are looking to obtain more than one kilt because you like to wear kilts, by all means take the "deal" with the universal tartan that anyone can wear anyway!
Will this be your first kilt purchase?

[biblemonkey]

Depends on priorities with your goals or motives for kilt-wearing.
If you want to wear the kilt to honor your family heritage, and keep your expenses down, save up for and buy the tartan that best represents your heritage.
If you are looking to obtain more than one kilt because you like to wear kilts, by all means take the "deal" with the universal tartan that anyone can wear anyway!
Will this be your first kilt purchase?

I very much like wearing kilts but my family is directly related to the Grahams and the Hyndes. I just don't know if it would get awkard wearing a Sutherland or Macgregor which are the two choices he has left that I like.

[T-Bone]

If it were me making the choice, I would go with the handstitched again. Then save up and get the Graham later. In the end, I would kick myself for not jumping on such a good deal.
In the 15 years I have worn a kilt I have been asked if the tartan was connected to my family twice. Both times, the tartan wasn't and it was no big deal.

T

[biblemonkey]

Depends on priorities with your goals or motives for kilt-wearing.
If you want to wear the kilt to honor your family heritage, and keep your expenses down, save up for and buy the tartan that best represents your heritage.
If you are looking to obtain more than one kilt because you like to wear kilts, by all means take the "deal" with the universal tartan that anyone can wear anyway!
Will this be your first kilt purchase?

Actually I already have the Universal (Scotland the Brave) tartan kilt he had that I liked. This is more to see if it would be acceptable (for daily wear) to wear the Sutherland or the Macgregor Hunting tartans he also has. I Like them both ok but don't know if I should take advantage of the deal for a second time in a tartan that may cause hurt feelings in the kilted community or just get the PV semi-trad from USAkilts in the family (Graham) tartan for $50 more. The ex-hire is handstitched 13oz in a tartan I have no "right" to but the other is a (well constructed) polyviscose kilt in (one of) my clans. I don't know how much people adhere to the clan affiliation side these days as my own Scottish grandmother, when she could not get a Hynde tartan kilt to represent her clan ties, got a Maclean kilt because it was the same basic color scheme.

[davidlpope]

Unless you're planning to wear the kilt daily, you really only need one or two well-made kilts. If there is a tartan associated with your family I'd recommend that you save up your money and buy a hand-stitched, heavy-weight wool kilt in your "clan" tartan. If your "clan" has more than one tartan (hunting, dress, old), then you might want two kilts, one in the regular clan tartan, one in the hunting tartan, etc. If your clan only has one tartan then you might want a kilt in the modern color scheme for evening or formal events and a kilt in the ancient or weathered color scheme for day wear.

If you're trying to pinch pennies then try contacting the clan association and see if anyone is trying to sell a used kilt in your clan tartan, often many kilts get "recycled" to a good home in this way. If that isn't an option then consider a four-yard box-pleated kilt or a 5 or 6 yard knife-pleated kilt, which would still be high quality and hand-sewn wool but a little less expensive.


Buy what you really want...Buy a quality item...you'll only need to Buy once...

Best of luck.

David

[Chas]

In the end, decisions like this come down to what an individual can live with.

As to a kilt - if you don't tell anyone what the tartan is, they will not know. Even if they ask, you can tell them anything you like and they won't know.

Take any tartan. Each mill has its own shade for any given colour. Add in all the permutations as to ancient, muted, modern and you get a vast range of tartans - all the same threadcount (so they are the same tartan), but all different. The vast majority of people will never know one from the other. They know their own tartan and a few of the older universal tartans. After that it is all 'by guess and by God'.

I would buy the quality kilt.

Regards

Chas