Caledonia Kilts: Holyrood Modern kilt review

[michael steinrok]

I looked for Caledonia and couldn't find them :confused: What am I doing wrong?

[mddock58]

I posted a link to thier ebay store on the first page of this thread.

Here it is again:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZcal...n-kiltsQQhtZ-1

[starbkjrus]

For some reason the link in the message just above does not work for me. (Seller not found) but the one on the first page of this thread DOES work.

[mddock58]

Relinked to actual page!

HTML copying can get fully sometimes!

[Alan H]

Thanks Alan, for your courage.

One of the joys of this board is that someone else can take the risk of dealing with an new overseas crafstman :grin:

Very sharp looking.

Can't tell from the pics, but it looks like the belt loops are a tad tight on your wide belt....?? Or it may just be the angle of the pic...

Can you speak to the width of those belt loops?

I'm guessing if someone needed them wider, Davy could do that.

Thanks,

Ron

Ron, the belt loops are quite wide, more than wide enough for the belt. I just have the sporran straps OUTSIDE the belt loops, and they're up against the bottom of the belt, so the straps look smaller.

In fact, these belt loops are true "sporran hanger" straps, and not really belt loops, though I'm so used to using them as belt loops, that I just do it.

BTW, I forgot to mention that this kilt comes with sewn-in fabric straps INSIDE the kilt for hinging your kilt to store it. Military kilts seem to come with these, but none of my other kilts have them....just this one.

[bjcustard]

I got my kilt from Caledonian-Kilts today. I got one in the Holyrood tartan, just like Alan.

First impression: It looks very nice. Pleated to the stripe looks very sharp.

After trying it on, my mood sank a little. If this is the 42w I ordered, it's barely a 42. Tight across the cargo hold, if you catch my drift. Not uncomfortable or unwearable, just not as...spacious...as my other 42w kilts.

The material is on the light side, but not prohibitively so. Might be cool in winter. The sewn down pleats would save the day in a breeze.

The (not) belt loops are huge. Easily allowed for my largest belt. Probably 3", although I haven't measured them.

The tragic flaw of the garment, tho, became apparent to me as I looked in the mirror. To top "hem" of the kilt is about 1/4" wide. On the front side of the kilt, above the apron, the tartan's stripes do not link up from apron to "hem". They are one stripe off. It was fairly obvious looking in the mirror.
It is not so bad, tho... Wearing my belt high obscures it, and more times than not I'm wearing a sweater or loose shirt that would cover it.

I gave Caledonian-Kilts positive eBay feedback, and I'd grade the kilt/cost relationship at ~ B/B-. I will likely order another kilt (in a 44w!) from Davey in the future, if I see a tartan I must have. I would definitely recommend them to others looking for a casual/lower cost kiltmaker.

[Alan H]

I got my kilt from Caledonian-Kilts today. I got one in the Holyrood tartan, just like Alan.

First impression: It looks very nice. Pleated to the stripe looks very sharp.

After trying it on, my mood sank a little. If this is the 42w I ordered, it's barely a 42. Tight across the cargo hold, if you catch my drift. Not uncomfortable or unwearable, just not as...spacious...as my other 42w kilts.

Wear it for a day. I have mine on again, right now. It stretched out a fair bit after wearing it for a few hours. What was uncomfortably tight on the first stap/buckle hole when I first put it on, as now comfortable on the second strap/buckle hole. Try unbuckling the lower, hip belt on the right side, too. I'm becoming convinced that I'm not going to use that on my kilt.

The material is on the light side, but not prohibitively so. Might be cool in winter. The sewn down pleats would save the day in a breeze.

Yeah, the material is roughly the same weight as the PV that gets used for "casual" kilts. It's not as heavy as the 14 ounce wool I have for the XMarks tartan kilt. I remember when I first pulled a USA Kilts philabeg out of the box, after my first kilt was the Stillwater. The difference in weight is tremendous, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. It's just different. NOTE to readers: The fell is sewn down (unlike the stillwaters through 2005, where not even the fell is sewn down) but the remainder of the pleat is not. For example, on the USA Kilts philabeg model, the knife-edge of the pleats is kept in place by having the pleat edge sewn the ENTIRE height of the kilt...from hem to waistband. Utilikilts are like this, and it can be a handy feature. Traditionally-styled kilts are not stitched down like this, though...only from the waist down to the bottom of the fell.

