Pakistani made-to-measure kilt, Moffat tartan

Buy a cheap kilt

Under £100



A cheap kilt does not mean a bad kilt, not even if its price is considerably under £100 or equivalent! That the quality cannot be the same as you find in a kilt costing five or ten times more, is obvious. But for casual wear the cheap kilt might be good enough, and often even a better choice than an expensive kilt.


Until few years ago cheap kilts meant ready-made 8-yard kilts, 8-12 tartans to choose, 24 inch long, each one covering a 3-4” gap in waist size and made in Pakistan (or China).

In the city of Sialkot in north-eastern Pakistan a lot of enterprises would make and sell kilts to independent vendors, primarily in Scotland and the US.
Ready-made Pakistani kilts are still a possibility, and they may be delivered within one week. Over the years I have and have had several of these “imported” ready-made kilts. Some have been and are still very good; some have been less so and some have been no good at all.

My advice: Avoid the cheapest of kilts. They are made to be cheap, which may not include good!

Week points: Quality of fabric, pleating, sewing quality.

The worst kilt, I have ever bought, was from a British vendor. It was called a Value kilt. It definitely was of no value. After a few wearings it started looking worn, and after a few more it started to literally fall apart.



Vendors of ready-made kilts

Heritage of Scotland and The Scotland Kilt Company

You may take a look at Heritage of Scotland. I have bought some very fine kilts from them. But alas, out of 15 kilts I should now only be able to find two my size. But this is an improvement. For a very long period of time they only had sizes fitting slim teenage boys or pretty inflated men, no matter the tartan.

I never bought a kilt from The Scotland Kilt Company, but their homepage looks fine and serious. Also, their accessories are looking good and prices seem most reasonable.


Heritage of Scotland readymade kilt, MacLeod of Harris tartan

This 5-yard, approx. 16 oz. ready.made PV kilt I bought back in 2007 from Heritage of Scotland. I still wear it.


Heritage of Scotland readymade kilt, Heritage of Scotland.

Heritage of Scotland Gents Full Deluxe Kilt, 8-yard ready-made, 16 oz. PV.


Vendors of made-to-measure kilts

The new thing is that very many kilt manufacturers in Sialkot will offer affordable kilts made to YOUR measures. This only works (or works the best) with a contact between manufacturer and customer. It can be with the manufacturer directly in Pakistan or a subsidiary/business address in USA, Scotland or within the European Union, like in France and Germany. Wherever you order the kilt, it is sent to you from Pakistan. Accordingly, this to a great extent means a good-by to the independent dealer or vendor.

Within the clothing industry, every added link in the distribution chain typically means high added margins – to become reflected in consumer price, of course. Therefore, every omitted link – which is the case here - means a possibility to reduce price, and/or giving the end user better quality for the same money. That’s the reason why you can have a custom kilt at approximately the same price as a good off-the-peg kilt.
Also, made-to-order rather than made-to-bulk has environmental rewards.

The typical set-up is that you can choose between a lot of tartans, and between 5 or 8 yards, in some cases also 4, 5 and 7 yards, and have the kilt made to your waist size and hip size and with fell and length of kilt to your wishes.

No kilts made in Scotland can be found in the price category up to the equivalent of 100 GBP.

The big question, are these affordable made-to-measure kilts good enough?

Like with ready-made kilts some may not be, whereas others are fine kilts. Very good experience I have with two enterprises:

Kilt & More, not to be confused with Scottish/German Kilts & More and Championkilts.com


Kilt & More

Kilt & More you find in USA (Kilt & More), France (Kilt Homme), and Germany (Schottenrock).

Like many other enterprises Kilt & More offer kilts made to your measures and at most affordable prices. Basically, they are 5-yard kilts, but should you prefer the kilt to be an 8-yarder, you just check this possibility and pay about 26€ extra, which is just fair.

That a manufacturer has a business address within EU, is no guarantee that you can avoid taxes, like VAT. The construction with your kilt being sent directly from Pakistan is no doubt within a grey zone. Sometimes you pay, sometimes you do not.

In October 2021 I ordered a 5-yard kilt in Moffat-tartan. I had not seen this tartan before, but I thought it looked good. I filled in my measures, paid via my credit card, and started waiting. I did not have the biggest of expectations. The price was 38€ and shipping 17€, altogether 55€, by then equalizing £47 or $63.
By the end of 2022 the price is 55€ and shipment has increased too, but this is a general tendency on the kilt market.

Only 22 days later I was advised by German UPS that a parcel was on its way. And the following day it arrived. No additional charges. End price including shipment 55€.

