Below, you'll find advice on buying kilts for casual and smart-casual wear. There shall be four
categories,
1. Affordable kilts, sewn in to your measures in Pakistan
2. Ready-made kilts
3. Ex-hire kilts
4. 'Casual' and 'traditional' kilts, sewn in Scotland, USA, Ireland, and Austria.
1. Affordable Kilts sewn to your measures in Pakistan
In my opinion, the availability of affordable kilts is a necessary condition for having more men, in general, to start wearing kilts.
Now, what is affordable, what is expensive, and what is too expensive? It is most individual, of course, but I should say that, for many men, an affordable kilt costs around 100 USD, GBP, or EUR and is delivered to their doorstep. This implies that the kilt itself will cost no more than $/£/€60-70, including shipping, taxes, and customs clearance. Unfortunately, no Scottish-made kilts are available within this price category, not even ready-made ones. A Scottish kilt will cost 2-3 times as much, and very often considerably more. But, fortunately, in Pakistan, especially in the Northeastern city of Sialkot, many enterprises are making and selling affordable kilts.
But how about quality? Even the cheapest kilt can be too expensive if the quality is inferior. I have bought two such kilts - from a British and an American supplier. They had in common that the fabric peeled, soon making the kilts look miserable. And so did the 'leather straps'. The cheaper one, a £30 kilt from the British dealer, literally fell apart after a few wears. Cheap, made to be cheap, can be too cheap to be good. Therefore, it's better to avoid the cheapest kilts.
I shall mention that these bad kilts may not have been made in Pakistan.
The fabric looks and feels different. They might have been made in
China, where American and European vendors can buy kilts very cheaply. Depending on the order size, prices can be as low as around ten US Dollars for a kilt before negotiation.
I can recommend two makers/sellers of Pakistani-made-to-measure kilts
affiliated with American registered
Kilt & More, and French
Kilt Homme.
In October 2021, I dared order a 5-yard kilt in Moffat tartan. The price was 37 EUR, freight 17 EUR.
The
kilt is still available, but the price has increased.
Only two weeks later, I had my kilt delivered from Pakistan. And without any taxes to pay.
That a manufacturer has a business address within the EU is, as said earlier, no guarantee that you can avoid taxes. The construction with your kilt being sent directly from Pakistan is, no doubt, within a grey zone. Sometimes you pay, sometimes you don’t. I have heard other customers have been charged tax.
That Schottenrock.com.de is not situated in Germany is now obvious. For some time, the language has been a mix of Dutch, not German, and English, and the business address is, according to the website, in Athens!
What did I get?
A well-fitting, and – after some ironing - very nice-looking kilt with a pleating well above average and with the poly viscose feeling good, even if not in the same league as poly-viscose from say British Marton Mills.
For casual wear, it is simply perfect. I have worn it a lot, and it is not to be seen. Therefore, I can highly recommend this kilt.
Some flaws in pleating...
... but from a normal distance, pleating looks fine.
Autumn
In the city
At a normal distance between people, hardly anyone shall observe the few flaws in pleating, and should they, are all things in their own life perfect? Home, car, clothing or just life?
I'm happy with this kilt and still very often wear it.
Championkilts.com
In December 2022, I came across a dealer of Pakistani-made kilts, Championkilts. Their website looked good and was functional, and they had some nice tartans and stylish accessories.
Should I give this company a try? I did. I am glad I did.
The quality of the fabric, sewing, and pleating is fine. The price, $99, was higher than that of most kilts on their website, but it might be due to the tartan and fabric, and it is an 8-yard kilt.
Nevertheless, it is the best kilt I have tried, not made in Scotland or the USA. This makes it definitely a Best Buy. Championkilts, therefore, has my highest recommendation.
The tartan is Hebridean Heather.
Despite Champion Kilts having an American business address, their kilts are shipped to you from Pakistan, NOT from the US. For EU-citizens this means low shipment cost, compared to what you should pay, if the kilt was sent from the USA!
A very well-pleated kilt
Kilt from Champion Kilts in the city.
In the harbour.
At the railway crossing
A kilt with slash pockets
I’m not the kind of guy who will always wear a sporran with my kilts. In fact, these days I don’t do it very often, reserving a sporran for more formal or semi-formal situations. I like the additional freedom that ditching the sporran means.
