Help, please!!

**TheOfficialBren** · 19th December 12, 11:20 PM

I am on Ebay and I see a kilt advertised as:

"This is a high quality kilt made of 5 yards, 16oz heavy weight Poly-Viscose. Each and every pleat at the back is individually sewn to ensure that they stay sharp. The Kilt has two leather straps that gives the kilt a little bit of give. This kilt is ideal for Football, Rugby Games, Scouts, or simply Fashion wear. All our casual kilts come with a regular length of 24" which can be made shorter by an alterations tailor.

Straight from Edinburgh's Royal Mile!"

NOW: I AM aware that not all PVs are equal. I am also aware that the Royal Mile's vendors tend to pitch to tourists and newbs. I am have no problem admitting that I am newb. I own one kilt, a Stillwater Thrifty. I am on a budget but want a kilt that is wearable in CASUAL settings. One day I will get a nice wool but that is out of reach for now.

Any thoughts? I thank you in advance for the advice of the rabble.

**Grizzly** · 19th December 12, 11:38 PM

Might be useful to post a link to the item. Sounds like a Gold bros kilt. Probably made in Pakistan. Don't forget that you will probably have high postage and import duty. You could probably do better buying from one of the excellent vendors over there.

**TheOfficialBren** · 19th December 12, 11:44 PM

Here's a link.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Great-Gift-5...item2ec1b4c28a

I AM aware that it is NOT a top-shelf kilt.

Since I am new to kilting being Pakistani-made doesn't bother me yet...I'm not deep in enough to have acquired the discernment that many of our more experienced members have developed. I have an acryllic/velcro job now. Anything has to be better than that!

**The Wizard of BC** · 19th December 12, 11:48 PM

Every sentence of this ebay ad should make you think.

The first thing - Sorry, there is no such as thing as 16oz Poly-Viscose in a kilt quality fabric. The heaviest weight ever successfully woven, in a recognized Tartan, with the quality to be kilt fabric, are two test runs of 14oz/15oz weight woven by F&K. There are many who will advertise their product as "heavy-weight P/V" and "16oz." but in truth when the kilt arrives and is put on a scale the actual fabric weight is around 7oz-10oz. (using the fabric yard weight standard)

A 5 yard kilt is normally thought of as a casual or light yardage kilt. The standard is 8 yards for a knife pleated kilt.

"Each and every pleat at the back is individually sewn"? Well, all good kilts are done this way too. No surprise there except if all you are used to seeing are ladies skirts.
"Two leather straps"? Again no surprise. Two or three is normal.

These last two items make you wonder what sort of kilt would it be if it did not have these?

Yep, what you have here is a Pub Style Kilt. One that is perfect for going to a bar and spilling beer on.

So if casual to you means that you plan to wear this with a t-shirt and runners. Perhaps to a sporting event or to a bar then it is perfect.

Depending on which of the, at last count, 136 Pakistani companies, is selling this you may get one a bit under in quality, or a bit over in quality, to your Stillwater Thrifty.

**TheOfficialBren** · 19th December 12, 11:56 PM

Hmmm...thank you for your insight, Steve. It is seriously POSSIBLE for it to be lower quality than my Thrifty?!?!
Of COURSE they should all have the standard features that you mentioned. No surprises there.
No disrespect to Jerry. He is a decent chap.

I play rock music and would like to kilt up once-in-a-while on stage.

I would like to get a nice kilt down the road but I REALLY don't want to shell out that much cash just to wreck it. I would prefer to save a nice kilt for nice outings. Any thoughts, Rabble?

**Grizzly** · 20th December 12, 12:00 AM

As Steve says above there is no 16oz P/V. I would also be very doubtful if it had the internal construction of a properly made kilt. However when all is said and done its probably fine for casual use. With kilts remember that you tend to get what you pay for. If it is 16oz as they claim I suspect that it is probably acrylic rather than PV. Nothing wrong with that per se but don't stand close to naked flames.

**TheOfficialBren** · 20th December 12, 12:08 AM

Right on. Thanks, Simon and Steve.

:-)

**Pleater** · 20th December 12, 03:05 AM

One thing to note on the one photographed for the ad is the tapering - which is a good thing to have as some cheap kilts are sewn onto industrial strength backing with no shaping between waist and hips - but on that one it runs along the entire length of the outer crease, not just to the hip line then straight down to the edge.

It isn't something dreadful in a casual kilt, but as it is pressed in and the fabric is most likely acrylic be sure that you can live with it and not be tempted to try to reshape it.

Acrylic can become sad and shiny if overheated, or even crisp and brittle, and it is not a fabric I take an iron to if I can possibly avoid it,even though my iron has a small variation in temperature for each of the settings - small hysteresis to prevent huge hysteria when dealing with delicate fabrics, but Acrylic is a tricky one.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

**Geoff Withnell** · 20th December 12, 05:50 AM

My own advice at this price point would be to go with a Stillwater Economy kilt. Just a few dollers more, but you are dealing with a known vendor, who will give you exactly what he describes.