My first kilt

[Karl R]

There are synthetic ones, at reasonable prices, but for the wool ones, it's like investing in a new suit. So, no quick purchase. I will have to save up some funds for a proper one. Till then I want to get a reasonably priced one, see if I do like it as I believe I will and then start thinking about a wool one.

Synthetics or cotton or a blend of the two it is then. One of these utility kilts maybe?

I'm going to agree with your general plan, rather than Father Bill's recommendation. (It's my understanding that most people on this forum agree with his position, so his recommendation has merit.)

If you're not sure whether you'll enjoy wearing a kilt, or how often you'll want (or be able) to wear a kilt, then it makes more sense (to me) to start with a substantially smaller investment.

My first kilt was 100% wool. My wife purchased it for just over $100. I would say it's comparable to a pair of dress slacks. It's sufficiently well made. I also purchased a poly-viscose kilt for just over $100. It's even better made. It's perfect for hiking or other activities where I'm highly likely to get it dirty.

If you want an inexpensive kilt (and I'm going to define that as $150 or less), here are the options that I'm aware of, along with the pros and cons.

Ex-hire (from Kilts4Less or a comparable competitor)
Pros: a well-made (often Scottish made), 100% heavy weight wool, 8 yard kilt, about equal to any other 8 yard wool kilt, but at a fraction of the normal price.
Cons: off-the rack sizing (which either works for you, or it doesn't), with a very limited selection of tartans (around a dozen choices, give or take).

PV kilt (from USA Kilts)
Pros: a well made, custom fit, hard-wearing, stain resistant, machine washable, non-wool kilt; about 100 choices for tartans.
Cons: it just doesn't have quite the same look as wool, and it definitely doesn't have the same feel; someone who knows kilts will notice the difference, but an uninformed observer might not.

100% wool (from UT Kilts)
Pros: a decently made, custom fit, 100% wool (medium or heavy weight), 5 yard kilt, for less than half of what you would pay elsewhere.
Cons: it's Pakistani made, so the quality is a little lower (but not dramatically lower) than kilts made in Scotland, U.S., UK, or Canada; several dozen choices for tartans.

used kilt from eBay or this forum
Pros: it's possible to find almost any kilt, in almost any size, for a good price ... provided you can repeatedly check for months (or years) waiting for what you want.
Cons: sizing and tartan choices tend to be extremely limited at any given time; it's entirely up to you to ensure quality.

Utility Kilts
I have no experience with these (and I've done no research), so I can't provide the pros and cons. I'm sure others on this forum can.

Acrylic kilt (numerous vendors)
Pros: by far the cheapest option; machine washable.
Cons: wrinkles easily; does not last well; often Pakistani made, so the quality can be a gamble; usually off the rack sizes, but custom sizing may be available at a higher price; probably a choice of a few dozen tartans.

You'll probably want to do your own research into those options. Good luck.