The one most important factor, IMHO ....

[Alan H]

I agree with the concept of the OP. You really can't dress up inferior fabric, but you can certainly take 5 yards (instead of 8) of nice fabric and make an excellent looking kilt. If you're on a budget crunch, maybe that's the way to go.

But, for my formal kilt, only one thing would do: family tartan, 16 oz, 8 yards, hand sewn. Period.

But, that's just me, I'm picky about certain things.

I totally understand. I also have enough financial resources to do exactly what you've done. Even if I didn't make it myself, I could over a few months, save up enough to purchase (not make) a nice "eight yard" kilt in MacNaughton, 13 or 16 ounce.

But you know, when I was 22 or 23 years old and right out of school, I didn't have that sort of money. Not only that, but I knew I wouldn't be able to afford such a thing for years and years. It wasn't a matter of waiting a year or two, it would have been matter of waiting for TEN years to be able to afford that fantastic kilt. When I got out of college it took me four months to find a job and I made $800 a month. Taxes took a quarter of that, or $200. Now i have $600. My rent was about $150. My share of the food was about $100. Now I'm down to $350 a month. I had a car which I needed to get to work...gas and insurance at up a chunk. It took me three months to pay off my wedding ring and I had to pay back my parents for a loan. Where does the kilt money come out of? It just wasn't there. When I got married I had to work and pay for school and the gas to commute to it. We lived on my 25 hours a week of retail work at $5.75 an hour plus a few gigs I'd get playing sax or clarinet, and Joans graduate stipend. Kilt money? Where?

Telling me to save up for a tank, back then was tantamount to saying "you can't have a kilt for years and years and years". So...what? I'm not supposed to wear a kilt at ALL, while I wait? Some people would say yes, that's right...you should wait and not wear a kilt at all until you have the resources to buy a first-class kilt. They feel that anything less than the best is a waste of money, and that's fine. I'd wager that most of those people would feel that you must also have a first-class sporran and premier colored kilt hose and anything less is a mark of disrespecting Scottish tradition and culture.

I happen to disagree.

I feel that wearing the best you can afford is OK, that owning and wearing a kilt is a fine thing but I wouldn't, for example, quit playing music so that I'd save the gas money I spend going to rehearsals so that I could put that money towards a kilt. I wouldn't stop eating dinner so that I could buy a kilt. I wouldn't quite graduate school so I could save money for a kilt. I feel that there's a balance between saving and saving and saving and saving for YEARS, or giving up basic things (not your daily Starbucks latte) so that you can put two dollars a week into a kilt jar......and saving maybe only for one year and buying a somewhat less-wonderful, but still very nice kilt. Having a "good" kilt, but not a "GREAT" kilt, is OK.

I DO agree that piddling money away on 8-9-10 plus less expensive kilts when you KNOW that what you want is a killer tank, is dumb. If you've got the money and you know what you want and you go spend it on something else, well...that's dumb.

[bricelythgoe]

Alan H.,

One last question. I have looked at those kilts at Burnett's and Struth. They look real nice, although it might be hard to find a tartan that would work. What would you say is the biggest difference I would see between a 5 yard and an 8 yard kilt? (lets assume they are both machine sewn.) Would someone, at a formal function, look at me and say "Oh no, you have a 5yard kilt!" or something like that? Is it noticable?

Again, I appreciate all your help.

Brice

[Bugbear]

Alan H.,

One last question. I have looked at those kilts at Burnett's and Struth. They look real nice, although it might be hard to find a tartan that would work. What would you say is the biggest difference I would see between a 5 yard and an 8 yard kilt? (lets assume they are both machine sewn.) Would someone, at a formal function, look at me and say "Oh no, you have a 5yard kilt!" or something like that? Is it noticable?

Again, I appreciate all your help.

Brice

I won't answer for Alan, but I do have a comment.

Some people could notice. If they then insult you behind your back for something like this, their offence is much, much worse than yours.

