Gallery Tartan kilts
Stewart Royal tartan
The tartan
To most non-Scots this might very well be THE kilt, the Stewart Royal or Royal Stewart being without doubt the best known of all tartans. It is a universal tartan, i.e. without clan affiliations. Besides kilts it is very often used for skirts, decoration etc.
The Royal Stewart tartan was worn by King George V during his state visit to Edinburgh in 1822 and he later adopted it for the House of Windsor to mark the ancient link to the Royal House of Stewart. George V is reputed to have said that his adopted tartan could be worn by all members of his family, which was taken to mean all the people of the British Empire.
Due to its bright red colour you don't just blend in. You are standing out from the crowd. But, after all, why should you try to conceal that you are wearing a kilt?
The kilts
On this page you find a cheap PV/acrylic kilt and a woolen made-to-measure kilt. The tartans are not quite identical, but there are many versions of Stewart Royal around.
Kilt #1. Ready-made economy
The kilt is a so called Economy kilt in PV/acrylic from no longer existing Tartan Wear Direct in Glasgow. They would offer these kilts in eight or nine different tartans and in three lengths, 21", 22", and 24". Unfortunately, I only managed to have it in five different tartans, before TWD around 2006 or 2007 closed down, this one being Stewart Royal.
I think the price was £39 or £44 and the tartan weight might be 10-11 oz. TWD marketed the kilts as 4-yarders. They are not. At the seam they measure no more than three yards.
24 pictures.
Kilt #2. Made-to-measure in Scotland
A 5-yard 16 oz., 23" long "James Morrison" wool kilt by Heritage of Scotland.com. When I bought it, in 2013, the price was £151. In 2023 the price of a kilt this quality might start around £250.
22 Pictures.
Is the expensive kilt the better one?
Yes, no doubt the wool kilt wins. A 5-yard kilt has about four yards left for the pleated part, a 3-yard kilt only two yards. Therefore, the 5-yard kilt has more and deeper pleats.
Another difference is the fabric, wool by itself being superior to PV/acrylic.
But then, on a hot summer day, the light-weight PV kilt definitely feels better than the 16 oz. wool kilt with more yardage.
And this and my other cheap 3-yard kilts from Tartan Wear Direct have proved to being practically indestructible. Not a bad thing.
On the wool kilt the knife pleats are deep and sharp. Fine structure. 
The pleats on the economy kilt are not crisp. And the fabric has not the same structure.
I think, however, that from a distance, the visible difference between the two kilts is not that pronounced. But judge for yourself.
My point, by showing the kilts side by side, is to convince you to never refrain from wearing a kilt, just because you cannot afford a "Mercedes-Benz".
Like with cars, it is with kilts. Less will most often do and with absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
