Hi Bill,

Neither are family tartans, but the Johnstone would be.

I like the Mackenzie, and so does my girlfriend. It's too small now, though as you say maybe I could do something about that, and it's a bit too well worn to look smart enough for any sort of formal wear.

I like the Macpherson, but to be honest, I was sort of talked into it when I bought it. I have no particular affection for it.

Although I would walk in the new kilt, I am really quite careful with my clothing and it would probably not suffer too much. Also, to be quite honest, I'd probably wear it a lot more on the hills or just out and about than I would to formal occasions. There seem to be less and less events these days to wear a kilt formally, it can sit from one year to the next unused, which is why the Macpherson is as if it had just had its basting removed.

I suppose what I'm maybe saying is this:- Is it worth having a perfect kilt that my partner doesn't like, for the odd formal occasion, when I can trade it in for at least part of the funds for an attractive kilt in a meaningful tartan that I can hopefully wear a lot more often? The trade off, I won't have a perfect kilt for formal occasions. It'll be a little bit used and abused.