Real kilt v cheap kilts - Edinburgh retailers

[Jimmy]

I see that the Edinburgh real kilt retailers in the Royal Mile are complaining about the number of retail outlets in Edinburgh selling kilts for £20.

I personally believe that there is a place for cheap kilts and the increase in the number of people now kilted is certainly due to the emergence of this market. Many of my friends now wear the kilt at Burns Night, national football matches and other informal events. Previously they would not have bought a kilt at the very expensive prices charged.

I have to say as the owner of 3 fairly expensive kilts that the cheap versions in no way can replace the better produced and made in Scotland real kilts.
The cheap kilts have their place but not in any formal or sartorial dress sense

[Jock Scot]

I see that the Edinburgh real kilt retailers in the Royal Mile are complaining about the number of retail outlets in Edinburgh selling kilts for £20.

I personally believe that there is a place for cheap kilts and the increase in the number of people now kilted is certainly due to the emergence of this market. Many of my friends now wear the kilt at Burns Night, national football matches and other informal events. Previously they would not have bought a kilt at the very expensive prices charged.

I have to say as the owner of 3 fairly expensive kilts that the cheap versions in no way can replace the better produced and made in Scotland real kilts.
The cheap kilts have their place but not in any formal or sartorial dress sense

Quite right Jimmy. The trouble is that many people, mainly through ignorance and lack of cash, expect to do everything with their £20 kilt and as you so rightly point out, they sadly fall short when any sort of formality is required.

[MartinGrenoble]

Are you implying, Jock, that anyone who cannot afford several £100 for once-a-year clothing should not be allowed to attend any formal event?
I thought the modern world was all about equality and inclusiveness (in theory, at least).

Martin

[Jimmy]

Quite right Jimmy. The trouble is that many people, mainly through ignorance and lack of cash, expect to do everything with their £20 kilt and as you so rightly point out, they sadly fall short when any sort of formality is required.

I agree, there is no formality in cheap kilts.
Last Friday night I wore a cheap kilt in the pub watching the Lithuania v Scotland match and tomorrow night for the Lichtenstein game will be the same. No way would I wear a dress item worth several hundred pounds in a pub or at a football match but the cheap kilts give you the option to do so

[Jock Scot]

Are you implying, Jock, that anyone who cannot afford several £100 for once-a-year clothing should not be allowed to attend any formal event?
I thought the modern world was all about equality and inclusiveness (in theory, at least).

Martin

Oh come on Martin, that is not what I am saying and you know it.

To be clear though, a £20 kilt will not fit the bill PROPERLY at a formal event. It will stand out like a sore thumb. However, far be it for me to deter anyone from going to any event dressed in whatever they wish. But-----------.

[Chas]

I think context also matters. If one is going to a formal event where other kilties will be present then the quality or lack of it will show. On the other hand, if you are the only kiltie there, there is nothing else to judge you against and the overall look will be more important.

Regards

Chas

[jilly]

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...

[Jimmy]

I think context also matters. If one is going to a formal event where other kilties will be present then the quality or lack of it will show. On the other hand, if you are the only kiltie there, there is nothing else to judge you against and the overall look will be more important.

Regards

Chas

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.

[Jock Scot]

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!

[cessna152towser]

I agree. Each product has their place. I wear a proper kilt or a cheap kilt depending on the activity. I hope that now that cheap kilts have increased the popularity of kilt wearing in Scotland, many lads who started with a cheap kilt will go on to buy a proper kilt and that the cheap kilts will actually stimulate the market for the real thing. I recently sold one of my acrylic kilts on eBay and the buyer told me that this was his first kilt but that he would be saving up to buy a proper kilt later.