Help with first kilt

[djallen813]

Hi all! New guy here needing help with a first kilt and accessories. I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post or if better suited for the advice page, please move if appropriate.

I've been wanting a kilt for a while now to connect with my family in Scotland. My wonderful wife has gifted me with some cash at USA Kilts to go towards the purchase this week for our anniversary. As I've started looking at what I may want, I realized there are many more choices than I thought!

My thought is that the kilt would be used for weddings, funerals, nice nights out, generally events where dressing up would be expected. I'm thinking of going with the Black Watch tartan as we were married in it and my wife was fond of it and I'm not a big fan of the family tartans. I'm debating between the PV and the 5 yard wool, leaning towards the wool.

Initially I was thinking of a PC setup but am now thinking the argyll jacket and vest might be more appropriate for my intended uses with a white shirt and tie or bow tie. I would like to expand when the budget allows to be able to dress up and down from there when I get more comfortable.

Any advice on a good way to dress as a wedding guest and similar type events?

Also, I've looked at the 1 kilt 10 ways thread and was thinking of Jamie's #7 possibly with a vest?

Thanks for any help pointing me in the right direction. I'm open to any and all suggestions!

[Tarheel]

Go with your gut instinct and get the wool kilt. Also, if you are not a participant in a ceremony, going without a vest would seem fine to me.

Jamie's photo (in the 1 kilt, 10 looks) can be modified with a splash of color by different hose, tie or pocket kerchief and not distract from the somber occasion you're attending. The kilt will still be the focus of the ensemble.

I have two kilts. US Army tartan (equal to the Black Watch in my eyes for somber colors and my military connection) and the bright, colorful sett of the Confederate Memorial. I will be needing my family tartan eventually and that will substitute for the US Army kilt (which I will probably wear out before the purchase).

[OC Richard]

I would think the most versatile way to go would be the charcoal grey kilt jacket.

I'm envisioning the charcoal Argyll jacket, Black Watch kilt, hunting sporran, and claret hose as looking great and fitting in with most occasions. (I like to have my hose not match my kilt when possible, unless it's a formal thing and I'm wearing full tartan hose.)

By the way Black Watch looks great in modern colours, ancient colours, weathered colours, and House Of Edgar's muted colours, not to mention Wilsons Of Bannockburn colours, giving you quite a few ways to go.

I'm not a fan of newer fabrics, and my kilts are all traditional wool kilts. I much prefer 16oz wool kilts over the lighter fabrics, they look and feel better to me.

Here's Black Watch in weathered colours



Black Watch in ancient colours



I hope McMurdo won't mind me using his pic, but it's excellent at showing the elegance of the charcoal grey kilt jacket. The tartan is ancient Graham of Menteith, not dissimilar in overall look to ancient Black Watch. With matching grey hose as here the overall outfit is elegant and somber.



Personally, I'm a fan of hunting sporrans. To me a sporran like this would be ideal with a charcoal kilt jacket and good for all but formal evening occasions (black tie).

[djallen813]

Thanks guys!

Richard, you mentioned a charcoal grey Argyll jacket? That sounds like it would look wonderful but all my searches are pulling up black ones. Do you know where I would find a charcoal grey one? I do see charcoal grey tweed on the USA Kilt site; would that be the one to which you are referring?

Thanks again.

[Tomak]

Since you are planning to shop at USA Kilts, why not get some advice from them? They are terrific, knowledgeable people who can certainly steer you in the right direction. As far as what to buy, I have 2 USA Kilts, both in US Army tartan. One is a semi-trad, which is PV. I wear this to Celtic games, out to the pub and other events where something might be spilled on it. I also have an 8 yard wool which goes to formal events like balls and Robert Burns night events. In the end the decision is yours, but consider whether this is going to be your 1st kilt or your only one. If you do not plan on getting another, go with the wool. Just my 2 cents.

[Father Bill]

A thought occurs to me:

While there are several XMarks members who do it, wearing several tartans is at least unusual in Scotland, and to me, more than a little odd since your tartan is a kind of nametag. How many names do you have? I have two Sinclair kilts - regular and hunting tartan. I had a Maple Leaf tartan because I'm Canadian (but sold it because I have a clan and besides that, I didn't live the PV fabric) and a Clergy tartan because I'm a priest (but sold that too when I came to understand that most Scottish clergy just wear their own clan tartan.)

This being the thought, and since you have already had a look at the excellent "ONE kilt, ten looks" thread, my idea would be to spend my money on the best quality, and most traditional kilt I could afford in wool, (you'll never regret that!) and then use my other money to build my collection of accessories as shown in that thread.

Your mileage may vary, but certainly that would be my thought. You'll have far more options that way than you'll get from two kilts and fewer accessories. My charcoal Argyll with a nice day sporran, a dressier evening sporran and a small variety of hose (one colour and diced as the basic two) and if you really want, then a couple of different colours of self-tie garters which won't cost much but will give you some fun, gives a vast array of options in a lot of different circumstances. Swap in a variety of ties and shirts, a vest, a belt.... You get the idea.