Kilt shops in Edinburgh - suggestions?

**MACKAY** · 20th June 08, 05:41 AM

Originally Posted by Ayin McFye

Agreed. To further add to this if the label says "designed in scotland" doesn't mean that it was made in scotland.

Not to go off thread, but I just returned from two weeks in Hawaii where 99.9% of the "Hawaiian" shirts said "Designed In Hawaii", but were made in Asia. Seems to be a common sort of statement for regional type clothing made elsewhere.

**IndianaGentry** · 20th June 08, 09:16 PM

I enjoyed the Hector Russell shop when I was there- the staff was really nice and helpful. For something a bit different, I also liked Slanj.

**Stratherrick** · 1st July 08, 03:59 AM

Bruce

You can't go far wrong with Hector Russell on Prince's Street. The best thing I find about them is that, umless you insist, they'll not sell you just anything for a sale, i.e. they're very good at saying if something just 'doesn't go'!

Cheers

Bruce

**BruceBC** · 3rd July 08, 02:04 PM

Thanks for all the comments - it is a great help for a kilt newbie. It was no trouble spoting the Gold Bro. shops. In a few of their shops they had the kilts on backwards on the display models (wish I had my camera).

I did come across a gently used xrental at St Kilts. It is 16 oz wool, 8 yards Douglas for 130 GBP. Any thoughts on xrentals at this price? Thanks for the help.

**ozone** · 12th June 08, 09:06 AM

i am partial to the celtic craft centre right next to the castle. They were awesome at getting me fitted and clothed in my first kilt. They also took extra effort to work with the welsh tartan center to weave the maddux tartan for me (the design existed, but no one had ever woven it before).

here's their info: http://www.celticcraftcentre.com/

**McClef** · 12th June 08, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by ozone

i am partial to the celtic craft centre right next to the castle.

They are NOT right next to the Castle (that would be Geoffrey Tailor Kilt weaving exhibition.)

Celtic Craft Centre are further down the Royal Mile in Paisley Close which is located just off the High St between Hector Russell and GT/21CK.

Just a little geographical correction.

**Nick Fiddes** · 14th June 08, 02:21 AM

I know it's a bit dodgy for a retailer to get involved in a discussion about other retailers, so I'll just post a note about generalities. I think a pretty good rule of thumb, if you're looking for an authentic traditional kilt (at least when shopping in Scotland) is to give a wide swerve around ANY shop that so much as offers the cheap imports for sale. The quality people just don't sell these, whilst the tourist junk people do sell what they pretend to be authentic quality, but often isn't.

The Tartan Tat shops for example, have recently been pushing kilts that they claim are 'the real thing' at prices that would not cover the materials from a respected weaver (even bought in bulk). And we know from mystery shopping that their salespeople's assurances, erm, cannot be relied upon.

If you're looking around the town centre (Royal Mile / Princes St areas) you'll have to look very closely indeed. There's the odd honourable exception, but whatever the name on the shopfront the vast majority of outlets sell the same rubbish from the same suppliers. Very sad indeed.

**BruceBC** · 14th June 08, 08:30 AM

thanks to all of you for your collective wisdom and experience. All of this information is very helpful

**Chukta** · 22nd June 08, 04:17 PM

I'm glad people have discovered what a bunch of crooks the Gold Brothers really are. I got burned by them a few years ago, when I paid more than $350, and they sent me a "casual" kilt instead of a proper 8-yarder, and then claimed "medium weight" meant "casual". They refused to refund my money, saying custom-made kilts were non-returnable, but this one was off the peg!
After making a real stink, they finally refunded 2/3rds of my money. My experience was with "Heritage of Scotland", but I hear the Gold Bros.have four or five shops in Edinburgh, including the ownership of Morrison Kilts. Avoid them at all cost - they are nothing but thieves.

kiltedwolfman · 24th June 08, 01:52 AM

I just spent the last week in Edinburgh and I'm sure that I went into every shop in every nook or cranny I could find. I can echo the remarks made here already about some of the low low end off the hook stuff. The upside to all that is that they are very easy to spot, and thus avoid. It is fun however to wander into these shops and listen to the wheeling and dealing they are prepared to do to sell you something.