5-yard 10 oz. wool kilt in Campbell Ancient tartan, worn at the Mediterranean.
Gallery Tartan kilts
Campbell Ancient tartan
The tartan
The Campbells are a powerful family. During the 16th to 18th Centuries, they were one of the leading families in Argyll and Perthshire, and they played important roles within the Scottish government.
Field Marshall Colin Campbell (1792-1863): "A man in a kilt is a man and a half."
Several tartans are connected with the Campbell clan. However, the Campbell Ancient tartan is not a clan tartan, but a military tartan, also known as the 42nd Regiment of Foot.
The Campbell Ancient tartan has always been one of my favourite ones. It is easy to accessorise. Many colours in kilt hose go well with it, or you may wear short socks, no socks, or even tights, either due to temperature or simply as a fashion statement, if you wish.
The kilts
Two kilts are shown on this page. The first one is a 4-yard "economy" kilt - so cheap kilts were called around 2000 - and the vendor was TartanWear-Direct. The other one is a 5-yard "James Morrison" kilt from Heritage of Scotland.
1. TWD TartanWear-Direct kilt
Viken, Sweden.
Lugano, Switzerland.
In the neighbourhood.
The Campbell Ancient tartan.
Lugano, Switzerland.
Out and about in the neighbourhood.
Lugano, Switzerland.
Kilt and grafitti.
Out and about.
Hiking in the neighbourhood.
Lucca, Italy.
Autumn in tights.
Lugano, Switzerland.
Lugano, Switzerland.
Toscany.
Viken, Sweden.
Tuscany.
Black tights have replaced kilt socks.
18 pictures in the gallery
TartanWear-Direct in Glasgow may have been one of the first kilt vendors to utilise the internet as a sales platform.
Their ready-made kilts were available in no less than 21 different tartans and in three different lengths, 24", 22", and 21".
This kilt is 22” long.
The company must have left the market during the last half of the 0s. The last time I bought a kilt from them was in 2006. The sewing quality was fine, and the poly-viscose fabrics were of extremely high quality. Weak points were (sometimes) pleating and, in general, straps which were far from being high grade, even if they, over time, became better. The price was no more than £39, increasing to £43 by 2006, meaning they were unbeatable in terms of price-value. I still have six of them, and one I have sold due to imprecise pleating. I wear them very often, especially in summer. That they are, in fact, 3-yard kilts, and not 4-yarders as promised, doesn't change anything.
2. Heritage of Scotland kilt
Vienna.
Taking the dog out.
Cologne.
Sunrise.
Sunrise at the sea.
Costa del Sol, Spain.
Lugano, Switzerland.
Amalfi Coast.
Costa del Sol.
Barcelona.
Barcelona.
Barcelona.
Tokyo.
Tokyo.
Tokyo.
Costa del Sol.
16 pictures in the gallery.
The Heritage of Scotland kilt is a 5-yard “James Morrison”, made to my measures, 36”/43”/22.5” (waist/hip/length) and in 11 oz. pure new wool, meaning a lightweight kilt.
It has been in Spain, Japan, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. At home, I will wear it for various purposes, including taking the dog out for a walk. Dressed up in an Argyle kilt jacket, a nice shirt, a tie, dress shoes, plus, of course, a sporran, kilt belt, and kilt hose, I have been wearing it to the concert hall and the opera house.
