How Did You Select Your First Kilt?

[Manu]

Double post

[Jock Scot]

Well, the Marine Corps is my clan, biggest and baddest clan there ever was The other two my wife loves.

Well alright, its your choice and your money. Generally, whilst we could probably have the choice of many tartans, we Highland Scots stick to one tartan. If nothing else its------ errr, ummm, well----- less expensive that way!

[Manu]

Well alright, its your choice and your money. Generally, we Highland Scots stick to one tartan.

I'm aware of the Highland practice. If I remember correctly though Jock, I've seen you wearing a couple of different kilts, no? They were both McLeod of Harris, but I believe one was an enlarged sett.

[Jock Scot]

I'm aware of the Highland practice. If I remember correctly though Jock, I've seen you wearing a couple of different kilts, no? They were both McLeod of Harris, but I believe one was an enlarged sett.

Quite right, both the same Clan tartan, one is old and rather tatty now and used for more rugged and casual events and the other is reserved for the more smart events such as weddings. All perfectly acceptable from a Highland Scot's point of view and should I live for another 50 years., my present smart kilt will take up more casual duties and a new one will deal with the smart events.

[lschwartz]

My first kilt was a matter of necessity and availability...

I was at a Celtic festival in Maryland a few years back with friends and family and I made the brilliant decision to wear full length blue jeans and a black polo shirt. Of course the temperature was in the 80's or 90's and I was sweltering. So, my darling bride suggested I go look at the kilts as a cooler option. I did but couldn't find one in wool that I liked or could afford so I bought an AmeriKilt utility kilt in olive drab. No bulky cargo pockets, just a cloth sporran and small hip pocket. A clean and simple design in cotton duck that I still wear for casual wear at home and around town on errands. It was cool and comfortable and the start in my kilted adventures.

Olive_detail_4.jpg

I next bought one in acrylic fabric in Lamont, the clan on my maternal grandmothers side of the family. Similar to black watch/campbell, but with a white stripe added.

lamontm_clipped_rev_1_ab645c0d-3021-4044-afec-dd2869003ded.jpg
That is the only clan affiliation that I know of so I will stick with the variants of the Lamont tartan (ancient, modern, muted/hunting) I think.

I do have an Irish National in PV from USA Kilts since I liked the colors and my ancestors on the Lamont side got all over the british isles (england, ireland, scotland, and also wales).

You can certainly go with your military service tartans as many of us have. I did a search on Hawaii in the Scottish Registar of Tartans website and found two you might want to check out.

This is the Hawaii tartan, and it may be the official state tartan, per the write up on the website: http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...awaii-district

This is a fashion tartan made and owned by USA Kilts called State Seal of Hawaii: http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...hawaii-fashion

[ASinclair]

I ordered Sinclair Hunting old colours tartan from Scotland, and my wife hand-sewed my first kilt, using The Art of Kilt Making.

[Bluethunder90]

AmeriKilt utility kilt in olive drab. No bulky cargo pockets, just a cloth sporran and small hip pocket. A clean and simple design in cotton duck

Olive_detail_4.jpg

I do like that AmeriKilt utility kilt. That one is definitely on my list



lamontm_clipped_rev_1_ab645c0d-3021-4044-afec-dd2869003ded.jpg


This is the Hawaii tartan, and it may be the official state tartan, per the write up on the website: http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...awaii-district

This is a fashion tartan made and owned by USA Kilts called State Seal of Hawaii: http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...hawaii-fashion

I like both the Hawaii tartans. At this rate I'm going to have a closet full of kilts....

[derosa]

I like both the Hawaii tartans. At this rate I'm going to have a closet full of kilts....

There's worse habits in life than a closet full of kilts, still won't beat my wife's purse collection and those are used and put away for forever; haven't seen a reuse in 13 years.
I also went with clergy as a first along with a Muir at the same time as its the only clan relation I currently know of. I've added 2 more clergy in purple, one box and one knife for variety. I've also added Culloden and would like to add a Russell as that is my actual name and an Arctic. I also have a kiltman canvas kilt which is nice for working around the house. Really any excuse seems like a good one to me but I try to keep it to a kilt a year.

[OC Richard]

both (kilts) the same Clan tartan, one is old and rather tatty now and used for more rugged and casual events and the other is reserved for the more smart events such as weddings.

That's exactly my tweed kilt jacket situation: one a bit motheaten and shabby, for Rugby (watching not playing!) and the other in better condition, for piping gigs.

With the tartan of kilts, of course some Clans have several tartans, and a Mr Stewart could have a closet-full of the things, all different, with a Mr MacDonald not far behind.

[David Dubh]

That's exactly my tweed kilt jacket situation: one a bit motheaten and shabby, for Rugby (watching not playing!) and the other in better condition, for piping gigs.

With the tartan of kilts, of course some Clans have several tartans, and a Mr Stewart could have a closet-full of the things, all different, with a Mr MacDonald not far behind.

That’s kind of me, MacDonald is my clan. I picked MacDonald of the isles hunting ancient colours (Marton Mills). Didn’t want/like the modern MacDonald that my father wears. This was before I understood the difference between modern ancient and weathered tartans or that different mills use threads in different shades. With that understanding my next kilt was the MacDonald clan tartan in ancient colours (my preferred colour palette) from House of Edgar. This is now my preferred kilt and I rarely wear the hunting one.
I too am a Laphroaig fan, if you’d been a talisker man I would tell you Isle of Skye tartan job done universal tartan beautiful and easily available.
What ever you pick check how many different colour palettes and mills that the tartan is available in and pick what you like best.
Good luck
Slainte David