[Alan H]

Alan H.,

One last question. I have looked at those kilts at Burnett's and Struth. They look real nice, although it might be hard to find a tartan that would work. What would you say is the biggest difference I would see between a 5 yard and an 8 yard kilt? (lets assume they are both machine sewn.) Would someone, at a formal function, look at me and say "Oh no, you have a 5yard kilt!" or something like that? Is it noticable?

Again, I appreciate all your help.

Brice

Yes, it's noticeable, but only from the back. obviously since the yardage difference is essentially all in the pleats.

OK, here goes...given two kilts made for the same sized guy, with the exact same sett, OK? One is a "5 yard" or thereabouts...the other is an "eight yard" or thereabouts.

Same guy...same sett.

The over-apron, first pleat, under-apron, kick pleat, buckles and quality of finish will be identical.

The 5 yard kilt will have fewer pleats, and they will have larger pleat reveals and not be as deep.

HOW MUCH larger...HOW MANY fewer etc. etc. Impossible to say without knowing the size of the guy and the size of the sett. I am currently making a six yard kilt for myself which has a 4.5-inch sett. It will have 29 pleats, which is plenty to look "traditional". However, because the sett is smaller, the pleats aren't as deep.

Which is more obvious..."fewer" pleats (and therefore a larger pleat reveal) or "less deep pleats"?

clear answer...."fewer" pleats is more obvious to the onlooker than "less deep pleats".

Of course there are people who will look askance at you at a formal function and roll their eyes at your lack of taste, respect, sophistication etc. etc. etc because you do not have on a kilt with 30+, tiny pleats, hand-sewn. There are even guys on this board who wouldn't SAY anything to you in a real-time situation, but will notice and be vaguely disgusted. The question is, are you going to let their ideas of what's right and proper and "done" prevent you from wearing the nicest kilt you can afford? It's totally your decision.

Honestly, the overwhelming majority of American and Canadians can't tell the difference between a five yard and an eight yard. It's just a KILT to them.

My personal feeling is that if you can only afford a 5-yard wool kilt, and you buy one and spend the not-insubstantial dollars required to purchase a nice pair of hose, a nice belt and a semi-dress sporran, then I'm going to treat you like a gentleman until proven otherwise. You wear the best you can.

And honestly, mate, just how often do you go to Black tie and White tie affairs at exclusively Scottish functions where you might, possibly, MAYBE encounter someone who would notice and care about your kilt? A nice wool 5-yard does just fine dressed up to waistcoat and tie level. You can't afford an Argyll jacket, so you won't be going out, wearing one. Honestly, how often do you dress up more than that?

[wyldathart]

I feel that wearing the best you can afford is OK, that owning and wearing a kilt is a fine thing but I wouldn't, for example, quit playing music so that I'd save the gas money I spend going to rehearsals so that I could put that money towards a kilt. I wouldn't stop eating dinner so that I could buy a kilt. I wouldn't quite graduate school so I could save money for a kilt. I feel that there's a balance between saving and saving and saving and saving for YEARS, or giving up basic things (not your daily Starbucks latte) so that you can put two dollars a week into a kilt jar......and saving maybe only for one year and buying a somewhat less-wonderful, but still very nice kilt. Having a "good" kilt, but not a "GREAT" kilt, is OK.

That's what I did. I knew I only had x amount of dollars to spend on a kilt and accessories. What I really wanted was a 8yrd 16oz. "tank". So I compromised and ordered a 8yrd 13oz. kilt. from what I understand, only experienced kilt makers and wearers would know it wasn't 16oz. and the fabric would act almost the same but lighter. Now being that I live in South GA, I thought that would make sense to me being that it gets very very hot here. So I have a very nice kilt on order, maybe not a "Tank" but damn close to it anyway and I'm positive I'll love it and wear the heck out of it

[fluter]

So I have a very nice kilt on order, maybe not a "Tank"

IIRC the "official" definition does not exclude 13-ounce tartan.

I'm positive I'll love it and wear the heck out of it

I'm certain that you'll love it and wear the heck out of it!