Shopping for My first Kilt

[Tobinn]

I knew that the choice of tartan would be extensive but who knew that there'd be so many options, types, fabrics, features involved with selecting a kilt? Me, that's who. Two buckle, three buckle, PV, Acrylic, Wool, Wool Blend, linings, waist only fits, multiple measurements.....It's enough to drive a man to drink. Oh wait...too late!

Anyway, I've agreed to participate in a charity run/walk (I'm walking, I'm not proud) in April as part of the Dunedin, FL Highlander Games. I figured I may as well do it up as best I can so I'm looking for a kilt and the essentials (sporran, belt, buckle - I already have a shirt and hose from my days as a Revolutionary War re-enactor when I lived "up North").

I've been looking at all sorts of websites and whatnot for about a week now and is my head swimming.

With my proximity to Dunedin fellows wearing kilts out is not altogether uncommon and I've been looking at'em with a little envy for years so this is a perfect excuse to jump into a kilt.

I figure, in addition to this one event, I'll reckon wear a kilt on brewpub crawls (Dunedin has at least eight brewpubs within a 15 minute walk of each other) and just out and about - especially when it's hot (like 10 months of the year).

I've found the following sites and kilts in my price range or at the upper, upper edge, anyway. I know that you get what you pay for and while I'm tempted with $40 or $50 price tags I know I'll be disappointed. I also know that as much as I'm sure that I'd love a $300 or more kilt I just can't afford it. Plus, I'll almost exclusively be wearing it out casually so there's that.

With all that said, I would be grateful for any advice, comments, direction anything at all (I've taken the hyperlinks out as I'm not sure if I'm allowed to include them).

Thanks much!

https://www.usakilts.com/
Casual Kilt; PV material; $100

https://www.utkilts.com/
Acrylic ; $70
Wool; $100

http://store.stillwaterkilts.com/
Acrylic; $90

https://highlandkilt.com/
Acrylic; $99
Heavyweight Poly Viscose Formal Kilts; $129

https://www.got-kilt.com/
Traditional kilt 8 yard Acrylic; $89
Wool Blend Traditional Kilts; $109

http://www.midwestkilts.com/
Acrylic Wool; $90
Standard Heavy Acrylic; $115

https://www.atlantakilts.com/
Standard Kilt; $75

http://www.kilts-n-stuff.com/
Poly/Viscose Economy Kilts; $89
100% Wool Economy Kilt; $150

[Steve Ashton]

Please note that the kilts that are listed as "Heavy Weight P/V" are more than likely acrylic.

P/V stands for Polyester/Viscose with Viscose being the British term for Rayon. So P/V is a Poly/Rayon blend. The only weaver I know of doing kilt quality P/V weaves this in one weight. 12oz per linear yard double-width.

To make an 8 yard kilt the maker starts with four yards of double-width fabric. So an 8 yard P/V kilt will weigh right about 48oz or 3 pounds.

[LKM]

When it comes to a quality kilt on a budget I can personally tell you that USA Kilts makes great products. If you expect to wear your kilt for more then a few runs/walks or the occasional highland festival you look at the semi-traditional as it can be dressed up for formal events. I have seen kilts from Freedom Kilts that are also great quality for the money, and some of these have pockets. I have heard good things about some of the kilts from Celtic Croft, yet I have not checked these personally.

A good PV, such as what USA Kilts and Freedom Kilts carries, will be far better in the long run then most Acrylic fabrics. Some people like wool better while others like PV better. That is a matter of personal comfort and feel/swing preference.

For the sporran, as it is a walk/run you might want to wear it on the side and then rotate it forward afterwards. Often athletes skip on the sporran as it can bounce uncomfortably in some sports. A simple black or brown leather sporran should be good for years to come. If you have any skills with working leather you can easily make your own sporran.

For sizing, understanding the different kilt options, and other information USA Kilts also has great videos to help you.
https://www.usakilts.com/information...os/videos.html

P.S.: My brain went to Dúnedain from Lord of the Rings before I realized there was a city called Dunedin in Florida

[derosa]

I have two acrylic kilts, one a traditional style and one a UT Kilt and I really prefer the wool. The Acrylic doesn't seem to have any real advantage vs wool, it is a little cooler when sitting still such as in the car and it is easier to wash. It also needs to be easier to wash as it requires more frequent cleaning and the pilling both are experiencing are major detractors for me. I use and electric razor to keep the worst of it at bay but its a nuisance. Personally a nice 4-5 yd wool kilt is my preferred but it isn't cheap though USA kilts does seem to put it at a reasonable price point. As I do like my UT kilt I'd be inclined to try their wool kilt or stillwater's wool kilt which they do have as the company seems to get decent reviews.

[Wareyin]

I bought an acrylic kilt from Atlanta Kilts (they are local to me), and I sadly would not recommend them. The acrylic doesn't look or hang correctly, and it wrinkles at the drop of a hat. The store itself also advertised a lot of things about its merchandise that just wasn't so, and the kilt I bought had to be brought back to fix a badly misplaced belt loop that they were aware of but assumed I wouldn't care about.