Even if we men might otherwise have pockets in windbreakers or use a shoulder bag, we like having pockets in trousers. And we miss them when in a kilt. And I always wondered why, obviously, old traditions made kilts remain without them.
Well, utility kilts are known for their large cargo pockets that can hold a 6-pack of beer or Coke on each side. But they are not to everybody’s taste, especially not for those appreciating a more stylish, discreet look.
Around 25 years ago, the highly renowned kiltmaker Hector Russel in Inverness had a “Hillwalker kilt” with slash pockets. But then, in 2004, Hector Russell was taken over by Highland House of Fraser, and sometime later, The Hillwalker disappeared.
I have checked Highland House of Fraser’s website. Although it may not have been updated in a very long time, the company exists, but kilts are no longer sewn or sold.
My travel away from the sporran began when, in 2018, I got a Sport Kilt with slide pockets. I found them extremely convenient and worth every 24 Dollars they add to the price. However, the sporran chain made them difficult to access.
Therefore, it was very much about either using the pockets or a sporran. I decided to let go of the sporran.
At first, I thought it was wrong. To most kilt wearers, the kilt and the sporran are closely connected items. Nevertheless, I soon got used to wearing my Sport Kilt without the sporran, and it was definitely more comfortable. And when no sporran with the Sport Kilt, why a sporran with my other kilts when just out and about?
In my opinion, all casual kilts should have slash pockets or at least be available for an additional fee, like Sport Kilt.
However, no other kilts were to be bought with slash pockets – until a couple of months ago, when I became aware of a Pakistani company, Scottish Kilt Tailor.
Scottish Kilt Tailor
Scottish Kilt Tailor offers a wide range of kilts and accessories including a most interesting
kilt with slash pockets priced at 59 GBP, 69 EUR or 79 USD.
11 tartans are to choose from, and I wanted to give one of these kilts a try. Now I have received. It is in Black Watch tartan.
Unboxing
The kilt, unlike most affordable kilts, came with bashing to keep the pleats aligned and the kilt neat during shipping. After removing the bashing thread, the kilt required minimal pressing.
The kilt
A very fine kilt. Pleats are very well aligned, crisp, and the sewing quality is excellent. The fabric is acrylic wool as promised. It is not like wool, but it feels good.
The hardly visible pockets are deep and wide, approx. 20 x 16 cm or 8 x 5.4 inches, and they easily accommodate everything I need to bring with me, keys, a credit card holder, a smartphone with a big screen, and for my system camera, a spare battery and a remote.
The measurements are as requested.
The straps are long, which is good. But I would have preferred them to be a bit higher grade. It is not something special for Scottish Kilt Tailor; you see it with many affordable kilts. Of course, costs must be kept down, but why not make leather straps an option for an additional fee, as are other buckles or white straps?
The kilt has many and deep pleats.
Deep and roomy slash pockets at each side of the kilt.
A very nice pleating.
Close-up of the the kilt from behind.
First time out and about
The Black Watch tartan consists of the colours blue, green, and black, but unless in bright light, it appears very dark green or, like the name says, almost black.
Conclusion
This kilt with its unique slash pockets deserves my highest recommendation. It really gives value for money. A kilt, I will proudly wear.
I can add that Scottish Kilt Tailor has a very well-designed website and, on top of that, excellent customer support, where questions are answered quickly and in correct English.
On Links Page #1, you can find several other enterprises offering affordable made-to-measure kilts. With them, however, I have no experience.
2. Ready-made kilts
You can still buy ready-made kilts. Most likely, they are made in Pakistan or China. They are a little cheaper than Pakistani-made-to-measure kilts,
and they can be delivered faster. But, as said already, their 24" length must fit you.
This 5-yard, approx. 16 oz. readymade PV kilt I bought back in 2007 from Heritage of Scotland.
MacLeod of Harris tartan. I still wear it. They no longer sell this tartan.
Heritage of Scotland Gents Full Deluxe Kilt, 8-yard ready-made, 16 oz. PV. Heritage of Scotland tartan.
