Kilt, Stewart Royal tartan

3-yard, PV-kilt in Stewart Royal tartan.



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 often used for skirts and interior 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 woollen made-to-measure kilt. The tartans are not quite identical, but there are many versions of the Stewart Royal around.



Kilt #1. Ready-made economy


The kilt is a so-called Economy kilt in PV/acrylic from the 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, one of these 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.


23 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 2025, the price of a kilt this quality might start around £300.


21 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 itself being superior to PV/acrylic.
But then, on a hot summer day, the lightweight PV kilt definitely feels better than the 16-oz. wool kilt with more yardage. And this, as well as my other cheap 3-yard kilts from Tartan Wear Direct, have proved to be practically indestructible. Not a bad thing.

Stewart Royal Tartan

On the wool kilt, the knife pleats are deep and sharp. Fine structure.

Stewart Royal Tartan

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.

This page was revised 2025, September 9.