Traditional 8 yard kilt or 5 yard kilt

[possingk]

Let's just say that you are going to come into enough material in US Bicentennial to make an 8 yard kilt, and a skirt for your wife. You are mostly German, Dutch, with a little Irish and Scottish, but very far down the road. You don't have a clan that you associate with, and at this point you don't wear clan kilts. Currently you own, three USA Kilt Casual's, two SWK's, with a 5 yard Xmarks kilt on the way. You live in PA where the climate is pretty warm most of the time. You also wear kilts everyday, not to work (yet), but everyday none the less. Would you have a Traditional 8 yard made, or would you go with a 5 yarder and some accessories?

Traditional 8 yard kilt Pro's
It's a Traditional 8 yard kilt
Unless we get our own tartan this will be my tartan
The formal of all formal kilts
Will be heavy for Buffalo winters (where my family is)

Traditional 8 yardCon's (these are more of questions than statements)
Going to be heavy for:
summer things
Indoor events in the winter (they crank up the heat)
Will be a Traditional 8 yard kilt so I won't snow blow or anything in it (Probably true of any wool kilt though)
I wear kilts every day, so having seven and one I think will be too heavy for summer concerns me.

So what do you all think...

[Kilted KT]

I prefer the feel, weight and sway of an 8yarder. I have both a heavy wool 8-yarder and lighter-weight 5 yarder. The five yarder has far thinner pleats, sways a lot different, and is prone to blowing up in the wind. The pleats do not stay in place very well, and it more oft than not looks like it needs a good pressing.

The wool tank, on the other hand, always looks great. The pleats are very deep and stay through almost anything. The heavier wool has a looser weave, and it breaths a lot better than you would think. I've been in 90+ degree days mowing the lawn in both a UK survival and a wool tank, and the tank was far cooler than the UK.

since I've bought the tanks, I rarely wear my 5yarder.

[Blu (Ontario)]

Answer... 8 yard kilt. You'll be glad you did.

.

[RockyR]

Since you already have a couple casuals and a 5 yarder on the way and NO other 8 yarders, I'd say go for the 8 yarder.

If you want to get very formal, you'll have an option.

What weight is the cloth? 8 yarders in a 13 oz cloth aren't THAT unbearably hot in the summer if your activities take you indoors for part of the time.

It'll help you to "round out" your collection a bit.

my $.02

[David Dalglish]

8 yarder--Theres no comparison

[Southern Breeze]

8-yards. You'll not regret it.

[NewKilt]

I agree with many of the others - go for the 8 yard kilt. Although PA might be considered warm you probably don't have long stretches of temperatures in the high 90's with high humidy, and very little breeze (at least not very often). You could wear a 16 oz, 8 yard kilt more often. Here is mid-Missouri we get long stretches of that hot humid weather, so I tend to stick with 16 oz, 5 yarders. I only have one 8 yarder, and it is 13 oz.

Darrell

[Freedomlover]

Let's just say that you are going to come into enough material in US Bicentennial to make an 8 yard kilt, and a skirt for your wife. You are mostly German, Dutch, with a little Irish and Scottish, but very far down the road. You don't have a clan that you associate with, and at this point you don't wear clan kilts. Currently you own, three USA Kilt Casual's, two SWK's, with a 5 yard Xmarks kilt on the way. You live in PA where the climate is pretty warm most of the time. You also wear kilts everyday, not to work (yet), but everyday none the less. Would you have a Traditional 8 yard made, or would you go with a 5 yarder and some accessories?...

So what do you all think...

My opinion, having worn kilts as daily attire for more than forty years is to go for the lighter weight of the five yarder. I have a number of 8-9 yard kilts and they will slay you in the summer. Back in '04 the wife and I made a pilgrimage to Gettysburg in August. I brought along a selection of kilts. The only one tolerable was a Lochcarron 4 1/2 yarder in 16 0z weight. Never mind the traditionalist nonsense of 8 or more yards being required. Sure, the more material the better the swing, but I assure you that a vanishingly small portion of the public will take notice. And so what if they do? The idea is to enjoy yourself while being as confortable as a man can get. So the question is this: Do you want to be comfortable or not? My best advice is this: leave the 8+ yard kilts for formal affairs where it doesn't matter if you are uncomfortable because you are there for effect.

[possingk]

Just wanted to thank you all for your input, I paid for the fabric today, it ended up costing me $22 a double width yard with shipping included.

I will most likely be going for the traditional 8 yard kilt, but Freedomlover you and I think a lot alike.

[MacWage]

My brother called me. He got the fabric and is forwarding it on to me!

Should have it by this weekend!!!!