The (not) belt loops are huge. Easily allowed for my largest belt. Probably 3", although I haven't measured them.

The tragic flaw of the garment, tho, became apparent to me as I looked in the mirror. To top "hem" of the kilt is about 1/4" wide. On the front side of the kilt, above the apron, the tartan's stripes do not link up from apron to "hem". They are one stripe off. It was fairly obvious looking in the mirror.
It is not so bad, tho... Wearing my belt high obscures it, and more times than not I'm wearing a sweater or loose shirt that would cover it.

NOOOOOoooooo!!! The waistband tartan doesn't match the over-apron tartan? It's not lined up? OWWW!!! Not good! It almost certainly won't match in the under-apron, that's normal, but in the over-apron? ACK!

I gave Caledonian-Kilts positive eBay feedback, and I'd grade the kilt/cost relationship at ~ B/B-. I will likely order another kilt (in a 44w!) from Davey in the future, if I see a tartan I must have. I would definitely recommend them to others looking for a casual/lower cost kiltmaker.

[furrycelt]

It is a good looking kilt. I will definitely look into this vendor. Your review is excellent and thorough, thanks for that.

I do want to know more about the cloth. What is the wool/poly blend like? How does it hang, swing, feel, etc.? Also, how should it be treated (washed/cleaned/dried)? Like wool? Or can you treat it like a PV kilt?

thanks,
-ian

[Alan H]

It is a good looking kilt. I will definitely look into this vendor. Your review is excellent and thorough, thanks for that.

I do want to know more about the cloth. What is the wool/poly blend like? How does it hang, swing, feel, etc.? Also, how should it be treated (washed/cleaned/dried)? Like wool? Or can you treat it like a PV kilt?

thanks,
-ian

I'm not terribly dsicriminating when it somes to subtleties in materials, but I'll write what I notice.

The general texture is rather like the polyester-viscose kilts I have from USA Kilts and Bear Kilts. It is much more "neat" and not as "fuzzy" as the acrylic of the Stillwaters. Locharron and Marton Mills both make polyester-wool blends, but this is not listed on either of their web sites so I don't know who the manufacturer of the cloth is. The colors are pretty true to the pictures I've seen of other Holyrood tartan samples. In general I'd say that this material is much like the stuff from Fraseer and Kirkbright, except that it's a bit lighter.

I am making a heavyweight wool kilt and this stuff is a tighter weave, though lighter cloth than that. In terms of care, I don't know.

I'll say this about the fit... The Stillwaters, though I like both of mine very much, tend to "pooch" out right below the waistband. If the 2006 models have the fells sewn down, then that may no longer be the case, but it's definitely the case with my 2005 solid black and Black Watch kilts. It's not a BAD thing, but there you go....makes me look a bit "hippy". This kilt is actually slimming in appearrance. Incredible. PLAID is "slimming"? Since when?

Davey wrote me that he'd joined Xmarks, perhaps he will write and give us all clues as to care of his kilts.

I made a few modifications to the apron yesterday (worked on the kilt for about 3 hours) and widened the apron about an inch or maybe a bit more. I re-shaped the right hand edge of the apron to conform more to Barbs instructions and re-sewed on the straps. This kilt is now, by far the nicest kilt I own and it fits perfectly.

TO DAVEY AT CALEDONIA KILTS: consider adding a bit more room at the hips to your kilts. Both BJ Custard and I notice that they're a little bit tight around the bum. Could you make your over-aprons about an inch, maybe an inch and a half wider? I ripped out the stitching on the right hand edge of the over-apron, ironed out the crease, refolded and re-stitched giving myself an extra inch, maybe an inch and a quarter there. This has made all the difference in the world.

[Mike S]

PLAID is "slimming"? Since when?

One quip, and I know you are aware of the difference Alan but some newbies might not be:
A PLAID is a garment you wear pinned to the shoulder.
TARTAN is the sett design material it, and kilts, are most often made of.
Sorry, just a pet peeve of mine.