What to buy?

[switchblade5984]

The other option, of course, is to put the $130 away and add $20 a month to it for a year. Then buy a quality custom kilt that you will be proud to wear and will last a lifetime.

But who has the patience for that!?

.

nahhhhhhhh who would do that?

[Heath]

Heath:

Before we can answer your question on what to buy, we need to know more of what you want.

What's the weather like in Indianapolis? If I'd gotten a full on eight yard 16 ounce "tank" (i.e., traditional style kilt) I might still be in trousers. I live in Houston---hot and humid in the winter, that is. I started off with a Utilikilt. For hot and humid, I'd look to a UK (for the modern/contemporary style), a USA Kilts casual (five or so yards of poly-viscose) or a Stillwater ECONOMY (yeah, an economy---five yards vice eight yards of acrylic,and you can feel the difference). For cold weather, I'd look for wool or poly-wool or acrylic

Do you want a tartan? I love my Stillwater heavyweights, but the tartan selection is limited. (The shadow tartan in saffron, green and black is dynamite, however!) USA has a wider variety of tartans, but they don't have everything.

Do you want a contemporary style? Low on the hips? Or up around the floating ribs?

How often do you plan to wear it? And what are you likely to do when you're wearing it?

I'm not trying to conduct an interrogation here, I'm just asking some of the questions I ought to have asked myself before I started out. I've taken some missteps along the way (like waiting so long to get a USAK!), but it's been a great journey, and I've progressed as I've gone along.

With that said, my advice would be to either call up Rocky at USAKilts and order a poly-viscose casual or to order a Stillwater kilts heavyweight---depending on the weather. The Stillwaters are only an option if the 24" length will work for you. If that works, and you have a more or less "off the rack" type body, Stillwaters are great, and the service is fantastic---expect your kilt in under a week from time of order.

Rocky and Kelly at USA Kilts make a simply fabulous kilt----made to YOUR measurements, and trust me on this my brother, that makes a difference. About the only thing I've found wrong about the USA Kilts is that, as a handmade garment, it takes longer to get to you---a couple of months.

And whatever you do----have fun doing it.

I have a couple of poly viscose, or whatever that stuff is, kilts now. one id being shortened for me right now (my goof on waist size and a first time kilt). so, it's going to be a non traditional, wear it low around your waist goofing off on a daily basis kilt. the other one i have is the correct size for me in black watch. the one being made is more of a casual low rise in a heavy cotton saffron. i want something that's cool in the summer time. i know these 2 i currently have are pretty warm in the summer so, somethin cool that breathes would be nice. i know this is most certainly NOT my last kilt by any means, and i am planning on getting a heavy wool custom made one in the future, but just not right now. i guess what i'm looking for is something casual and breathable, perhaps non traditional. i'm just trying to weigh ALL of my options though. oh, and a 24" length is pretty close to what i need when i wear a traditional kilt up high with my belt just above the belly button.

[turpin]

Can't go wrong with Stillwater

Cheers

That's assuming he comes close to fitting the Stillwater body ideal. Are you at least a 23-25-inch length, Heath? Give Jerry a call at Stillwater and talk to him about sizing.

Also, don't forget Rocky at USA kilts recently posted that he has a lot of stock in his off-the-rack casuals in most waist sizes right now and will ship immediately if ordered by Thursday. After that he's packing it all up for a big festival.

[turpin]

That's assuming he comes close to fitting the Stillwater body ideal. Are you at least a 23-25-inch length, Heath? Give Jerry a call at Stillwater and talk to him about sizing.

Also, don't forget Rocky at USA kilts recently posted that he has a lot of stock in his off-the-rack casuals in most waist sizes right now and will ship immediately if ordered by Thursday. After that he's packing it all up for a big festival.

Oh well, late again, as usual. Next time the kids can get their OWN damn supper!

Anyway, what they all said before me. do that.

and check out this thread on SWK vs. USAK

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...water+standard

[Heath]

thanks for the replies fellas! the USAK, and the Stillwater were 2 that i was considering already. i have an e-mail in to rocky about whether or not my tartan is available to him in the materials he uses for the casual or not. that will be a big deciding factor. that and the custom fit.

[Tattoo Bradley]

Go here to see the tartans availabe for Rocky's casuals. He carries a lot of those, but if there's one there he doesn't show on his sight, he may do a special deal for ya. Good luck.

Oh, and he makes the casuals from the "Balmoral 11oz Poly/Viscose Tartan collection" only.

[Southern Breeze]

For some reason all I could think of were Stillwater and USAKs. Now I remember one more- Buzz Kidders. They're canvas and not tartan.
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/canvas.html

[Heath]

For some reason all I could think of were Stillwater and USAKs. Now I remember one more- Buzz Kidders. They're canvas and not tartan.
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/canvas.html

funny you should mention that! i'm looking at those on his website right now as another option!

[Heath]

any opinions on the Buzz Kidder canvas kilts? are they nice and cool? anyone have any better pics than the ones on his website?

[phil h]

look at the utilikilts
I own one, and am very happy with it.