Looking for the best casual kilt

[kilted2000]

I’m looking for my first casual kilt, and I would like your opinions on the three I am considering. I bought my first kilt, an 8 yard wool traditional model, in 2000 so I’m not completely new to this. The three I’m considering are:

USA Kilts casual kilt
Pros: seems to be considered the overall best option for a kilt of a man made material.
Cheapest price
Cons: uses Velcro instead of leather straps

ScotWeb Essential casual kilt
Pros: leather straps not Velcro
Cons: more expensive than USA kilt

The Celtic Croft Quality Wool Blend kilt
Pros: it’s wool blend so it at least isn’t entirely man made.
Leather straps not Velcro.
Fully lined.
Cons: more expensive than USA Kilts but similar price to ScotWeb.

I’m looking for something I can wear casually, but it wouldn’t hurt if I could also get away with something slightly more formal in situations where there isn’t a lot of kilt expertise around. I’m open to any and all thoughts and suggestions you wise folk have to offer. If you have other kiltmakers to suggest, I’m all ears.

The links to the kilts for reference

https://www.usakilts.com/casual-kilt.html

https://clan.com/products/kilts-and-...eb-casual-kilt

https://www.kilts-n-stuff.com/shop/k...ol-blend-kilt/

There is also this kilt. It claims to be 100% wool, 7-8 yards, fully lined but the price seems a little too cheap for what you are getting. It’s not made to measure, and the tartan selection is limited, but I wonder if it might be worth it.
https://store.stillwaterkilts.com/blackwatchHW

[KennethSime]

Of the three, my vote goes to the Clan.com Casual. Great kilt for the money, it will look the part to all but the experienced highlander aficionados. Meanwhile, it is machine washable, and will be very light and easy to wear.

The USA Kilts Casual is nice enough for the money, but I found mine had problems staying up without a belt and that kind of ruined them for me. The USA Kilts Semi-Trad is another option which is probably very similar to the Clan.com Casual, and while a bit more expensive, is available with a rush option.

I'm not a big fan of the imported "wool blend" or "100% woolen wool" stuff offered by Celtic Croft, Stillwater, Atlanta Kilts, or UT Kilts. If I'm looking for something cheaper than 100% Scottish worsted wool tartan, I'll make do with Marton Mills PV tartan.

[12stones]

To me, it depends on why you're looking for a casual kilt. If it's for the ease of being kilted while also not having to worry about going full-kilt-on, then I don't see velcro on the USA Kilt as a con.

I absolutely love my USAK casual and will buy more when I've hit my weight goal. I prefer not having the leather straps with the casual look. I also never had a problem with it staying up without a belt. The ScotWeb kilt is also PV, so you're paying quite a bit more just for some straps and buckles.

I, too, am not a fan of the wool blends or woolen wools.

[kilted2000]

Any particular reason why “ woolen wools” should be avoided?

[KennethSime]

To me, it depends on why you're looking for a casual kilt.

This is really good point, and an important consideration.

The ScotWeb kilt is also PV, so you're paying quite a bit more just for some straps and buckles.

To be fair to Clan.com/Scotweb, their Casual is more akin to the USA Kilts Semi-Trad, which comes in around $230.

Any particular reason why “ woolen wools” should be avoided?

Mostly because the vendors who sell "woolen wool" kilts prey on ignorance by misrepresenting their products as the genuine article.

"Woolen wool" is thicker, coarser, and pills more than a fine tartan twill - kind of like you made a kilt out of an old army blanket. Fine for what it is, mind you, but when misrepresented as tartan, it pales in comparison.

Again, I think 12 Stones' point about intended use matters a lot here - if you want something for knocking around, it might do fine. It'll certainly be warmer than a PV kilt. I wouldn't want to wear one with a PC, however.

[kilted2000]

Again, I think 12 Stones' point about intended use matters a lot here - if you want something for knocking around, it might do fine. It'll certainly be warmer than a PV kilt. I wouldn't want to wear one with a PC, however.