I never bought a kilt from The Scotland Kilt Company, but their homepage looks fine and serious. Also, their accessories look good, and prices seem quite reasonable.
In addition to ready-made kilts, probably sewn in Pakistan, the company also offers kilts made to your measure and sewn in Scotland, as did once the above-mentioned Heritage of Scotland.
Ready-made in Ireland
OND - O'Neil of Dublin
Readymade 5.5-yard lightweight kilts in pure worsted wool. Tartan weight could be about 10 oz., hardly anymore. Since these kilts, like skirts, have no lining, they feel lightweight yet stable. Five different tartans. Length 59 cm/23".
O'Neil of Dublin Kilt, Stewart Black tartan
O'Neil of Dublin kilt, Stewart Navy tartan
The Stewart Navy tartan is no longer available. I have four of these kilts from O'Neil of Dublin.
Prices might be a bit high, but since Ireland is an EU country and the company offers free shipping for orders over 50€, there are no additional costs for EU citizens. And the fabric and sewing quality are excellent.
3. Ex-hire kilts
Many men don’t have a kilt of their own. They hire the kilt. Probably, they have Scottish heritage and are invited to an event, such as a wedding, where they are expected to wear a kilt, etc.
After some hirings, the kilts are sold, just as Herz and Avis sell cars that are no longer brand-new.
Such kilts are typically of very high quality and, when sold, are still in very good condition. I have never bought an ex-hire kilt myself, but I know many kilt wearers having had good experiences with them. They might offer great value for money.
Anderson Kilts
Clan Kilts
Kilts4Less
Nicolson Kiltmakers
Slajn Kilts
4. 'Casual' and 'traditional' kilts
A step up the ladder; you can from Scotland and USA have high quality 'casual' kilts made of PV from British mills. In this respect, they are superior to Pakistani competitors.
In this category, you also find casual wool kilts, as well as machine-sewn 'traditional style' wool kilts. These are typically 13 oz. 5-yard kilts, but often you can have these kilts in any tartan weight and yardage you wish.
If you are prepared to pay 2-3 times more than for an
affordable kilt made in Pakistan, a casual kilt made in Scotland or in the US is what to go for.
What is the difference between 'casual' and 'traditional'?
Very little. Some Scottish and American kiltmakers or vendors will position their cheapest kilts as being casual, probably, in the hope that they shall not cannibalise their more expensive ones, which they'll call 'traditional, too much. But there are also real differences, of course. Casual kilts are machine-sewn, whereas their more expensive 'traditional' siblings might be sewn by hand for even better precision. And then casual kilts are sometimes made of PV instead of wool, and there are savings on yardage and tartan weight. i.e., from two to six yards and 10-11 oz, some 13 oz, rather than eight yards and 16 oz. One of the kilts I'm going to recommend is really lightweight, only 8 oz.
It is worth noting that the PV used for these kilts is typically of a very high quality and from British mills.
As mentioned earlier, some expensive kilts have an additional rise. You won't find this on any casual kilt. The extra rise may be fine if you are wearing a waistcoat and a Prince Charlie jacket, but it is not for casual wear. And even for the concert hall, the opera house, the theatre, and the Michelin restaurant 'casual' kilts, at least the ones in wool, worn with a kilt jacket, are all you need.
In my opinion, kilts with an additional rise are only to be worn with a jacket! Without they look wrong.
I shouldn't forget to mention that, because most 'casual' kilts are 11 oz or 13 oz, they will feel and look more comfortable on hot summer days in Southern Europe than 16 oz kilts. kilts. All Pakistani kilts come in a 16 oz-equivalent fabric, probably to make them feel closer to expensive Scottish 'traditional' kilts. But in this respect, a (more expensive) casual poly viscose kilt, sewn in Scotland, is the better choice.
Most of my kilts are 5-yard, 13-oz wool, made in Scotland. Unfortunately, the suppliers, from whom I have, over the years, bought them, no longer exist or are no longer offering custom-made kilts. Therefore, I have experience with only a few of the sellers listed below.
Made in Scotland
Clan, a major Scottish kilt vendor formerly known as Scotweb, has a well-designed, well-functioning website.
To emphasise is their
Essential Casual Kilt, a 5-yard kilt sewn in Scotland to your measures in UK-made high-quality poly viscose.