I also have a USA casual kilt, and I absolutely love it. I bought it second hand, so have no experience with the shop, but I've heard nothing but good things about them. I am debating ordering another casual kilt in my tartan, the only drawback being their Buchanan PV is "muted", rather than either modern or ancient.

I have no first hand knowledge of any of the other shops, but can only recommend that you either stick with wool or actual PV (not acrylic).

[Tobinn]

One thing I've noticed is that some kilts (in my price range) have a waist lining and some have leather buckles and some and both. Some have basic waist measurement and some take multiple measurements.

Questions:
Is a lining important?
I like the idea of leather buckles (three of them) but should I worry so much about that feature?
I assume that the more measurements asked for means a better fitted kilt but at my price range how much does that matter?

On a side note I have to add a "Drat, Dunedin has a Celtic Music Festival starting tomorrow and Safety Harbor and a Folk-n-Fruit Festival on Saturday both of which would be excellent kilt-wearing opportunities for a kilt-neophyte such as your truly."

[The Wizard of BC]

I have heard all sort of different ideas about the liner inside a kilt. One person told me that the liner was to keep the kilt clean. To which I responded "Well, if that were so, would it not make sense that it would be removable and washable?"

Some people seem to think that it is to make the inside of the kilt slip and not ride up. Sort of like having slick fabric inside jacket sleeves so your arm goes in easier.

In reality the reason you see a liner inside a traditionally made kilt is to hide what is under the liner.
A traditionally made kilt will have the inside portions of the pleats cut-away to thin the area in the back. When you taper the pleats they overlap inside and sometimes this can get quite thick.

If you have ever grabbed the hem and the waistbanding of an apron and pulled you will see that kilt wool is actually a fairly weak fabric. The Tartan pattern will become distorted quite easily.



So, built into the inside of a kilt are two elements. One is called the stabilizer. This give horizontal strength to the garment. The other is floating interfacing. The interfacing gives vertical stiffness and shape to the garment. Both the stabilizer and interfacing are tacked into the back of the kilt taking the stress of strapping the kilt on away from the fabric and the stitching of the pleats.

The liner then covers the raw fabric edges where they are cut-away and the internal stabilizer and interfacing.

In casual style kilts there is no stabilizer or interfacing and the pleats are not cut-away so, really, there is no reason to put a liner in.

In many of the import kilts there is a thing that looks sort of like a liner but it is there only because a traditional kilt has one.
Here is an Acrylic kilt that has a liner with nothing behind it. It is not even sewn down. After about an hour this liner is bunched up into what we call "pillow butt".



Here is what is hidden behind the liner of a Traditional kilt made In Accordance With "The Art of Kiltmaking".
The cut-away of the pleats to reduce bulk


Then a strong but light stabilizer is sewn in to take up the horizontal stress at the straps and buckles.


After the stabilizer the interfacing is sewn in to give shape and allow the outer fabric to drape naturally.


And finally the liner is sewn in to cover the internal elements.

[Benning Boy]

There are two other sources of good value kilts great for a beginner. One is J. Higgins, Ltd in the Kansas City area. Also Burnets & Struth of Canada. Each offers kilts from casual to fully structured kilts called traditional. Depending on how far you want to go kilt construction gets simpler and less structured, so today's casuals could be yesterday's normal style.

I recall Figheadair saying one of his favorite kilts is an older unstructured one.

I don't understand the way tartan fabric weight is determined. All other fabric is measured in ounces per square yard or grams per square meter, but tartan is measured in ounces per 54 inch wide linear yard. Makes no sense to me. 16 ounce tartan fabric is much lighter in weight per square yard than any other fabric of 16 ounces per square yard. Wool fabric of 16oz square yard is great stuff. I'd prefer it to normal 16oz tartan fabric as kilt fabric if I could get it.

All that being said I think the very best first kilt is a p/v casual kilt from USA Kilts. You won't regret the purchase.

[Tobinn]

Well, I've been reading a lot posts and I've eliminated the acrylic kilts from my list. I've learned the best PV material comes from MM. I've learned that wool can be quite comfortable even in sunny FLA (heat-wise not necessarily cold-wise although I was at the opening night of the Dunedin Celtic Music Festival last night and I was sorry I hadn't brought a jacket). I've pushed my budget up a bit seeing that a $65 kilt is probably nothing that I would be happy with in the long-term. I've included a couple of wool kilts but I've noticed that only USA Kilts asks for multiple measurements - all the rest ask only for the waist. As always, input is appreciated.

https://www.usakilts.com/
Casual Kilt; PV material $100

http://store.stillwaterkilts.com/
Wool $156

https://highlandkilt.com/
Heavyweight Poly Viscose Formal Kilts $129
100% Wool Budget Kilts $159

https://www.jhiggins.net
Value Kilt Poly/Viscous $130

[Dollander]

Be aware that some less reputable retailers will advertise kilts as polyviscose when they are in fact viscose acetate. Though it's a bit more hard-wearing than acrylic, it's nowhere near the quality and feel of Marton Mills' PV. And since MM doesn't even make PV in three of the six tartans offered by Highland Kilt Company, it's safe to say that it's not their fabric whatever its composition.