Asking how much a kilt outfit costs may seem like a simple question but the answer is not as straightforward as you might think. This is because there are a vast number of types of kilts that all differ in price. From fully hand-made to off the peg, the price can vary considerably.
To make things a little simpler, we have broken down the types of kilts in four groups which will give you a rough idea of what cost to expect when looking to buy one.
Fully Hand-Made Kilts
The most traditional and most expensive type of kilt is one that has been hand-made. These kilts are made-to-measure and crafted by expert kiltmakers who use their skills to create the perfect fitting kilt. A hand-made kilt takes time and this is why the price is higher than other types of kilts.
Other than the superior quality, another benefit of a hand-made kilt is that the stitching can be completely undone and the kilt can be resized, which is not possible for machine-made kilts. This can be useful as we all tend to get slightly larger around the midriff as we get older and resizing a much loved kilt will be cheaper than buying a new one. It also means that a hand-made kilt can be passed down through the generations and resized to fit the new owner.
At MacGregor and MacDuff our world renowned hand-made kilts start from £490. This cost guarantees quality and a hand-made kilt from us will last a lifetime.
Machine-made Kilts
Machine made kilts are still made to measure but lack the personal attention to detail that an expert kiltmaker will give it. This is not to say that machine made kilts are poor quality because this is absolutely not the case, but it does mean that the kilt cannot be undone and remade in the future, like a hand-made kilt can.
Machine made kilts are cheaper than hand-made as it takes less time to make them. A good machine-made kilt should be indistinguishable from a hand-made kilt at a distance; however, a poor machine-made kilt is easily spotted.
If you choose to go for a machine-made kilt, be sure to inspect the quality of some that have already been made by the kilt maker, as most of the time the cheaper the machine-made kilt, the poorer the quality.
MacGregor and MacDuff machine-made kilts are made to a very high standard and are one hundred pound cheaper than a hand-made kilt. These machine-made kilts start at £325 for a 7 yard kilt and £390 for an 8 yard kilt.
Ex-Hire Kilts
At MacGregor and MacDuff we take a lot of pride in our hire range and we make sure that the kilts people hire from us are of excellent quality. We also don’t keep our hire kilts in service very long which means that when kilts are retired into our ex-hire range, they have a lot of life left in them, making them an absolute bargain for ex-hire customers.
Our ex-hire kilts start from as little as £169 and are available in various sizes. If you are looking to buy an ex-hire kilt, keep an eye on our ex-hire range as new sizes are added regularly.
Off The Peg
Off the peg kilts are kilts that have been premade to a wide group of sizes and are available to purchase immediately. These kilts will accommodate a group of sizes rather than being made to 1 specific size. The advantage of these kilts is that there is no wait time. You can walk in and buy an off the peg kilt and wear it the same day. However, as they are made to accommodate a group of sizes, the fit will rarely be perfect.
These types of kilts also vary in cost as the material used to create them is often not 100% wool. Most commonly, off the peg kilts will be made from a poly-viscose blend which as the name suggests, is a blend of woven polyester and viscose. This material creates a great likeness to wool but feels very different and most noticeably, is much lighter than wool.
MacGregor and MacDuff is a traditional kiltmaker and we do not offer off the peg kilts but you can expect to pay in the region of £40 to £140 for a poly-viscose off the peg kilt. If time is a factor we would always recommend looking at ex-hire kilts before going for a poly-viscose off the peg kilt.
Cost will always play a factor when choosing the right type of kilt for you but don’t let it be the only factor guiding you. A lot of the time, the cheaper the kilt, the cheaper quality and if you buy a cheaper quality kilt, the higher the chance you will have of needing to replace it. A good quality, traditional kilt should last you a lifetime so keep that in mind as it may help you justify the cost of a more expensive kilt.
A good place to start is speaking with someone who knows the industry, like us. MacGregor and MacDuff has been a highlandwear specialist since 1979 and we would love to help guide you through the process of buying yourself a new kilt. Send us an email to info@macgregorandmacduff.co.uk and we will gladly answer any questions you have.