Later I have heard of three others having ordered a kilt with Scottenrock.de. One had not paid taxes, the two others had – but were still most satisfied with quality-price relation.

First impression
My new kilt came in a plastic bag which, no doubt, had been squeezed on a long journey between other hard and heavy packages. It hardly looked like a kilt. But after 20 minutes ironing with a tea towel between kilt and iron it took form.

I liked the tartan. Measures were as ordered. Sewing quality seemed very good. Pleating was fairly accurate, not perfect, but above average for an “imported” kilt. Also, the fabric felt good, even if a bit stiff.

Would I wear it to the opera house? No. But mainly because I have kilts, better suited for such purposes! For visiting a museum of modern art, it is great.

Could it stand daily use?
I have had this kilt for more than a year by now and I have really given it a try. I might have worn it not just 100 times but 100 days from morning till late. This might be more than most kilts are worn over a 10-year period. Worn out? Not a bit. The sewing quality has proven to be fine. The fabric has very little tendency to peel. That said, I have not been wearing a sporran with it.

My verdict

For most tasks – casual first – it certainly shall do its job and look great. 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?

It is a durable, fine kilt, giving a lot of value for money. Would I order another kilt from Kilt & More? Yes, and without hesitation or reservations.



Kilt & More Moffat tartan

Some flaws in pleating,...


Kilt & More Moffat tartan

...but from a distance the pleating looks fine.


Kilt & More Moffat tartan

Moffat tartan.



Championkilts.com

A few weeks ago (December 2022) I came across another another vendor of Pakistani-made kilts, Championkilts. Their website looked good and functional, and they had some tartans which I had not seen with others, add to that pretty stylish accessories.

Should I give this company a try? I did. I am glad I did. Having just received my kilt I can say:

This kilt has almost blown me away; so good is quality of fabric, sewing, and precision in pleating. The price, $99 was higher than that of most kilts on their website, but it might be due to the tartan and fabric.
Nevertheless, it is the best kilt, I have seen, not made in Scotland or USA. Definitely it is, at this price, a Best Buy and thus Championkilts has my highest recommendation.

The tartan is Hebridean Heather, and it is an 8-yard kilt, costing extra $25.

Championkilts, 8-yard Hebridean Heather tartan

Perfect pleating


Championkilts, 8-yard Hebredian Heather tartan

Beautiful tartan.




Would I wear this kilt to the opera house? Sure, I would.

On Links Page #1 you might find several other enterprises offering these most affordable made-to-measure kilts. With them I have no experience, however.
Kilt & More and Championkilts I can highly recommend.



Next page

Kilt

Buy a moderate priced kilt - £100-300


Some established Scottish and American kiltmakers know that affordable kilts are the condition for having men start wearing kilts,
especially those having no Scottish roots. They therefore offer some very good kilts which they will position as casual kilts,
probably for not cannibalizing their more expensive ranges of kilts. For casual wear they might be all you need.
Pay under £300 and get a fine 5-yard kilt in pure new wool, which you can also wear to La Scala or the Met.


What to find on the Dress2Kilt site?



Kilt, Caledonia Tartan

How about a kilt?

Have you ever been thinking of wearing a kilt? You must not be Scottish. You can be of any nationality, any colour, and any belief. Only you must be man enough. The objective of the Dress2Kilt site is making you wear a kilt whenever YOU feel like it and appropriate. Without needing a special event. It is about causal-first kilt wearing.
Verschiedene Kilts

Men in kilts - Q & A

Who will wear a kilt? Why wearing a kilt? Where and when to wear it? What’s the difference between being Scottish and not, related to kilt wearing? What about surroundings? Is it true? These and many more questions are answered here.
Kilt, Holyrood Tartan

Webmaster's kilt story

How come that the webmaster started wearing kilts? When was it? How was it, wearing a kilt for the first time? How were reactions from his wife, his family, neighbours, and other people?
Kilt

You in a kilt?

When seeing you in a kilt, what should people say? And especially your significant other? And the ‘Kilt Police’? Shall people think you are Scottish? How about prejudices? Should you tell people you know that you have started wearing kilts or are about to do it? How do you tell them? What should your reasons be? See answers to these and many other questions here?
Kilt

Is the kilt a skirt?

Scotsmen will say NO. To them and very many kilt wearers the kilt is a kilt, not a skirt. It is a garment of its very own, they say, and exclusively for men.
Calling the kilt a skirt is accordingly considered an almost unforgivable insult. But is it nevertheless a skirt?
Kilt

What makes a kilt?

