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17th March 20, 07:06 AM
#11
Originally Posted by Benning Boy
Higgins isn't far from me...I was shown several kilts, all of which were of good quality...all of his kilts are machine sewn.
Here in the US Southwest J Higgins is the go-to place for many Pipe Bands.
One thing he's great at is matching in his new kilts with a band's existing kilts.
I just now pulled out the Higgins band kilt I have, a perfect match for the existing kilts we acquired, used, from the Regina Police Pipe Band. It's a traditional-looking heavy wood full-yardage kilt which I thought was hand-sewn, but just now looking at it with reading glasses in strong light I see that each pleat seems to have been machine-sewn on the reverse side, then turned over. It amazes me how good these pleats look.
I know that some big Scottish Highland Dress outfitters which specialize in Pipe Band orders are doing that.
Last edited by OC Richard; 17th March 20 at 07:12 AM.
Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte
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10th June 20, 07:04 PM
#12
Update on my post:
I ordered a J. Higgins PV kilt and I was told to expect the kilt within 6-10 weeks. On week 11 I called (after emailing but not hearing back) and spoke to a very nice gentleman who informed me that the
fabric had not yet arrived (Covid related import issues from Scotland). I cancelled the order, and just put an order in with USA kilts (another phine call to confirm that they have fabric on hand) ...I’ll update this again when the garment arrives.
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10th June 20, 08:18 PM
#13
I have owned and worn the USA Kilts Semi-Trad. 3 in fact.
While I have not personally owned a J Higgins Value kilt I had 4 come into my shop and an opportunity to examine each closely.
The difference in price comes down to the amount of fabric used.
A J. Higgins made for a guy with a 42 hips would have approx 5 yards of fabric and cost $139.95.
A USA Kilts Semi-Trad for the same guy would have approx 7 to 7.25 yards of fabric and cost $219.99.
A difference of $80.04. Approx. $26.00 - $32.50 of that difference is due to the cost, at wholesale, of the extra fabric.
The remainder is the labor to make a kilt that uses more fabric.
I never put a USA Kilt Semi-Trad on the table, side-by-side, with a J. Higgins Value Kilt but I do feel that the finish, the details and the care taken in manufacturer was better on the USA Kilt.
Rocky and team use what is called "Blind machine stitching" in their pleats. Which means while both kilts are machine stitched you do not see the pleat stitching on the USA Kilt.
I felt that the pleats of the USA Kilts Semi-Trad hung a bit straighter and more paralell than the J. Higgins Value kilt and the care to align the Tartan in the pleats was a bit better.
I felt that the aprons of the USA Kilt were shaped better allowing it to hang with less puckering and curl around the legs better.
The extra fabric means that the pleats are more "formal" looking. I would used a USA Kilts Semi-Trad for jacket and tie dinner out with my wife without question.
While the J. Higgins appears more "casual" and, to me personally, would look better in a more casual setting than jacket and tie.
And from a strictly kilt maker standpoint - it is the stronger machine stitching which allows a kilt to require less of the internal strength elements required in a hand-stitched kilt. The only reason for a liner is to cover the internal elements so if you do not have the internal elements a liner is just extraneous. Just there for the look because a Traditional kilt has a liner.
If it were me choosing - Bang for the buck - USA Kilts Semi-Trad.
Last edited by The Wizard of BC; 10th June 20 at 08:28 PM.
Steve Ashton
www.freedomkilts.com
Skype (webcam enabled) thewizardofbc
I wear the kilt because: Swish + Swagger = Swoon.
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11th June 20, 03:01 AM
#14
Thanks for all the information and updates everyone.
This thread was one of the things which led me to put in an order with USA Kilts, for the first new kilt I've had in a decade.
Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte
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15th June 20, 08:01 AM
#15
I am very happy with my USA Causal Kilt and I would only expect the Semi Traditional Kilt to be even better. However, from what I've read here, I expect that the I also would be happy with the J. Higgins Kilt too. Available of the Tartan I wanted, would affect my choice more, but they both seem to have quite a wide variety of tartans. However, the next kilt I'm planning on will be wool. I have enough lightweight kilts to get me through the summer. Higgins does have a wool Value Kilt that comes in the MacPherson Hunting Tartan, so it is high on my list when it comes time to buy.
Dave
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16th June 20, 05:07 AM
#16
Indeed the semi-trad kilt from Rocky will be much better. I own both and the casual kilt is just that. The semi-trad fits on the natural waist and is pleated like a traditional kilt, unlike the casual kilt.
Originally Posted by Crazy Dave
I am very happy with my USA Causal Kilt and I would only expect the Semi Traditional Kilt to be even better. However, from what I've read here, I expect that the I also would be happy with the J. Higgins Kilt too. Available of the Tartan I wanted, would affect my choice more, but they both seem to have quite a wide variety of tartans. However, the next kilt I'm planning on will be wool. I have enough lightweight kilts to get me through the summer. Higgins does have a wool Value Kilt that comes in the MacPherson Hunting Tartan, so it is high on my list when it comes time to buy.
Dave
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