Don't ya yee become hasty in getting your tank (a very heavy weight kilt 8 yards or more) !
Do some research on the matter as your are doing now.
Are you looking for a formal kilt or a casual one ?
One to attend weddings (and funerals) civic events social gatherings ? FORMAL
Or just simply to toss the caber around hiking and kicking a soccer ball ? CASUAL
You can get a very authentic expensive formal kilt in your home country - or -
a casual inexpensive one made in the near east i.e. Pakistan eBay seller - or -
even a better option for just getting the hang of wearing a kilt think:
Stillwater Kilts -
https://store.stillwaterkilts.com/
Sport Kilt -
https://sportkilt.com/
For even more check out the links provided by member
Milfmog LINK:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17958
There is a problem with ordering from abroad the SHIPPING & HANDLING charges
somewhere up with the astronauts although the delivery is fast like falling out
of space - quality of the foreign kilt sometimes leaving much to be desired.
Read on as much as you can.
Measurements of course are critical*** - know about the details and difference
between Formal kilt - casual hiking etc. one what kind of materials are used
in the construction - be it tartan wool - acrylic (faux wool) - leather - canvas
cotton and other man made material.
*** Those measurements:
Waist is normally at the navel (that belly button) and for a 6 foot bloke with
knees on the floor the measurement should be 24 inches from navel to the floor.
Of course if you are like some of our members YMMV !
If you wear the kilt lower than the navel waist then maybe you would not
want the kilt to be 24 inches long.
At the waist the formal kilt will have three straps with buckles - 1 left side
and 2 right side one of which is maybe 3-4 inches lower.
With the casual kilt only two straps one each side is the norm.
There are some kilts like those from SportKilt that close with Velcro accommodating
a multitude of room for the expanding waist.
As for the PLEATS - a KILT YA GOT TO HAVE THEM and the more the better for
that fabulous swishing movement across the hinder.
Basic knife pleats are the norm here - the more yardage in the kilt the more the pleats.
With more yardage the possibility of doing some fancy work with lining up the tartan
to the set or the pleat can be done.
Moving that along further is the box pleat creating a different wave pattern -
Making that a double box pleat and you will be whistled for back field in motion.
With more pleats there is more yardage - with more yardage the cost of the kilt
goes up incrementally and the labor work to create the beast.
Study up and get some more information before that leap of faith to the kilted side.
See what you can do with your personal measurements.
As noted above if you have the option chance to visit one of those kilt hire shops
take advantage of this to see if there are other issues about the fitting that are
missed here.
The accessories to be added can be done in a package or individually later.
Commonly a tux shirt and bow tie - Prince Charlie or Argyle jacket w/o vest -
sporran - kilt sox and brogue shoes for formal wear
For casual wear a ghillie (poets) shirt (shirt with lacing at neck) no jacket - vest optional -
shoes and sox to compliment whatever one is doing drinking hiking - kicking the can
down the road.
There are some over 450 clan tartans in the registry -
A lot of these are common generics and can be worn by anyone as noted above
the Black Watch is one and all of the Stewart family tartans - the Pride of Scotland
Heritage of Scotland (purple tartans) are some of these.
For a more specific family or clan tartan read up to see if you can wear this without
becoming the black sheep of the family - in most cases the bravehearts defending
the family clan tartan are long gone and you won't be losing your head to a claymore.
But it is awful nice to observe the family history culture something to write home about !
And another thing to note ya don't have to be Scottish or Irish to wear the kilt -
you can be a half crazy Dane like me to rubbing the wool the wrong way ! ROFLOL !