Excuse my ignorance but what is a PC? Do you mean a Prince Charlie jacket? As for my intended use, to be honest, in my original post I said I bought my first kilt in 2000. I did, but sometime between then and now I seem to have misplaced it. I would like a kilt again, but I can’t really afford a full on 8 yard wool kilt hand sewn in Scotland right now. The kilts I listed as possibilities are about right budget wise. I’m mainly planning on wearing it with more casual clothing such as tshirts, collared shirts, or sweaters. I might eventually buy a sport coat style kilt jacket such as an argyle jacket. So let’s say, casual to slightly dressy occasions, nothing particularly formal. The look and feel of a kilt, at a cheaper price.

[12stones]

To be fair to Clan.com/Scotweb, their Casual is more akin to the USA Kilts Semi-Trad, which comes in around $230.

Having never bought one from Scotweb, I can't speak to it other than going off their description and the picture on their site. But because Scotweb states that their Casual sits lower than traditional kilts, I assumed it to be closer to the USAK Casual than the Semi-Trad which has the "correct drop from your true waist to your knee." But, I'm making assumptions, and you know what that leads to... ;)

[kilted2000]

Having never bought one from Scotweb, I can't speak to it other than going off their description and the picture on their site. But because Scotweb states that their Casual sits lower than traditional kilts, I assumed it to be closer to the USAK Casual than the Semi-Trad which has the "correct drop from your true waist to your knee." But, I'm making assumptions, and you know what that leads to... ;)

I noticed that as well. I assumed I could measure around my natural waist and wear it there, but as you say about assuming.

[KennethSime]

Having never bought one from Scotweb, I can't speak to it other than going off their description and the picture on their site. But because Scotweb states that their Casual sits lower than traditional kilts, I assumed it to be closer to the USAK Casual than the Semi-Trad which has the "correct drop from your true waist to your knee." But, I'm making assumptions, and you know what that leads to... ;)

Hmm... I missed that! You've made another good point, about assumption - in my haste, I skipped over that detail. :-)

[KennethSime]

Excuse my ignorance but what is a PC? Do you mean a Prince Charlie jacket? As for my intended use, to be honest, in my original post I said I bought my first kilt in 2000. I did, but sometime between then and now I seem to have misplaced it. I would like a kilt again, but I can’t really afford a full on 8 yard wool kilt hand sewn in Scotland right now. The kilts I listed as possibilities are about right budget wise. I’m mainly planning on wearing it with more casual clothing such as tshirts, collared shirts, or sweaters. I might eventually buy a sport coat style kilt jacket such as an argyle jacket. So let’s say, casual to slightly dressy occasions, nothing particularly formal. The look and feel of a kilt, at a cheaper price.

Correct! "PC" is shorthand for Prince Charlie. And by Prince Charlie, I mean to reference a black tie affair such as an evening wedding or societal event.

One piece of advice I received early on was always to buy the best kilt you can afford, and let the rest come later. The logic behind this is that it's easy to dress down a nice 8-yard kilt with a t-shirt and boots, but it's hard to dress up a chintzy acrylic kilt from Amazon.

If you've got $100 to spend on a kilt, I'd go for a USA Kilts casual before I'd go for one of the cheaper offerings from one of the Pakistani import companies. Make sure you let them know that you intend to wear it at the full kilt height, in order to accommodate pairing with an Argyll jacket & waistcoat. This may mean they have to make it to measure, rather than offering an in-stock model.

At $150, I might go for a Clan.com casual, and ask if they could make it at the full kilt height in order to accommodate pairing with an Argyll jacket & waistcoat.

Knowing a little more about your intended use, I might encourage you to try saving up for $250-300, and then purchasing a Semi-Trad or 5-yard wool kilt from USA Kilts. These kilts will look the part of an 8-yard to most, and are made at the full kilt height so will naturally accomodate a higher-cut waistcoat & jacket such as an Argyll.

Alternatively, you might consider checking out eBay or Etsy for vintage kilts which are close to your size. Deals come up all the time, and if you're flexible about your tartans, you can pickup a great deal. For example, here's a Douglas tartan kilt which looks to be a full Scottish-made 8-yard kilt for the very reasonable sum of $158.27. This particular kilt has been tempting me as it's just my size! I would be relieved if someone else bought it. ;-)