Glasgow kilt shops August 2024

[Troglodyte]

Exactly.

It's what could be called "the Starbucks effect" especially so as I sit here sipping a Starbucks drink which I could have bought anywhere in the world.

But when I was in Seattle I was determined to get coffee anywhere other than a Starbucks (there are little one-off coffee shops on every street).

Here in Scotland I suppose I would have to go to the Highlands, Inverness perhaps, to find the sort of shop I have in mind.

Inverness is home to Duncan Chisholm's wonderful shop - that is easy to find as it is right opposite the castle. And Ben Wyvis Kilts, too, but a few of the old favourites have closed down since Covid.

And the town has plenty on offer if you want to indulge in tartan-and-shortbread tat..!

Market forces, economies of scale, and all that sort of thing has all but killed off the provincial boutique kilt outfitters in recent years, and most of what's available now seems very generic. Sporrans mostly seem to come from you know who, and the range of tweeds available are from the usual suspects.

Aberdeen has a good offering of small outfitters, and is also home to the McCalls chain - their main shop is only a few minutes' walk from the railway station, and is like a department store over three floors. It's worth looking at simply for the fun of it, and their tailoring department and bespoke sporran service is what it must have been like 'back in the day'.

Piob Mhor in Blairgowrie has changed little over the years, and still has its kilt-making done on-site, along with bespoke tailoring for jackets. Excellent quality and finish, from what I have seen, and using tweeds from weavers favoured by Savile Row tailors.

Have fun..!