Quality of a Tank vs other kilts

[McMurdo]

A well made 16 oz 8 yard kilt, or tank, is a hearty garment that with proper care will outlast the wearer and become a family heirloom, however if one does not take care of it I'm sure that it will not last as long as it should. I know this for a fact because my first kilt was my fathers, he gave it to me as it in his words "Shrunk in the Closet" it was made in 1950 by A&J Scott, now Alex Scott and co.

I own several hand sewn kilts, some are what we refer to as tanks, others are the 4 yard box pleated variety that Matt Newsome specializes in, I have no qualms about wearing any of these to the pub, going dancing or wherever, and yes I do wear a kilt on a daily basis. In my estimation the "cheap kilts" from ebay, the Gold Brothers, etc. will not stand the test of time, they do not hang the same, they do not swing the same and they do not hold a pleat the same way, but I suppose they are fine for spilling ale on.

I think that going to Kathy Lare for your first kilt is a good decision, while I do not own one of her kilts I have heard nothing but good things about her work.

[Barb T]

A well-made trad kilt is designed to be worn and will last really well if you take care of it. Case in point - our pipe major probably does at least two gigs a weekend in addition to all the band stuff we do all summer. He's had his kilt for about 15 years, and the only sign of age is that the kilt has faded some from exposure to sunlight (a hazard with red tartans). Other than that, the stitching is still good, the pleats still look great, etc. He does take good care of it (i.e., doesn't pack it away damp so that it mildews), and he wears a leather sporran strap instead of chain, which is crucial.

And, as an aside, a 16 oz tank rarely needs pressing if you don't wad the kilt up into a ball.

[Tattoo Bradley]

He's had his kilt for about 15 years, and the only sign of age is that the kilt has faded some from exposure to sunlight (a hazard with red tartans).

It's a TRUE weathered tartan now.

[sharpdressedscot]

How long does it take to weather? I've been wearing my Wallace for about over 2 years now and there no fading... maybe I'm just lucky!

[Riverkilt]

Congrats on taking the plunge.

I wore one of my hand sewn kilts, the Royal Air Force tartan 16 ounce Strathmore Mills kilt to work yesterday...work included time in court. I wear my hand sewn kilts to work a lot. Also wear them out to dinner, and since smoking in dance places has been banned in Arizona, I wear them dancing. I wear them hiking.

I believe they were made to be worn, so I do.

Only place I still don't wear them is boating (visions of Natalie Wood drowning in her fur coat) and in the forest. Don't wanna get any pitch on them.....well okay, wouldn't hike in them in cactus country either.

I just brush them off after each wearing, like I used to do with wool suits back when. Let them hang out or if I've managed to put a bit of a crease in the pleats hit them with a quick blast from the Black and Decker Gizmo and all is well.

As my kilt addiction has merged with Kathy Lare's craftsmanship and I now have nine of her hand sewn kilts and a Celtic Croft I find that when I'm choosing a kilt for the day or an event I select a hand sewn. My guess is that's about having a choice of tartans in hand sewn kilts and wanting to look nice. Different than deciding to wear the one hand sewn in the closet.

So the more hand sewn kilts you buy, the more you'll wear them.

That's also a good way to reduce the wear and tear. Buy a bunch and rotate them.

Ron

[Barb T]

How long does it take to weather? I've been wearing my Wallace for about over 2 years now and there no fading... maybe I'm just lucky!

The real issue with red tartan is sunlight (red dye tends to fade more easily than other colors).

How long does it take to see noticeable fading? Well, think about where Jim wears his kilt. All of our parades are outside, and each parade is a good 3 hours out in the sun, what with warm-up and all. Competitions at games have even more sun exposure, because we wear our kilts in and out of the sun from before massed bands at noon until after massed bands in the evening. Neither of these is typical of most people who wear kilts, except maybe Ron who wears his kilts out hiking and stuff. I wouldn't expect to see your Wallace kilt show fading for years and years unless you're wearing it a couple days a week in the sun for long periods of time.

And, of course, it doesn't look like "weathered" tartan. It's still plenty red. But it is noticeably faded compared to our more recently made kilts, as are ones belonging to some of our other long-time band members.

Anyway, the moral of this story is that, if you want to air your kilt, don't hang it outside on the line in the sun.

[berserkbishop]

How long does it take to weather? I've been wearing my Wallace for about over 2 years now and there no fading... maybe I'm just lucky!

I could be mistaken, but i read in one of your other posts that your were holding out on a wool kilt until you had stopped growing. If thats the case, and your Wallace is acrylic or P/V, it will not weather as I understand. Man made fibers really dont lose their color unless they take an extreme beating.

BB

[Roan Carter]

If people are that worried about the things they should just invest in a military kilt. They're probably even more durable, certainly cheaper, and usually really well made.

[ardchoille]

I own 7 tanks from The Scotland Yard with the first one being purchased in 2002 - I stopped wearing pants in 2003. I have played rugby in that tank, I've swam in it, slept in it, done gardening in it, it's been dry cleaned a few times, hand washed a number of times, and ironed many times (I wanted to see exactly how well it held up). Today, 6 years later, after abusing the poor thing, that tank looks good enough to wear to a wedding.

Yes, tanks are expensive, there's a great deal of craftsmanship put into each one, but if you take care of them they really will last a lifetime and it's no surprise that the kilt, as a garment, has managed to survive all these years..

I've owned a couple of "non-tank" kilts and they are great for their purpose.

[Nick the DSM]

thier is no comparison!

well, i dunno. i only have a SK.