A few days ago, I decided that I wanted to have enough inexpensive kilts to wear one every day for classes this coming school year. After some internal debate, I decided to order a thrifty kilt from Jerry at Stillwater. The price was right, after all -- about the same as a new pair of jeans. With shipping and a kilt hanger, the purchase still came to only $38.95.

Stillwater uses the Google Checkout system, so I paid electronicly, and almost immediately received an email from Google, and very shortly after that, an email from Stillwater, listing my purchases and their price. I imagine this was automated, but it was nice to get a confirmation email from the vendor. The next business day, I received another email, telling me my purchase had shipped.

It came USPS priority mail, and the new mail man screwed up, resulting in my not getting it on Saturday, but on Monday. Not Jerry's fault, and the new mail man has now been briefed on how we do packages here at the dorm.

I opened the package, and discovered to my surprise that there were basting stitches in the pleats. It's amusing to me that the first kilt I've received with basting stitches is also the least expensive kilt I've purchased. (I tried to take pictures, but the only digital camera I have at the moment is the one on my phone, and all they'd tell you is that I have a crappy camera).

As per the instructions provided, I tried the kilt to make sure it fit my waist before pulling the basting stitches. The thrifty kilts are closed with velcro. Unlike SportKilt's continuous line of velcro, these are two patches, about the same size as the name tag patch on my old flight jacket. While the kilt fit fine, I am trying to lose some of the pudge around my middle, and would have prefered the soft-side at least to be a continous tape, so as to enable more flexibility in fitting.

The kilt is in the Government Sett (Black Watch), which I ordered, but I was somewhat surprised to see that it was pleated to the stripe. My SportKilt, which was more expensive, is pleated to the random. The pleats are not sewn down, as such, but there's a seam about three inches down from the waistband, which runs around the circumference, and provides sort of the same effect as sewing down the fell. The bottom edge seems to be a genuine selvedge, and not simply overlocked with a serger.

The tag inside lists Stillwater as the provider, and asserts that it's a thrifty kilt. There are no care instructions in the garment. However, on a seperate piece of paper in the box, it says that they can be machine-washed gentle, and hung to dry.

So, grades:
Customer Service: A
Quality of construction: C
Value for the Dollar: B
Overall: B+