CLAN is also selling a five-yard made-to-measure
Casual kilt in pure new wool "with a contemporary lower-waisted cut, which isn't a bad thing for a kilt to be worn casually.
Another possibility is a
seven yard traditional kilt.
Further, they have high-end 8-yard kilts, leather kilts, camouflage kilts and denim kilts in their assortment.
5-yard 10 oz. Men's casual kilt. Available in many tartans. Also, more expensive traditional kilts.
Kilt Society
One of my favourite vendors was Kilt Society. It was founded by a young Scottish couple, Fergus and Emma Macdonald and opened in September 2016. In particular, I liked their custom kilts, sewn by skilled Scottish kiltmakers using fabrics from reputable mills such as Strathmore, House of Edgar, Lochcarron, and Marton Mills. Quality was excellent, and so was customer service. Add to that the most competitive prices. Unfortunately, after Corona, by October 2020, Kilt Society gave up custom kilts and concentrated on ready-made kilts. In 2022, Kilt Society eventually closed down.
But then, in August 2024, the company was back. The pictures are the same, the website appears unchanged, and custom kilts are again available. Well, not quite the same, perhaps. Nothing indicates that Fergus and Emma are running the newborn Kilt Society. In fact, Kilt Society shares a phone number with another kilt vendor, The Scottish Kilt Company, whose owner is said to be related to Gold Brothers (Heritage of Scotland), who earlier have taken over John Morrison Kilt Makers and Markbrae.
This in no way means that quality might not be what it once was. Infiltration of the kilt market is frequent, especially among Pakistani kilt vendors. Only, I have no experience with today's Kilt Society, so I cannot tell if the quality is just as high as it was until 2020.
St. Kilda Kilts, Glasgow
The kilt is available in many different tartans and, best of all, the fabric is 11 oz. poly viscose from Marton Mills, the same as used for one of my favourite kilts, the USA Kilts Casual, described below.
Add to this that the price seems most competitive. Therefore, it makes a great ‘European’ alternative to the USA Kilts Casual, which suffers from no VAT to deduct, and extremely high shipping costs.
Since mid-March 2024, I have this kilt in MacKay tartan. In fact, the hardest decision was choosing the tartan, with so many very nice ones available.
My new 5-yard St. Kilda Casual kilt in MacKay tartan, just unpacked.
Excellent quality. I like it having only two buckles and straps.
According to St. Kilda Kilts, the low price has been made possible because the kilt is
top-stitched, meaning the pleats at the fell are stitched from outside and accordingly visible, rather than by a far more time-consuming process of stitching them from inside, like on my more expensive kilts.
Do you see the difference? The St. Kilda kilt to the left is top-stitched. From a distance exceeding one meter or yard, you shall not be able to see it. And how many, not deeply involved in kilt wearing, shall know what is better?
It
might, at least in theory, also influence the stability of the kilt, but not on a lightweight 5-yard kilt like this.
As a matter of fact, my USA Kilts Casual is top-stitched, as are my Pakistani-made kilts, which I have no problem with. I very much doubt that anybody shall be able to notice the difference. And should they, very few should know what the better technique was.
No doubt, to save cost, there are only two buckles and straps, where many other kilts have three. I prefer two over three and have asked vendors several times to omit the third when I order a kilt. No problem.
On expensive kilts, the straps, to which the buckles are fastened, are made of leather. On this kilt (and most other affordable kilts), the straps are made from the same fabric. Don't worry; they are strong enough to secure your kilt. And as soon as the kilt is fastened around you and covered by a belt, nobody can see them. No problem.
The straps holding the buckles are only visible until covered by a belt.
In other words, only compromises that are 'invisible' and unimportant, but necessary to keep the price down.
A minor 'complaint': For added flexibility, I should have liked the straps just a bit longer.
In fact, instead of buckles and straps, I should have been OK with a Velcro closure like on the
USA Kilts Casual or on the
Sport Kilt in its basic version, perhaps with a possibility to step up to straps and buckles. It had made the kilt machine-washable and 'airport-friendly'.
MacKay. A beautiful tartan and high-quality 11 oz. poly viscose.
