Kilt Blog

One thing with going kilted is that none of my old socks work. They were made for wearing with trousers, and even with a Utilikilt, they are pretty ugly.

I read a month ago, in a post at X Marks The Scot, about SockDreams.com and placed an order. Its getting colder, and I need more long, warm, kilt-able socks, yesterday I placed another. I figure its time for a basic review.

Traditionally, kilts are worn with, what else, kilt hose. And I bought a pair of those too. But since I am doing a less formal look, I like the Sock Dreams stuff better.

I had ordered a pair each of O Basics ($6), Diamond Rib Knee Highs ($8), and O Marled ($12). The O Marled seem to be the same ones that Utilikilts is offering for $14. Sock Dreams also offers FREE SHIPPING for most online orders! The kilt hose I bought needed to be shipped from Scotland, and let me tell you, that cost nearly as much again as the kilt hose.

I was initially a bit disappointed with the Diamond Rib Knee Highs. They had little loose threads at the top. Fortunately, my wife knits and knew just how to tuck them in, without her I’d have been lost on that point. Fortunately, the Diamond Ribs were cheap enough and nice enough to make up for that. I’d say that they are dressy enough for semi-formal wear, even formal wear if most people there are ignorant about kilts. They are very soft, stay up very well, and are available in 5 colors. At 8 bucks they are a sweet deal. The style goes very well with most kilts.

These are really women’s socks and are sized for a woman’s legs. So, the O Basics, which would go easily over the knee (if not cuffed) for most women, don’t on me. Still, for 6 bucks they are nice, cuff nicely, and do barely cover my knee on a cold night. Covering the knee makes a big difference in comfort when its cold, since they run up under the kilt.

The O Marled sock are great. They go well up my thigh and are nice and warm. Bunched and worn at the upper calves, they look great with a utility kilt. They are thick. Sock Dreams has them in 6 different colors, and two sizes - guys will want the large. These are definitely the warmest of the three pair I bought. Many items are available in a normal and large size.

Overall, I am very happy. I especially recommend the Diamond Rib Knee Highs and the O Marled. I like those enough I ordered more.

Overall: B+

Service: A

Quality:B

Comfort:B+

Value:B+

I am sure this poor guy has no idea that he is wearing the kilt so wrong. I would have hoped they’d have sorted him out at the “Celtic-themed shop”. His kilt is on backwards. Not only that, but the waist is too low. And the lower edge is half way down his calves! Sadly, he seems to think this look will drive women wild… perhaps if he had it right.

For reference, the pleats of a kilt go in the back. The waist, unless it is a casual kilt or a military kilt, is normally worn just above the navel. Military kilts are worn has high as the lower ribs. The waistline he has would be fine for a casual kilt, though larger guys (myself included) find it more flattering to wear casual kilts near the navel as well. The selvedge (lower kilt edge) should be worn from middle of the knee at the lowest, up to a bit above the knee. Covering the knee entirely makes a kilt look odd, like a boy in a dress.

Stltoday.com recently ran this article, and another about “American kilts”. While it is nice to see any positive media coverage about the kilt, it is a shame that they don’t mention AmeriKilts, Freedom Kilts, USA Kilts, or SportKilts at all. I will grant that Utilikilts probably has the largest market share of any US kiltmaker, however it would also be nice for them to mention that the revival of the kilt is much broader than one company.

I recently received my USAKilts Casual Kilt in the mail. Wishing to get it while it was still warm enough to wear an 11oz kilt, I sprang for the extra $25 rush charge. Sure enough, it was shipped in just under two weeks! The price, without the rush charge or shipping varies with hip size, from $99 to $140. The normal wait is 6 to 8 weeks. It is custom made to the buyer’s waist, hip and length measurements and represents an excellent value for a custom tailored kilt.

I chose the Ramsey tartan purely for its looks. Actually, from what I understand, this is a Ramsey Hunting tartan, the original Ramsey tartan being red rather than blue. I had it pleated to the black stripes to darken the appearance. I also had it made with oversize belt loops, normally it fits a 1.5″ wide trouser belt.

Being a casual style kilt, it is machine sewn. The pleats are sewn along the outer edge, which is unusual for a tartan kilt. The fell is sewn with those pleats exposed at the belt line. USAKilts calls this their “PermaPleat” system. The pleats certainly hold in well after a warm afternoon sitting on a leather office chair! For comparison, the pleats hold in noticeably better than on my Utilikilts Original, and much better than on my Stillwater Economy. The 11oz poly-viscose has a nice hand, and is teflon coated for stain-resistance.

The kilt closes with velcro, making it somewhat adjustable. The hem is tightly stitched with the edge frayed. For some reason there is a line of sewing holes directly above this bottom fray, only visible when inspecting it. There is a USAKilts patch where one would put a kilt-pin. This, I suppose, is meant to help weigh down the corner of the apron without the need for a dressy kilt pin.

