I have always wanted my own kilt as I am proud of the Scottish roots on my fathers side of the family and have borrowed and hired kilts on a few occasions.

So after lots of research (net, friends and family), I have finally decided to take the plunge. However It's not that easy is it?

Firstly there's the tartan, well I'm a Gibson, so I had a look at the Buchanan tartans. Well seeing as this will be my only kilt (for now anyway), I found the various Buchanans either too loud, too dull or just didn't float my boat.
So after hours days and weeks of trawling the net, I finally came up with a shortlist

Last week I decided to visit the Highland Store in Great Russell Street, London, to get some advice and look at their tartan samples. After spending two hours on Wednesday morning looking through their swatches, my shortlist had been ripped up and my head was now spinning with a hundreds of different tartans (most of which were similar to others of course)
I could go on for three more paragraphs but half of you have stopped reading already .

Well i'm 90% certain that i'm gonna go for "Isle of Skye", Hamish has some nice pics of his on his website, although that one is pleated to stripe and I'm going to pleat mine to sett. Also i'm probably getting it made in 13 oz Braeriach from Lochcarron

I have already purchased most other items that I wanted when I returned to Highland Store on Friday evening, I will be going back this Friday to confirm my tartan etc and to pick up a rental kilt that they are kindly lending me for my close friend's wedding that I'm attending next week in Mauritius
(the groom doesn't think I can make it, so it will be a nice surprise for him)

More to follow on Friday