A Lesson Learned

[BCAC]

I bought two PV casual kilts from HoS thinking that would be the cheapest way to get myself wearing kilts. I figured it would be better to have a larger number of moderate quality kilts than smaller number of good quality kilts. I also was thinking that with a cheaper kilt, I wouldnt feel so bad if it were to be wrecked. Well here's what I learned:

PV Kilt from HoS - $65 CAD
Taxes and Brokerage - $25 CAD - I skipped out on postage by buying two kilts and getting the free shipping.

After wearing my kilt my kilt for a few weeks, I realized that the standard 24" length of the PV kilts were way too long for me and my kilts were not nearly as comfortable as they should be. I took one kilt in to have it hemmed as a test. The results were excellent. The kilt fit nicer and sits nicely on my natural waist without making me look like 'revenge of the nerds'. So,

Hemming of kilt: $31 CAD

Total cost of PV HoS kilt: $120

I could have bought a kilt from USA kilts (see here), tailor-made to my measurements and picked from a wide range of tartans, (far more than the 10-15 common tartans HoS sells) for around the same price or a tad more.

I dont mean to rag on HoS, I've liked their service and their economy kilts are decent quality, but I could have got something much better at a similar value and less hassle.

A lesson for any newcomer to kilt-wearing, I suppose.

My next kilt will almost certainly be made-to-order.

Well, all I can say is thank goodness we're all different.

I would rather have one top quality bespoke heavy weight wool kilt made by a master kiltmaker than 10 lesser quality ones.

I don't understand this idea of buying a 'knock-around" kilt because if I buy a hand made bespoke heavy weight, I won't be able to do everything that I want to in it.

These kilts are not called 'tanks' for nothing! You CAN do anything in them and they'll come through smiling. They'll last long enough to leave them to your grandkids, too.