This kilt is very comfortable and looks quite nice. It fits beautifully. It is light weight and cool, however it does not do very well in a breeze. As I have mentioned previously, where I live is often rather windy. Fortunately it is also remote because this kilt has flown up twice in wind gusts of just 15mph next to my cabin- think Marilyn Monroe. I would hesitate to wear it out on a windy day. There is, of course, a trade-off in terms of weight and wind-resistance. On a hot and wind-free day this would be the coolest piece or clothing I own.

Overall this kilt is well made, the pleats hold in very well, it is light weight, and very reasonably priced for a custom tailored garment. If you are looking for a light weight kilt for casual wear, it would be hard to go wrong with a USAKilts’ Casual Kilt.

Overall: A-

Service: A

Quality: A-

Comfort: A

Value: A-

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Unfortunately I have been without internet for the past 3 days. So, I am blogging from a cyber-cafe in Taos. The barista seemed to like my new USAKilts Casual in Ramsey (hunting) tartan. I got it in the mail two days ago and this is the first chance I have had to wear it. It is also the first time that I have worn a tartan kilt or sporran out and about. Pics and review of that, and my Utilikilts Jean Cut, once my internet is back up (hopefully soon!)

In the mean time, here is a funny kilt video where the (crazy) guy is wearing a Great Kilt, or Feileadh Mor (pronounced Philamore).

I know that this is a couple of years old, but I just saw it and thought it was funny. Twisted, but funny. The comic artist Jennie Breeden of The Devil’s Panties actually does take photos of leaf-blown kilts at Cons (sci-fi conventions).

It seems consensual and none of the photos have shown anything, so all in good fun! It reminds me of a woman at the gas station who yelled “What, no flash?!” from 50 feet away as I got into my truck. Humor aside, kilt wearing is a great way to meet women who are interested in what’s underneath!

I just received a shipping notice for the USA Kilt I ordered less then two weeks ago. I paid for the rush option. I should also be receiving a Utilikilt my wife insisted upon buying me (!) She actually called up the store and had the person answering the phone find a kilt that would fit me and see to it that it got shipped out… they still seem to be having issues with their online story showing incorrect inventory.

I feel so excited, two new kilts in route to me right now!

About a month ago I purchased a Stillwater Economy Kilt in Irish National tartan. I chose the tartan partly because I do know that I have some Irish ancestory, but mostly because I thought the tartan was nice. At a mere $37.95 plus shipping it was quite a deal. It is definitely a cost reduced garment, but it was still an excellent value.

The first thing that I noticed, unfortunately, was the odor. It had a mild, but distinct, smell of some kind of chemical. It reminded me of a dry cleaners or maybe moth-balls. I kept catching wiffs of the smell though-out the day, but fortunately after leaving it to air out for the night the smell vanished. My wife said that she has smelled acrylic clothing like this before.

The kilt is made of acrylic tartan. It is not a kilt to wear to a wedding, but it is cheap enough that you won’t scream if you ruin it working in the yard. That is really nice. It cost no more than a cheap pair of jeans.

The length, as with all Stillwater Kilts, is 24 inches. That is a little too long for me, so I end up wearing it a little high, maybe 3 inches above my navel. Stillwater advises that a blind hem stitch will not show and one day I might try it, but it requires a special foot my wife’s sewing machine does not have. As it comes, the bottom is to the selvedge, and the selvedge came slightly damaged.

Saving substantial sewing, and keeping it cheap, the pleats are not sewn down at the fell. If I had realized how nice that would have been when it arrived, I might have sewn them down myself. I have read about other people sewing them down, and it seems to be reasonably easy. I blame the un-sewn fell for the funny way that the left side of the apron and adjoining pleat lays, and for the pleats getting messed up a bit too easily. The acrylic does not hold a pleat as well as poly-viscose or wool, but is machine washable.

The straps are real leather, and the buckles nice enough. I am glad that I chose to purchase the Economy rather than the Thrifty which uses velcro instead of straps. The right edge of the outer apron is frayed, which is correct and a nice touch at the price.

It has been cool in the summer heat, but the waist is a little scratchy, so plan to tuck your shirt under it. It has stayed down in 30 mph winds, but the over-apron did flap around quite a lot without a kilt pin. I would hesitate to wear it in a real storm.

All told, I am very happy with my Stillwater Economy Kilt. The price of $37.95 is more than fair, less than 10% the cost of a “real” kilt and a quarter of the price of a utilikilt. If you are searching for a kilt to wear when you can’t risk your expensive clothing, this is may be exactly what you need.

Overall: B+

Service: A

Quality: C

Comfort: B+

Value: A+