Real kilt v cheap kilts - Edinburgh retailers

[Riverkilt]

I personally believe there is a place for the term "Kilt-like garment."

[Jaggy thistle]

As a daily kilt wearer Ihave 3 {cheap }kilts and 3 hand made kilts Iam wearing a cheap kilt at this moment and I iam quite happy with it good kilts can be puchased from ex army stores quite cheaply there is room for both types

[Nighthawk]

Fair point but even so, the overall look of a well made kilt is far more impressive than the overall look of a cheap one.

Yet again we agree!

And agreed with again! You and I don't see eye to eye all the time, Jock, but when it comes to traditional formality, you can't be argued with!

Hahaha, cessna said "stimulate" LOL.

Okay enough of that, IMO a cheap kilt is still a real kilt, afterall you can touch it, move it, it does have substance so there is nothing to make it imaginary. I cheap kilt is simply that, a cheap kilt. But as has been said a few times now, and I'll parrot it out like a good bird the influx of cheap mass produced kilts has gotten many people wearing the kilt and interested in kilts that may not have done so without them.
There has been a large number of people who have come to this forum because they purchased a lower end kilt and wanted info on how to wear it and present themselves well. No many of those same people are storing money in the coffers so they can buy a higher quality kilt some day mostly due to the information and friendly atmosphere found here.
So lets hoist a glass I say to the cheap lower end mass produced wrap around that while being small in cost has been large on impact.

Cheers

Given the fact that I own several, one of which I will be wearing to an amusement park, I will raise a glass to that!

Hip hip ***HUZZAH!!***

[McClef]

There is indeed a place for such garments providing they are not sold as to mislead the unwary as to their origin,

[Chas]

My dad, the massive kilted-man in our family, was saying recently he had heard that they were going to try and stop the "fake" kilt shops from trading in Edinburgh. How you define fake I don't know. He would love this site if he knew how to work a computer :s
Anyway yeah he said they were trying to put some law or something in so you needed to be selling the real deal. No idea where he heard it from though...

My understanding is that the Scottish Parliament investigated this very subject, but got bogged down within minutes as they could not find a definition of 'a kilt' that would satisfy most Scots.

If the definition were to be what we call 'a tank', then many military kilts would fall outside. So would any lighter weight kilts. And so would any that were not knife pleated. I am sure Lady Chrystel, Mat Newsome and Steve Ashton would have feelings on the matter, to mention but three.

The truth is that today it is illegal to discriminate against one type of shop in one city, but allow the same type to flourish in another. Scotland needs the tourist money that these type of shops generate. The tourists have to stay somewhere, they have to eat somewhere and they have to visit places because they are tourists. Part of that tourist experience is the 'Tartan Tat' shops - they expect them. And if they can't find them in Edinburgh, they will go to somewhere else in Scotland where they can be found.

A man will buy a £20.00 kilt on a whim, but not one for £300+ - that takes dedication.

Regards

Chas

[weeknee]

I hesitate to even ask and stir the pot......but what is the difference between a "cheap" kilt and a "real" kilt??

[Tobus]

Scotland needs the tourist money that these type of shops generate. The tourists have to stay somewhere, they have to eat somewhere and they have to visit places because they are tourists. Part of that tourist experience is the 'Tartan Tat' shops - they expect them. And if they can't find them in Edinburgh, they will go to somewhere else in Scotland where they can be found.

Yup. They may not like that these "cheap kilts" are cheapening the tradition of kilt wearing or turning it into a touristy costume, but I'm sure they do love the income they gain from taxes. Cheap and available tourist "tat" equals profit for government and the community. Like it or not, such "tat" has been a boon for everyone involved. And the Almighty Dollar (err... Pound?) always wins.

Personally, I think inexpensive kilts, casual kilts, and all variations of the kilt have their place in allowing people to share the experience without breaking the bank. Those who take to kilt-wearing will usually find their way to a bespoke quality kilt in the long run.

[O'Callaghan]

I hesitate to even ask and stir the pot......but what is the difference between a "cheap" kilt and a "real" kilt??

The Scottish Parliament couldn't come up with an answer to that question. What makes you think that we can?

[SmokinScotsman]

I hesitate to even ask and stir the pot......but what is the difference between a "cheap" kilt and a "real" kilt??

Really the only thing that could differentiate "cheap" vs "real" would be that a REAL kilt is made out of tartan and "cheap" kilts are made out of PV, acrylic wool, or poly cotton blend. Because when you get down to it, material that costs 60 GBP a yard vs maybe 10 USD a yard (of course those cost are a generalization) that right there eats up a major portion of what you pay for a quality REAL kilt.

[Jock Scot]

Really the only thing that could differentiate "cheap" vs "real" would be that a REAL kilt is made out of tartan and "cheap" kilts are made out of PV, acrylic wool, or poly cotton blend. Because when you get down to it, material that costs 60 GBP a yard vs maybe 10 USD a yard (of course those cost are a generalization) that right there eats up a major portion of what you pay for a quality REAL kilt.

Labour costs are not inconsiderable either.