Readymade 5.5-Yard kilt in 10 oz. wool from O'Neil if Dublin. Black Watch tartan. Kiel, Germany
Gallery Tartan kilts
Black Watch tartan
The tartan
Black Watch may very well be the number two tartan in popularity, after Stewart Royal. It is a universal tartan and therefore, for any man to wear. Women will wear it too, as it is very often used for kilted skirts or just skirts. You may also see it in interior design.
The main colour is green/blue, but there are different versions of this tartan. Also, colours can vary from mill to mill. In some of the pictures below, it was necessary to lighten the colours in Photoshop, as the kilt would otherwise appear black. Hence the name Black Watch.
The kilts
In this gallery, there are three different kilts in Black Watch tartan.
Kilt 1. O'Neil of Dublin kilt
The fabric is 10 oz. wool, meaning it is a lightweight kilt. It is ready-made and the length is 23". Something special is that it is not lined, which you can see in picture #3. Probably it is not needed, due to the lightweight tartan. The sewing quality is excellent, however. And so is the fabric. O'Neil has an assortment of men's kilts in four tartans, Black Watch being one of them.
The pictures
The gallery contains 12 pictures of the O'Neil of Dublin kilt.
Black Watch tartan. O'Neil of Dublin kilt, front.
Black Watch tartan. Back of kilt.
Kilt seen from inside. It is not lined.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. Out and about in the neighbourhood.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. In the open.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. In the open.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. At the sea.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. In the woods.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. At the railway.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. Kiel, Germany.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. In the woods.
Black Watch tartan. Kilt worn With white kilt hose.
2. Heritage of Scotland kilt
The kilt is branded John Morrison, which was once the name of Heritage of Scotland's bespoke kilts, but they, unfortunately, they are no longer offering kilts made-to-measure. The length is 23" and the fabric is 16 oz. wool.
If you compare this kilt with the O'Neil kilt above, it is obvious that the O'Neil kilt has more pleats, but not as deep. Just two different ways to handle around 5 yards.
The gallery contains 10 pictures
Black Watch tartan, this being brighter than on the O'Neil kilt.
Black Watch tartan. Close to home. The kilt is worn with boots.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. Winter time.
Black Watch tarta. In the open. Kilt with anorak.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. Dressed up.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. Semi dress sporran.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. Sgian dubh in the right sock and kilt pin.
Black Watch tartan. The kilt is complemented with Ghillie Brooks and flashes.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. Dressed up.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. Ready to take off for the concert hall.
3. A very cheap kilt
The gallery contains 13 pictures
The kilt is from a closed British kilt shop, 5 yards of acrylic fabric, 22” long, and probably produced in China. The fabric does not resemble that of Pakistani kilts. The price was below 30 GBP.
But what do you get for that little money? Not enough. The pleats are, no surprise, not sewn down. But it is lined.
It has three buckles and straps of reasonable quality. Two straps of a better quality were better than these three. However, the real problem is the pretty inferior sewing quality. After I had worn it a few times, it started literally to fall apart! And then there is the fabric. Acrylic fabrics tend to peel, but this kilt with its "10 oz. 100% acrylic" fabric does it by far more than any other kilt I have worn.
Should you think of giving a kilt like this a try, something, I should advice against, I suggest that you
1) Never wear a sporran with it. Keeping a sporran away from the front apron might to some extent prevent it from peeling.
2) Always wear it with a belt; at least never go commando without one. The straps or buckles might fall off while you are wearing it.
Conclusion: Avoid the cheapest of cheap.
Basically, a nice looking kilt.
Front of kilt.
Pleating is fine.
Black Watch tartan. The kilt is without a regular fell but a thread cleverly also keeps the pleats together and thereby gives you the feeling of a fell.
Rather good-looking kilt, when still new, even if the fabric is somewhat loose.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. Out and about.
The Black Watch tartan often looks solid black.
Kilt, Black Watch tartan. In the open.
For really casual wear this kilt should be fine.
But after being worn a few times, the kilt started to peel on the front apron.
Belt loops were not securely fastened, it showed.
A strap, fastened this way, will fall off. And it did.
