Panache vs. The Great Kilt!

**Panache** · 14th October 09, 05:38 PM

During the Nor Cal Rabble's camping trip a few weeks ago I was lent some gorgeous wool blend tartan by my friend Richard (way2fractious). This was for a great kilt that is going to be part of my Macbeth Halloween costume.

Bob (Smayniac) took photos of my trial run here

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/p...880/index.html

Now the method I have seen online (and we tried out whilst camping) involves having the middle part of the tartan pleated and about an arm length at either end left straight for the aprons.

I couldn't get this to work at all for me and tried a different method I described here

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...0&postcount=27

Well I promised pictures and here they are

Front

Back

Covering the shoulders

Back view

Showing off the baldric I made out of a long belt from Ravenswood Leather

I ask our tartan scholars and historical re-enactors to offer their honest opinions. There are a few things I should acknowledge right of the bat. The shirt isn't period, but I liked the sturdy and well made Empire Canvas Works Heritage shirt a lot more than my ghillie shirt (even if it has metal snaps). Also my beautiful Flame-Haired Celtic Amazon Goddess wasn't too keen on the yellow traditional garter ties (though the tartan does have a yellow stripe!) Looking at all my hat options the best I could do was a simple rough brown wool beret and I decide not to bother. Lastly, I'm not happy how the layers of the front apron don't line up together at the bottom, I need to figure out how to get a neat and even line there.

That said...

Have at all!

Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

**Nick the DSM** · 14th October 09, 05:49 PM

Having worn the great kilt a few times, I will say it is a b**** to line the front up evenly sometimes.

I think it looks cool, man. May not be total textbook but I think it passes.

Also wear'd you get the boots??

**Panache** · 14th October 09, 06:09 PM

Nick,

Thanks for the positive encouragement for a beginner!

Originally Posted by Nick the DSM

... Also wear'd you get the boots??

They are actually a type of ghillie and were a prototype made by one of XMTS' resident creative geniuses Kevin Kinney of Empire Canvas Works http://www.empirecanvasworks.com/ (the same guy who made my canvas shirt)

A few of us on XMTS have things made by him and he is a brilliant craftsman.

Sadly these never made it into production

Cheers :ootd:

Jamie

**FreeDon!** · 14th October 09, 06:38 PM

I'd say just knock your goblet around a bit to remove the "brand new" look, and you're in good shape. To me, items (like the goblet) that look "well-used" appear more authentic, and less costumey. The kilt looks great, though (no pun intended).

Don

**Nick the DSM** · 15th October 09, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Panache

Nick,

Thanks for the positive encouragement for a beginner!

They are actually a type of ghillie and were a prototype made by one of XMTS' resident creative geniuses Kevin Kinney of Empire Canvas Works http://www.empirecanvasworks.com/ (the same guy who made my canvas shirt)

A few of us on XMTS have things made by him and he is a brilliant craftsman.

Sadly these never made it into production

Cheers :ootd:

Jamie

No problemo, dude!

Aww, that sucks. They look really cool.

**escherblacksmith** · 15th October 09, 01:02 PM

huh, I know that guy in the 2nd video . . . anyhoo.

I also vote for the apron-pleat-apron way. Even aligning the pleats relatively neatly I can do my 8 yarder in under 20 min. 15 if pressed.

couple of things.

1. aligning the aprons while you are lying down will make the later adjustments minimal.
2. don't stress the extra material. the simplest is gathering the middle of what is hanging behind you (above the belt) and bringing that over the shoulder to tie/pin whatever to one of the front ones.
3. tuck in everything else.

In my case, I like the great kilt as it is the most versatile for weather. If it is warm, I bustle, so all that extra material is like a giant lumbar support. If it is cold I tie the front flaps together, put it over my head then wrap the back material over like a cloak. sometimes I pin. Works grand!

**ccga3359** · 15th October 09, 04:27 PM

Problem I see is the lack of flowing golden locks.

**Ancienne Alliance** · 15th October 09, 04:01 AM

Excellent !

Best,

Robert

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 15th October 09, 04:32 AM

Jamie,

I understand that this is a fanciful Macbeth "costume" and not meant to be historically accurate at all, and that's ok.

But I couldn't help but cringe at the method of putting on the feilidh-mor! It looks like you've got a single width cloth (maybe a double width cloth folded over in half?) that you've pleated and wrapped around for the "kilt" part, leaving enough excess material in the outer apron to bring up over the shoulder for the "plaid" part of the outfit.

I've seent this done in a few Braveheartesque costumes, but the problem is that nowhere have I seen any actual indication that the Scottish people ever wore the feilidh-mor in this kind of arrangement. In fact, the earliest I've seen this style of kilt is 1995 with the release of Braveheart!

I think you should go for a more historical look, even though this is not really an historical costume. It will really look more like you know what you are doing.

To begin with, make sure your fabric is double width, and make sure you have at least 4 yards of it, if not five.

Then lay the fabric out on the ground (I know, I know, some people object to this method, but it's really the easiest way to do it, especially for someone new to this). Starting at one end, leave a secton unpleated that's roughly half your waist size. This will be one apron. Then begin to gather the cloth into rough pleats. By no means should you worry about making these pleats nice and even. Just roughly gather the cloth until you have a gathered section that is, again, about half your waist size. Leave another unpleated section on the other end -- again, half your waist size. That's the other apron.

Then lay down on the cloth, parallel to the pleats/folds, with the bottom of the cloth about your knees (where you want the kilt to fall). Wrap the aprons over you, then grab your belt and run it under your waist. Belt everything on snugly.

Stand up. You'll have the longer end of the fabric now hanging over the top of your belt. There are any number of ways to arrange the upper part of the plaid around your shoulders. Expirament a little, or shoot me an email and I can go into more detail.

But wearing the plaid this way will give you a better historical look, and make me happier. :-)

**shawhighlander** · 15th October 09, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by M. A. C. Newsome

To begin with, make sure your fabric is double width, and make sure you have at least 4 yards of it, if not five.

Then lay the fabric out on the ground (I know, I know, some people object to this method, but it's really the easiest way to do it, especially for someone new to this). Starting at one end, leave a secton unpleated that's roughly half your waist size. This will be one apron. Then begin to gather the cloth into rough pleats. By no means should you worry about making these pleats nice and even. Just roughly gather the cloth until you have a gathered section that is, again, about half your waist size. Leave another unpleated section on the other end -- again, half your waist size. That's the other apron.

Then lay down on the cloth, parallel to the pleats/folds, with the bottom of the cloth about your knees (where you want the kilt to fall). Wrap the aprons over you, then grab your belt and run it under your waist. Belt everything on snugly.

Stand up. You'll have the longer end of the fabric now hanging over the top of your belt. There are any number of ways to arrange the upper part of the plaid around your shoulders. Expirament a little...

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE WORN MYSELF OUT TRYING TO PIECE TOGETHER FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES. I FEEL MUCH MORE PREPARED FOR THE STONE MTN. GAMES NOW. MORAN TAING, MATT!!

ith: