Narrowing it down

[Offline]

Hello all!

I think I have narrowed it down to either the Downie modern tartan or the Lindsay modern and now I need to think about all the other things I need.

My first question is on the thickness of the kilt.

Is there any preferences out there to how thick the material should be? I know it gets pretty hot here in the summer and mighty cold in the winter, is there a good medium thickness?

Secondly,
I am trying to catch up on what kind of sporran I should get and for what occasion but not really sure where I would fall. I will be mostly wearing them at fairs and other outings so not really formal but it would be nice to have something semi formal at the same time.

If I had the money I would buy it all! hehe

Last question is about kilt prices. I know they can get pretty steep if you go with the handmade kilts and I really want to do this right. Should I just save up or find a more affordable one in the mean time?

Thanks all!

Kraig

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Kraig,

All good questions.

When you speak of the "thickness of the material" what you are really asking about is fabric weight. You'll note kilt cloth generally comes in three advertised weights.
1. Light weight (roughly 10 or 11 oz per yard).
2. Medium weight (roughly 13 or 14 oz per yard).
3. Heavy weight (roughly 15 or 16 oz per yard).

Certain tartans (regimental tartans) are also offered in an even heavier military weight of 18 oz per yard.

My general advice is to go with the heaviest weight that is available within your budget. You'll find that not all tartans are available in all weights. A certain tartan may only be available from one mill in a medium weight cloth and that is it. Or it may be available in light and heavy weights, but not medium. So your options may be limited depending on what tartan you end up going with.

But the heavy weight tartans have many advantages over the lighter weights. They wrinkle less. They keep their pleats neater. They present a more masculine look and hang. As a kilt maker, I also find the heavier weight tartans easier to work with, which means it is easier to construct a nice looking kilt.

The main advantage people see to the lighter weight tartans seems to be coolness of wear, but in reality I think this is more in people's minds. If you want your outfit to be cooler wearing, then adjust the accessories you wear with your kilt. Wear a short sleeved shirt, leave the tweed jacket and wool bonnet at home, find some thinner kilt hose, etc. If you want a lighter weight kilt my advice would be to have a kilt made from heavy weight cloth, but with less yardage. This will greatly reduce the weight of the kilt but still give you all the advantages of the heavy weight cloth.

If you select the Lindsay tartan you will have your choice of fabric weights. It is commonly available from most any of the tartan mills, in all three weights. If you go with the Downie tartan, expect to have to commission a custom weave, which of course means extra money.

In terms of sporrans, depending on your budget I would make different recommendations. If your budget is more limited, I'd look for something like what's shown on the economy sporran page at the STM gift shop.
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/...s_economy.html

The bag style Rob Roy sporran would work perfectly at a ren fair or similar festival, but also for general wear. The Country squire sporran is a more modern look. Get one in black and you can get by at a more dressy occasion in a pinch.

You you have a little more to spend, I'd suggest one of these:
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/sporrans1.html

Again, in black leather these are simple enough for daywear, but nice enough you can also pull off evening wear in a pinch.

Lastly, if you want a really nice, hand crafted sporran that is genuinely good for all occasions, I'd look at the Ferguson Britt models. A style such as his Duin Uasial or Glen Orchy, in black leather is suitable for any event from a day at the Highland Games to a formal ball, in my opinion.


But if your budget is limited, I'd spend the most on the kilt itself -- that is the cornerstone of the outfit and will last you for many, many years. Don't skimp on the kilt. You can get by with few or limited accessories and grow your Highland wardrobe as you can, over time. If you get a cheap kilt now, you'll just have to replace it with a nicer one later, so why waste the money?

[creagdhubh]

Fantastic advice, Matt!

[David Thorpe]

There are good reasons why Matt is known as a respected authority on Highland dress. The above post is one example.

I would add that there are times and places for lightweight kilts, in my world anyway. But your first, and perhaps only kilt at least for a while, isn't one of them.

There are also other sources for less expensive but serviceable sporrans (and other accessories like belts, buckles, hose, etc.) appropriate for casual day wear. Kiltmart has a variety of low-end offerings as does an Ebay seller called Tartanista, among many others.
If you can wait and save for quality, that is a better option, but I understand the Jonesing to do it NOW. The more time you invest in learning and careful shopping before pulling the trigger on cheap items will pay a valuable dividend, if you can stand it.

[Offline]

@Matt - That was a fantastic post! Thank you very much!

@David - Yes the "Jonesing" is pretty high. but I can see the point in waiting and getting the better quality.

A follow up question:

I have read somewhere on here that it is a courtesy to contact the clan and ask if it is ok to wear the tartan. Is this just for when you wish to represent the clan officially or is it good form to just ask anyway?

I will be looking into sporrans now. Then moving on to sgian dubh!

Thanks again all

Kraig

[David Thorpe]

I have read somewhere on here that it is a courtesy to contact the clan and ask if it is ok to wear the tartan. Is this just for when you wish to represent the clan officially or is it good form to just ask anyway?

Some here will tell you to wear whatever you like for no other reason than that you like it. Others, including myself, believe that clan tartans and the people who associate with them deserve more respect than that. Once you have determined that you have a connection to a clan, it would be good to contact the clan association for a variety of reasons, beneficial to both them and you. Wearing the tartan would then follow as a natural matter of course.

[Offline]

So as soon as I have definitive proof of it I will contact them and make sure all is square. That is just the way I handle my business.

Thank you so much for the information!

[Riverkilt]

You don't say where you are in the World...but I'm in Northern Arizona where it seldom gets ovey 108 F and I can wear a 16 ounce wool kilt in the summer with no problem. No wearing kilt hose with it gets way too hot...so the lighter weight kilts are better.

I am 100% sold on investing in quality. Many kiltmakers - Robert at RKilts and Kathy Lare at Kathy's Kilts come to mind - will accept partial payment. So you can order up with about half down which the kiltmaker uses to bring in the cloth while you're waiting your turn. When its your turn the cloth has arrived and they ask for the balance when ready to ship or nearly ready to ship. Makes it a lot easier for me anyway. Your mileage may vary.

And of course I'm not speaking for any kiltmaker - double check - but do ask if you can make two payments if you need to do that.

[Offline]

I apologize, I am from Nebraska. It can get pretty darn hot here in the summer and the humidity can get nasty as well.

I will have to look into some sort of payment plans. That would be much more manageable.

I am getting excited now! I can see me having one by the summer!

Thanks again

Kraig

[David Thorpe]

So as soon as I have definitive proof of it I will contact them and make sure all is square. That is just the way I handle my business.

Thank you so much for the information!

Don't get bogged down or hung up on "positive proof". Most clan associations don't require it. By definition, a "clan member" is anyone whose allegiance is accepted by the clan Chief, irrespective of any blood connection.
Many clan associations can be very helpful in sorting things out. Some have volunteer historians and/or genealogists with decades of experience, access to historical resources and a wealth of knowledge. Most also are eager to accept new warm bodies to help the association as their time and talents allow - helping to host clan tents at Highland Games, serving on committees, etc.. It can be a very positive and enriching experience which goes far beyond wearing a tartan and/or a cap badge.