Thrift store fabric for a great kilt

[emmyent]

Hello! I’m preparing a great kilt for my husband to wear to a Renaissance Faire. We’ve been looking for bargain fabric so my husband can see if he likes wearing it before spending the money on a proper great kilt (as time goes on, we think it makes sense for him to spend good money on a nice modern kilt, but not necessarily on a great kilt that he’d wear once or twice a year, max, but I digress). I found 4 yards of double width wool fabric at the thrift store. I did a burn test at home, and it is definitely part wool, as it smelled strongly of burned hair. It also had some melted bits, so it must be a wool blend. My only concern is that it doesn’t look like kilt fabric to me, since it isn’t a plaid. It’s a dark chocolate brown with some lighter brown and blue stripes. I’ll post a picture, but please be aware that the color isn’t perfectly accurate. I did the best I could with my phone camera, but it looks darker on my phone than it does in real life. Anyway, how inaccurate is this? It’s a bit rough, which we like, but I’m not sure about stripes in the 16th century. Can anyone offer feedback? I would greatly appreciate it!

[Father Bill]

Seem to be having trouble with pictures. Here's a link to the "how-to" advice.

Bill+

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...s_faq_pictures

[emmyent]

Thanks for letting me know! I tried it from my phone that time, but I'm trying my laptop this time. Hopefully this works better.

Screen Shot 2018-07-25 at 2.40.56 PM.jpg

[Father Bill]

You got it. Won't look very Scottish if it isn't tartan, but then what the heck - it's a Renfaire.

[MacKenzie]

We’ve been looking for bargain fabric so my husband can see if he likes wearing it before spending the money on a proper great kilt

Smart move.

As Father Bill says, it'll be fine for a RenFaire. You're not doing a historical reenactment.

The colors remind me of the Outlander tartans.

[emmyent]

Thanks for the "yeas"! I think we'll just go ahead with this fabric and hope no one notices or cares. I can always make it into a nice poncho or something afterwards, and it'll be a good measure for us to decide whether or not to save up for some nice wool. Here's hoping he likes it, because I love a good kilt!

[derosa]

Having worked at a faire for 6 years, lived near one for 15 and attended more years than that I've seen significantly far worse costume attempts than that fabric as a kilt. And while we may obsess over tartans I doubt it is possible to say there were absolutely no kilts in that time made from solid or striped fabric. Either way, have fun and enjoy.