Getting The Right Made To Measure Kilt

A made to measure kilt or kilt package is a luxury and an investment purchase. Apart from possibly a suit a made to measure item of clothing stands out from other items. While off-the peg is ideal for everyday an item that has been made especially for you is guaranteed to fit perfectly. For a special occasion such as a wedding or graduation if you're Scottish or of Scottish decent a made to measure kilt is a must. Once you have made the initial investment a kilt can be worn at many different events as it never goes out of fashion.

When purchasing made to measure kilts you will be able to make a number of choices so you get just what you are looking for. The first will be your choice of tartan. Family or clan tartans are the most popular choice, followed by standard Scottish tartans like Heritage of Scotland, or Grey Spirit. Over 3,500 tartans are registered with the Scottish Tartans Authority and the number of new tartans grows each year. As well as choosing your tartan, the majority of tartans are available in different colours; modern, weathered and muted. Muted colours use earthy tones, modern colours are brighter shades which show off aniline dying techniques. Weathered tones as you could guess from the name use colours which appear to have been weathered by the elements, as such they are brighter than muted tones, but not as bright as modern colours.

Buying a made to measure kilt is a significant investment, if you are unsure of which tartan you would like it is defiantly worth asking from a swatch from your kilt maker. This will allow you to see exactly how it looks and feels. A digital swatch can look different from the actual tartan. A reputable kilt maker will be able to provide you with a sample swatch for a few pounds. It is also worth noting that while to colours of a tartan are given in the thread count, the exact shade may vary from one mill to the other as well as between different batches of dyes used by each mill.

Once you have chosen your tartan and old, modern or weathered style you will have the choice of pleating and kilt weight to make. Your kilt can be pleated to the sett or to the stripe, as both methods produce different visual effects it is worth considering how effective each will be depending on the sett, design of your chosen tartan.

Pleating to the stripe, one of the vertical stripes of the tartan is selected and the fabric is folded so that the stripe runs down the centre of each pleat, as a result the back and sides of the kilt, which are pleated, are different from the un-pleated front. This style is also referred to as military pleating as the style is popular with many regiments and military and other pipe bands. The alternative method of pleating, to the sett which means that the fabric is folded so that the pleated sections have the same pattern as the un-pleated front. Pleats can be box or knife pleats - a knife pleat is a simple fold, box pleats - generally used for military kilts only- are formed by two knife pleats back to back.

A traditional kilt is made from worsted wool. Worsted is the name of the yarn, it can also refer to the cloth made from the yarn. It takes its name from the English village of Worsted; the village became the centre for weaving after weavers from Flanders settled there in the 12th Century. Worsted wool cloth is a hardwearing fabric which keeps the pleats of the kilt sharp. The depth of pleats will depend on the amount of material used, for example 5 or 8 yards as well as the pattern/sett of the tartan. Generally pleats are around ½ to ¾ of an inch.

Kilt weights vary from the traditional 16-17oz kilt, the most popular weight which achieves a great looking kilt that holds it shape. Lighter weight kilts are around 12-13oz and these are more suited to warmer weather and when buying a casual kilt for less formal occasions. It is worth noting that not all tartans are available in all weights.

Making a kilt is something of an art form, as such it is worth asking who will be making yours and the level of experience they have. Each kilt should include sporran loops and come with matching flashes.

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Anna Murray works for The Scotland Kilt Company - a family run business based in Edinburgh. For more information about clan and family tartans, measuring yourself for a kilt and choosing your tartan and kilt weight please do get in touch. http://www.thescotlandkiltcompany.co.uk/ email info@thescotlandkiltcompany.co.uk Or call 0131 225 3555

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