Are 8 yards of fabric a must? Or will less do? How is a kilt constructed? Learn about straps and buckles, fell, rise, pleats, length, drop.


Buy a kilt and accessorize it


Kilt

Must a kilt be expensive?

Yes, purists will say, because no less than a 16 oz. 8-yard wool kilt, sewn by hand by a skilled kilt maker in Scotland or equivalent place will do. But are they right? Read why they are probably not.
Pakistani kilt

A cheap kilt

Probably most kilts today are no longer sewn in Scotland, but in Pakistan. In common these "imported" kilts have that they are affordable. Some shall give you real value for your money, others little - or worse - no value. Read about where to find good, nevertheless cheap kilts.
USA Lilts Casual

A moderate priced kilt

Some established Scottish and American kiltmakers know that affordable kilts are the condition for having men start wearing kilts, especially those having no Scottish roots. They therefore offer some very good kilts which they will position as casual kilts, probably for not hurting the rest of their business. For casual wear they might be all you need.
Kilt

A premium priced kilt

You'll hardly get an 8-yard kilt in pure new wool for under £300 or the equivalent. It shall be much easier to find one costing twice or three times as much. Not all premium priced kilts are sewn in Scotland. Examples are USA, Canada, England, France, and Austria.
Kilt

Get the measures right

Buying your first kilt is something quite unusual. Most likely you shall buy it online, and often it shall be made to your measures. Buying a kilt is not difficult, however, and with a kilt there is some give and take. Read on, and you'll know how to make it right.
Kilt accessories

Kilt accessories

Don't get ripped off on things you don't need. Find out, which accessories are must-haves, which are nice to have, and which you shouldn't consider at all for casual and smart casual wear, and some not even for dress-up events.


Wear your kilt


Kilt

Kilt on!

Let’s assume you have just received and unpacked your first kilt, and the accessories you ordered. How to handle and wear all the unfamiliar things, the sporran, the belt, the socks, the flashes etc.?
What else to wear with your kilt?
Kilt

To mind when in a kilt

Now being ready for taking your kilt out into public for the first time, is there anything you should mind? Something to worry about or calling for your attention? After all a kilt is something very different, just the way it looks and especially, how it feels, wearing it.
Kilt

24/7/365 in a kilt

Let's be realistic, you cannot and probably you should not wear a kilt every day year riund. But having chosen to consider your kilt casual-first wear there are so many possibilities year round. Read on and get inspired.


Kilt variants, skirts, and closing remarks


Utility kilt

Utility kilts

Utilty kilts have existed since 2000. Judged from the number of vendors who are offering them, the market for these kilts must be big.They come in very many different designs, some better than others.
kilt variants

Other kilt variants

Kilts can also be solid coloured, or come in a camouflage pattern. They can be made of tweed, denim, or leather. They can be traditional in style, or their design can deviate to the extent where they become utility kilts - or skirts.
Skirts

Skirts

Could you as a man wear a skirt? Well, the existence of utility kilts with their non-defined designs is part of the answer. You can. Read about which to go for, if a skirt.
Skirt

Closing remarks

Hopefully, visiing this site has contributed to bring you an important step further. Now show to the world that you are man enough to pull that kilt or skirt, whatever it is.



Galleries


Galleries

Galleries Main Page

Links to altogether over 50 gallery pages with tartan kilts, utility kilts, other kilt variants, and skirts.
Tartan kilts

Gallery Tartan kilts

Hundreds of kilt pictures on over 30 pages, one page per tartan.

Non-tartan kilts

Gallery Solid kilts

Solid traditional kilts.

Galleries

Gallery Utility kilts

Utility kilts in various brands and colours.

Skirts

Gallery Skirts

Man skirts, unisex/genderless skirts, and just skirts.

The Braveheart way Gallery

Gallery The Braveheart Way

A mix of skirted manly garments.



Links and What's new?


Kilt

Links #1

Vendors of traditional kilts, from cheap, typically imported Pakistani kilts, whether off-the-peg or custom-made, to more expensive kilts, sewn to-your-measures in Europe or in America.
Vendors of accessories.
Tartan-mills and tartan-finders.

Kilt

Links #2

Vendors of utility kilts, sarongs, man skirts, unisex skirts, "manly" skirts, and some shorts.

Kilt

Links #3

Kilt and skirt forums, non-commercial home pages, blogs, picture galleries, videos, articles in print media and on the internet, men in kilts and skirts on stage and on the catwalk.

Kilt

What's new?

At a glance, find out what is new, has been changed or has been deleted on the D2K site since your last visit.



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