The design of a traditional Scottish kilt has remained largely unchanged since the 18th century. From weaving the tartan to folding the pleats, each step of the process requires great skill and craftsmanship. Even after the Industrial Revolution introduced commodities like weaving and sewing machines, the process is still fairly complex. The intricacy and complexity of kilts is what makes them special, meaning production does take time. Whether you are buying a machine-made or handmade kilt, it’s important to consider how far in advance you should get things organised. While hire kilts aren’t made to order, during busy times of the year stock levels can be affected so the sooner you book, the better.
When should I book my kilt hire?
The beauty of hiring a kilt is that you don’t have to wait for the kilt to be made. However, with the popularity of kilts continuing to rise, during certain times of the year hire kilt stock levels can be affected. Wedding season is a busy time for kilt hires as each hire order usually consists of more than one kilt. This is because it’s not only the groom that needs an outfit, it’s all his groomsmen and possibly some people outside of his wedding party that he’s hiring for. At MacGregor and MacDuff we offer wedding discounts which make us rather popular during this period, so it’s a good idea to get your hire booked as early as possible. As a rule of thumb, we recommend ordering your hire and getting measured no later than 12 weeks in advance of your event. For events outside of wedding season, there is generally more stock available but it’s still worth booking your hire a few weeks ahead of time. Days like St. Andrews Day, Hogmanay, and Burns Night are a little bit busier, so if you know you will be celebrating on one of these days, it’s best to book early. If you do find yourself needing a hire outfit at the last minute, MacGregor and MacDuff will always try and help regardless of the time of year, so it’s worth getting in touch to see what we have available.
When should I buy my kilt?
As mentioned previously, the process of making a kilt takes time and this is also affected by different times of the year. Wedding season is a busy time not just for our kiltmakers but also for the tartan mills. This means that regardless of whether you are looking to buy a machine-made or handmade kilt, the manufacturing time can take anywhere between 12 to 16 weeks. Therefore it’s really important to plan ahead and ensure you have ordered your kilt well before your event. Outside of wedding season, these timescales do come down a little bit but if you are looking to have your kilt made in a unique tartan, you may have to wait a little longer. When you order a kilt from MacGregor and MacDuff, we will give you a rough idea of how long the manufacturing process will take and we will keep you updated along the way.
Appointments
At MacGregor and MacDuff you have a few different options when it comes to buying or hiring your highlandwear. The quickest and easiest way is to use our website. This is a great option if you know your sizes and what you are looking for. Our hire range is available across mainland UK and our purchase range can be shipped worldwide.
If you would prefer to speak to someone in person, then our stores or kilt fitting services are the best place for you. We have four permanent stores in Scotland and regular pop-up fitting services in London and Manchester. We also occasionally host international fittings, so if you are overseas, it’s worth checking where we will pop up next. For those who are too far away for a physical visit, we also offer a Virtual Kilt Fitting Service where you can get the kilt shop experience from the comfort of your own home. Our virtual service allows you to connect with one of our highlandwear stylists over video call where they will walk you through each step of organising your kilt outfit. You can book your highlandwear appointment at any of our locations by visiting this page on our website. We look forward to seeing you soon.