Split, Croatia. 5-yard 11-oz. casual kilt from St.Kilda Kilts, Glasgow. Mackay tartan.
MacKay tartan. Kilt worn in Prague
Split, Croatia. An 11-oz PV kilt is perfect on a hot day.
You can have this casual kilt in many different tartans, as well as in solid colours.
The price was £100, excluding British VAT, and the shipment cost with DHL was £45. On top of that, I had to pay local VAT plus the equivalent of £14 for the declaration.
Since then, the price has increased by 50% to £150. Yet I'll call this kilt a Best Buy.
If you can/are willing to spend a little more than 75 $/£/€ on a kilt made in Pakistan, this Scottish St. Kilda Casual kilt with its very high sewing quality and fine fabric, available in many attractive tartans, is the kilt to go for. It is worth it.
To European kilt wearers, it gives fantastic value for their money.
Over the last few years, Kilts in general, not only the St. Kilda, have become more expensive.
You can have a
5-yard casual wool kilt from St. Kilda Kilts, starting at twice the price of their poly-viscose casual. Here you can choose tartans from
House of Edgar, Lochcarron, Marton Mills, and
Strathmore.
Traditional kilts
They also offer more expensive 'traditional' kilts.
In addition to ready-made kilts, probably sewn in Pakistan, the company also offers kilts made to your measure and sewn in Scotland.
Made in Scotland - vendor in Germany
Kilts & More
Kilts are made in
Scotland, but the vendor is based in Germany, specifically in Mühlhausen, a few kilometres south of Heidelberg. They even have a store to visit, Hauptstraße 74, D-69242 Mühlhausen, with opening hours Monday-Friday 10-14.
The fact that Kilts & More is based in Germany means that EU-citizens shall avoid the customs clearance fee. Freight within EU is favourable.
Interesting is a 6-yard PV
'Sports Kilt´ made to measure. The fabric is from Marton Mills and is the same as used for the St. Kilda Casual kilt. Many tartans to choose.
Despite no taxes and lower shipment costs, the price delivered to the doorstep is a little higher than that of the St. Kilda kilts. But this one looks like a very good kilt too.
Note:
Kilts & More is NOT to be confused with before mentioned Pakistani company Kilt and More!
Kilts & More has a base in Scotland, and their kilts are munufactured in Scotland, but the warehouse and physical store are in Mühlhausen, Germany.
And this is not the only example where addresses are very close:
| Web address |
Company name |
Kilts sewn in |
Contact address |
Clan
(Scotweb) |
https://clan.com |
Scotland |
Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Clan Kilt |
https://clankilt.de
https://clankilt.fr
https://clankilt.co.uk
|
Pakistan |
Sialkot, Pakistan |
| Clan Kilts |
https://clankilts.co.uk |
Scotland |
Stirling, Scotland |
| Kilt and More |
https://kiltandmore.com |
Pakistan |
Seattle, USA |
| Kilts & More |
https://kiltsandmore.com |
Scotland |
Mühlhausen, Germany |
| The Kilts Company |
https://thekiltscompany.com |
Pakistan |
Sialkot, Pakistan |
| The Scotland Kilt Company |
https://www.thescotland
kiltcompany.co.uk/ |
Pakistan and Scotland |
Edinburgh, Scotland |
Made in England
Paul Henry
will make you an excellent traditional kilt, as well as kilts in tweed, denim, etc. Should I one day be in the market for a kilt costing over 400 GBP, he is the one I should contact. Paul Henry is not making kilts for a living, but he has a very good reputation.
Made in USA
With maybe two exceptions, high shipping costs and customs duties, combined with generally hopelessly old-fashioned websites, make American kilt makers and sellers non-competitive and unappealing to European kilt buyers. The exceptions are USA Kilts and Sport Kilt.
USA Kilts is a family company, owned and driven by Rocky and his wife, together with dedicated employees.
Their
USA Kilts Casual is a 4-yard kilt, made to your measures. The price is $140 for adults.
The fabric is British-made fine PV, and the sewing quality is excellent. The kilt is not lined. Nevertheless, it's very rugged, and a plus is that it is washable and dries quickly.
