Good wool tartan material costs a lot to produce.

Paying a skilled kilt maker to take many hours to hand sew a kilt is going to cost quite a bit as well.

The end result, a custom made kilt is a thing of beauty and one that if properly cared for should serve you well for a lifetime. As has been said before, they are a good investment.

Now a lot of kit associated with the kilt is also hand made or a specialty item produced by few.

If you want a complete custom made kilt outfit, right now, then it is going to cost you.

However if you are patient, if you are willing to try your hand at making things, if you think outside of the box, then some of the kit for a kilt outfit can be had quite reasonably.

The secret is to knowing what items you should spend your money on (and what is important to you).

Take a look at this outfit




Tweed jacket: Purchased new at Ross for about $20, modified by a tailor into a kilt jacket for $90

Waistcoat: Purchased on clearance at Target for $7, shortened by my lovely wife for free)

Bow tie: Thrift store find $2

Dress shirt: Purchased from Mervyns on clearance $12.50

Dress Shoes: Purchased from Target on clearance for $20

Pocket square: $2 bandanna from a party supply store

Sporran Strap: $6 Clearance ladies belt modified by me with about $5 of hardware into a sporran strap

Sgian Don't: $3 in materials, made by me

The only real official "Kilt stuff" I am wearing is my kilt, flashes, hose, and sporran (and the kilt is one of Jerry's Stillwater heavyweights).

Now I am pretty happy with this outfit (including the hat that Jock Scot is sighing over right now ). The whole price of this outfit comes to around $500 (not including the hat)

Now I don't think that this outfit is better than one with a hand sewn kilt, tailored kilt jacket and waistcoat, and other pieces bought of the best quality for full retail. I bet that such an outfit would indeed look a little nicer. This doesn't make my outfit any less nice.

I have seen really bad jacket conversions here on XMTS and I have seen really good ones. The key is to try be discerning when cutting corners.

What I am trying to get at is that if one is an informed buyer, one willing to wait and look for bargains, use a little imagination and elbow grease, and most of all to be creative can find some ways to make an outfit without breaking the bank.

I think frugality is knowing what to invest in to buy the best and knowing what not to waste money on as it doesn't matter*.

Cheers

Jamie

* This is why I passed up the french pocket square sewn and embroidered by nuns in the Cognac region of France, and made from the finest and highest quality Tibetan silk obtained from free range organically fed silk worms.