Solid-colour kilt, Tweed kilt, or Universal tartan?

[ProudGrandsonofClanGrant]

G'day Gents,

One of my mates was wondering what sort of kilt the rabble would recommend for someone with no clan affiliation. Would you recommend he buy a solid-coloured wool/tweed kilt? A patterned tweed kilt? Or a "universal" tartan kilt (Royal Stewart, Isle of Skye, Black Watch, etc) If he wanted to be traditional, but didn't want to wear any clans tartan. I am a sort of "any of the above" chap, I just thought it would be interesting to get some opinions.

Cheers,

Nick

[California Highlander]

I'd say that any of those would be fine. Personally, I'd go with a universal tartan, because I love tartan. Tweed with a pattern would be my next choice, just to have some visual interest to the kilt. There are some nice tweeds with subtle windowpane that would look nice.

[brewerpaul]

I have mostly what might be considered universally wearable kilts due to the fact I am of Texas/German heritage. My closest thing to a clan tartan would be the German Heritage but that is also more of a universal. Ive got Black Watch, Black Stewart, Irish Saffron, and Hamitlon Grey. I also have Modern MacKenzie which seems to be a pretty popular tartan sold at the tourist stores in Scotland where I bought mine. I would like a tweed kilt in time but all in time. I think Black Watch is one of the esiest to wear and carries a great history. There are many district and non clan tartans you can search through. I think this has been discussed here before so you might search for answers in the forum.

[andycwb]

I'd say that if you want to wear a kilt for an occasion, a universal tartan is better than a tweed/plain. Just for the colours.

[opositive]

holyrood and other church tartans. irish counties have many lovely tartans that no one will raise a ruckus over. i have no scottish blood and simply like kilts and the associated history. usa kilts has a good list of universals. if you are "testing the waters," good values in wool are stillwater kilts heavyweights like black stewart or economy black watch. usak makes a very good, varied selection of casual pv. my favorite "scot" universals are black stewart, holyrood and isle of man. some great irish tartans, imho, are counties sligo, mayo and cavan. usa kilts has some great exclusive universal tartans, such as the scruffy wallace and german heritage. whenever i get around to saving the money or when there is sale, i really,really want a scruffy wallace wool kilt.

[seanachie]

I own all three: tartan, tweed and solid color. Tweed is the newest of the three to my collection, thanks to John Hart of Keltoi. (Robert Pel of RKilts also offers tweed though I do not have one of his.) I think with tweed the visuals are the hardest from pictures, there is a lot of color in tweed from the specks. I really like my Pheasant Agate Lovat Flame (Marton Mills). If you are on the fence get a swatch.

There are many nice solid colors. I have both a solid saffron and solid green and they are wonderful kilts. Both solid colors are available from different mills and kilt artisans (I hate saying makers, because it is such an art). I just wore my solid green for "kilt friday" at work.

And as far as universal tartans, you will find many great suggestions here. I can't improve on them, in fact I usually discover one or two new ones when these threads pop up. Just do a little research on history and origins of some of the ones you are looking at would be my suggestion.

[Dale Seago]

Any of the three choices would be great. However, were it my choice to make for my own first kilt, I'd go with a universal tartan. In fact, I just realized that of all the kilts I own -- three of which are in tartans "belonging to" my ancestral clan -- the kilt I wear the most is in the California state tartan.

[MacMillans son]

Any of the three choices would be great.

I'm with Dale on this. I have kilts in all three, my first being my clan tartan, the second being a universal (Auld Scotland), and the third a district tartan (County Cavan), and the most recent being a handsome Harris Tweed in the Taransay pattern by our own Paul Henry. A glowing review of which I still owe the Rabble.





As you can see from the first picture, the tweed is chock full of wonderful colors brown,burgandy, blue, yellow, green and a few shades in between .

Any would serve you fine, but the tartan kilt is the most universally recognized outwith Scotland as a true kilt (if that is at all important to you).

Best luck with your choices!

[sailortats]

Brooke, who is that strange person next to you wearing, of all things, p@nts. I would not have thought you associated with that type.

[BCAC]

Nice kilt, Brooke.

A warm (belated) welcome to the PHKOC.