Because it is closed with Velcro instead of straps and buckles, it has no metal parts, making it the perfect choice when you must pass through airport security. I have been wearing my USA Kilts Casual on board several aeroplanes.
If you live in the USA and don't have to pay expensive shipping costs, VAT, or customs clearance fees, don't look any further. Buy one, two, three, five of them. Not because they are not durable enough; they are, but for sheer variety.
USA Kilts Casual, American Heritage tartan. Costa del Sol, Spain. I bought mine second-hand back in 2012, and it is a kilt I wear again and again.
Since I got my USA Kilts Casual, it has been with me on most holidays.
By the way, USA Kilts really do something to promote kilt wearing. Just one example is YouTube videos, where the owner, Rocky, gives good advice, wearing a kilt himself. It should be a natural thing. For Rocky, it is; for many other vendors, it is not always so.
American Sport Kilt makes lightweight kilts for men, women, and children.
The Sport Kilt Original is only 8 oz. And the fabric looks and feels like cotton.
In its basic version, it is closed by Velcro, like the USA Kilts Casual, but it has no sewn-down pleats and no belt loops. The belt loops you probably can live without, but sewn-down pleats are a must, I think. Fortunately, you can have it all, sewn-down pleats, belt loops, straps and buckles, and fringes. And you can have the Sport kilt in other lengths than the standard 22.5". It is just a question of paying extra.
A most interesting feature is the possibility of having deep inside slide pockets. They are worth every one of the 24 dollars they shall cost you.
Only if you want it all can it end up being rather pricey.
I have a Sport Kilt. Mine is with sewn-down pleats, invisible deep slide pockets, fringes, and belt loops. The thin fabric makes it a dream to wear under the Southern European sun.
The Ultra-lightweight Sport Kilt comes in many different tartans.
When ordering, you can upgrade it to have sewn-down pleats, belt loops, and slide pockets, fringes, and straps and buckles.
Loch Ness tartan, Split, Croatia.
For informal occasions where you might otherwise feel comfortable in shorts, the Sport Kilt Original is great –
provided you don’t expect it to be a traditional kilt. It is not. It’s an unpretentious kilted garment of its very own. But for the mentioned purposes, I can recommend it, even if freight and taxes shall more than double the price when sent to Europe.
Kilts a la Austria
If you are not Scottish and your kilt consequently doesn’t need to be Scottish in its expression, you might find this kiltmaker interesting:
Rettl 1868
In Carinthia in Southern Austria, high fashion company Rettl 1868 also makes top quality ‘Austrian’ style kilts, primarily to be worn at smart casual wear events, it seems.
I know of no kiltmaker who has done and still does so much for promoting kilt wearing as the owner of Rettl 1868,
Thomas Rettl.
In his high-quality, most professionally laid out online magazines,
Rettl & Friends
his kilts are shown alongside Rettl's other designs for men and women, and he also arranges several events every year, such as
The Kilt Ski Day , which features various competitions.
Many locals will come in kilts, as a natural thing, men in Lederhosen and women in Dirndl also being welcome. 1st prize might include a Rettl kilt.
In the pictures, Thomas Rettl will most often be wearing a kilt himself. How often do you see Scottish kiltmakers in a kilt?
An example of the Rettl & Friends Magazine, featuring high-quality photographs and ads from other companies offering high-end products in other product categories.
The Rettl kilts have their own tartans and designs, which differ from those of Scottish kilts. The same applies to sporrans, jackets, and other accessories.
Therefore, don't judge these kilts and how they are worn with "Scottish eyes". They are not intended to be Scottish. They are Austrian; they are their own.
Prices are around 650 € or approx. £535. Expensive, yes. But these kilts might be as durable as Austrian Lederhosen. They are made to be worn. And to EU-citizens, neither customs duty nor declaration fees apply.
Conclusion
My suggestion for a first kilt should be either a casual kilt or a 5-yard kilt made in Pakistan. You can easily find kilts that cost twice or three times as much as the ones I have suggested here. For casual wear or an evening in the opera house, I just think you don't need them.
But your needs, your money, your choice.
On the Links #1 page you can find makers of those fine kilts.
Be aware that by buying a kilt, a kind of addiction might have started, so probably you'll not end up with just one kilt.
