5 yard vs 8 yard

[Stan]

Wandering about your thoughts regarding a 5 yard (16 oz.) kilt vs. 8 yard (16 oz.) kilt. I like the cost difference of a 5 yard vs. a 8 yard, but really in the long haul, the cost difference is (at least to me) a fairly marginal deal, when considering how many years, and pride that I'll have owning and wearing the kilt.

But with that being said.......is there a benefit (or draw back) to 5 yard VS. 8? What are your opinions about this as a kilt wearer, and is the decisions for a 5 yard kilt mostly about cost, or is it about feel, and comfort?

Thanks

[California Highlander]

Stan,, Your profile doesn't say where you are located, but a 5 yarder might be just the thing for a warmer climate. The 8 yarder is going to give a much better pleat effect. More of them, options on pleating to stripe or sett, etc.

Also, how are you going to wear it? Dinners, weddings, and céilidhs? Or at local highland games, pubs, etc.

[unixken]

If you have a tartan with a very large sett size, 5 yards may not be enough fabric to easily pleat to the sett, given the shallower depth of the pleats. On smaller setts, this shouldn't be an issue.

[Stan]

Hi C.H. and thanks for your reply. I'm located in Tulsa OK, and spend most winters in So.Cal. I'm new to the kilt world, and even thought I've only be out "kilted" twice so far (thanksgiving and Christmas party) I'm thinking of the places that I'd like to wear a kilt.

I attend a number of events yearly at the performing arts center, and that's a great place to were a kilt. I'm also a member of the Tulsa Jaguar club, and it seems like there couldn't be a more appropriate place to go "kilted" than to an English car club event.

As I had my first outing in my kilt (thanks giving at a country club, with lots of complements I might add..LOL.) , I wasn't sure how much of a "kilt guy" I was going to be, but after the second time (at the Jag club Christmas party) I was really liking the experience.

In reflection and despite a bit of "first timer" anxiety, I knew that both times out I had a great time wearing the kilt. I've come to the conclusion that while I'm probably not (yet) a full time or 3 day a week kilt guy, I wouldn't mind being one.

I've come to understand that part of my attraction to kilt wearing is because I really admire the kind of person that can wear a kilt any time, any where, and with out concern about any social pressures, and I'd like to be one of those guys. Or maybe "more like" one of those guys.

To me this simply means that I'll start wearing a kilt damb near every "special event", because so far I think that I'm a kind of "special occasions" person, but I'm planing on working my way up to (think that I would like to) a wear it to base ball games, out to dinner kind of guy, and around town kind of guy.

[Woodsheal]

Perhaps this should be moved from "historical" to "advice"...?

[cessna152towser]

Thread moved to Kilt Advice, where it is more likely to be seen by those to whom it will be of interest.

[Stan]

That sound great. Thanks.

[Dale Seago]

My first wool tartan kilt was an 8-yarder. Since then, I've had five 6-yarders made by Matthew Newsome at New House Highland (with 2 straps/buckles); and four 5-yarders by USA Kilts (with 3 straps/buckles).

No one has ever noticed or commented on the fact that they're not 8-yarders, and I'll happily wear any of them anywhere under any circumstances.

[crash]

Stan, just to give you one more thing to think about I'll tell you about two of my kilts. One is a 5yd 16oz from Brunett and Struth in Sir John A. MacDonald tartan and the other is a 8yd 13oz from USA Kilts in Ancient Colquhoun tartan. The 5yd has a custom pleat arrangement due to the large sett and few yards and the 8yd is pleated to the stripe. At 16oz to the yard the 5yd is still 5lbs and at 13oz to the yard the 8yd is 6.5lbs so not a huge difference in wieght. I like them both for different reasons. I will probably have more 5yd kilts in the future but the very next one will likely be a 8yd 16oz/18oz.

[Stan]

Dale, your information's really helpful. So, you have 9 or ten kilts.

Just wandering how do you pick your tartan, what's your tartan of choice, and what weight material are your kilts?
With my name being associated with Macgregor I have a lot of tartans to chose from. So I have a macgregor modern tartan, a macgregor ancient tartan, and an black watch tartan. two kilts are 13 oz, and one is a 16 oz. All traditional cut.

Just wandering what your decision parameters have been.

Thanks