Some Belted Plaid/Great Kilt Questions

[bertwert]

First thing is that I'm new here, so hello!
I've been looking at getting myself a belted plaid for while now, but considering the price of good quality 16oz wool is around $90 a yard, it gets expensive. Now I've found some clearance wool from a reputable source that was pretty cheap at $15 a yard, it's described as '12oz Merino Wool' and I was wondering if that would be too light. I would like to use my plaid in a 'traditional way', and go for hikes/short overnight trips, carrying not much more than an average highlander would have carried. So the plaid would be used for sleeping in, would thinner wool have enough insulation quality for a cool night and I've heard wool when wet can insulate just as well or better, so I want it to be fine in a wee bit of rain and keep me warm. The tartan is brighter than I'd like, but it will suffice at that price (Royal Stewart). Maybe I'll just get it anyway, even if it is not perfect, for the cheaper price. Another question - how long would it need to be? I see some places saying 4 will suffice, some saying 5 is a good average, and some people saying get 6 so you know you have enough. I'm not a huge guy, around 34-36" waist and 5'11".*I think 4 is probably good but may get 5 to err on the safe side. Now I also want to get period correct clothing to match, I would get a blue woolen bonnet, and a thick leather belt (around 3 inches?), so some sort of brooch. Shirt and footwear are my biggest questions. The typicall jacobite shirt you see sold at highland stores, is not techincallyy period-correct, but who'd know. Now I wouldn't want a cotton one for hiking, but I found a polyester one at a nice price - so I might get that. The other idea was a simple knee length lenin shirt, I could make one from a bedsheet, I just don't know how well linen persons outside, and when wet etc... Lastly, footwear. A lot of time I will go simple barefoot, but for some hikes that is not an option. I was thinking I could fashion some brogues out of some cowhide? Also with them were they barefoot in the brogues or did they wear any hose? I've also got a dirk I am making out of a file right now and I plan on making a simple leather pouch with a drawstring for a sporran. Any suggestions at all?
Thanks.