Can You Wear an Earasaid (arisaid) the Same Way a Man Wears a Great Kilt?

That is to say, is there enough yardage in a typical arisaid to allow you to wrap it, pleat it and throw it over your head the way the gents do? Or are you limited to using an earasaid as an overskirt or shawl?
Emma offers us her thoughts on ways to play it to get the most out of your tartan!
Tartans:
Rocky: Nordic Heritage
www.usakilts.c...
Erik: Scott Green Weathered
www.usakilts.c...
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Started in 2003, USA Kilts is a team of kilt makers and artisans located in Spring City PA. In 2017, we made it our mission to build community and bring kilts and Celtic culture to the forefront with our YT show: Kilts & Culture.
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[@tjeanvlogs9894]

Just a note, I wore my SCA plaid (syarting in the '80's) both as a kilt and earasaid at events as well as both ways in the everyday world. Pleat like a great kilt and belt so it breaks at boot top, which leaves just enough to cope the the Pac NW weather Sept to May. If you go for the 11 oz wool, you can use some Punjabi wrapping methods to make pants as 4 yards is about a Sari's worth. My plaid was my best friend for decades before lost to a slow water leak. Will be getting another after i figure out how to use one being in a wheelchair.

[@BCSchmerker]

+USAKiltsOfficial *Thanks for the discussion.* _Earasaid_ are available in lengths from 2 Yards (1.83m) to 4 Yards (3.66m); _Feiladh mór,_ from 4 Yards (3.66m) to 8 Yards (7.32m).

[@jackhanson1274]

-Where did you find these measurements? 8 yards feels like a lot of fabric- Edit: misread the above comment, bother.

[@USAKiltsOfficial]

I'd just check out the products. We cut various lengths based on height and waist size - www.usakilts.com/kilts-and-packages/kilts/great-kilt.html

[@jackhanson1274]

@@USAKiltsOfficial I was asking because I'm hunting more sources on the history of the kilt and earasaid. I clearly misread what BCSchmerker was saying, I thought he was making a definitive statement about their historical sizing, I see now he was taking about the sizes that are available! I'll strikethrough my previous comment.

[@joevirnig8057]

Don't mean to state the obvious ... Emma's doing a great job! Keep it up!

[@Charlie.M.Green1905]

Im thinking about getting on in my families tartan... but I honestly have no idea how much yards I would need as someone who is pretty thin and 5'6"

[@vixendoe6943]

I am wearing my earasaid pleated and pinned so there is a hood. I have worn it to a witch walk, a Christmas party and plan to wear it to a Robert Burns Supper. My earasaid is 3 1/2 yards.

[@lyndavonkanel8603]

if you don't mind me asking, how tall are you? I am 5'2'' and am wondering how much fabric to buy to wear it that way.

[@vixendoe6943]

@@lyndavonkanel8603 I am five foot. The 3 and a half yards should be enough.

[@lyndavonkanel8603]

@@vixendoe6943 Thank you very much for your recommendation and for answering my question so quickly!

[@vixendoe6943]

@@lyndavonkanel8603 You are welcome

[@laurarayburn7138]

Thank you! I got a long earasaid because I wanted to wear it as a kilt, but I also like the traditional over shirt look, which it’s just too long for. I’ve been planning on getting a second one in a different tartan (plus a midi or maxi kilt for work). I think I’ll get the next one as a shorter length for the traditional earasaid look and work on wearing my current one in the great kilt style. (I’ve been wearing it mostly as a mix, pleated but over another skirt or dress.)

[@EmeraldVideosNL]

I'm definitely getting into Earasaid to wear on a daily basis. I usually wear black or brown skirts of midcalf length, and an Earisaid would be a great addition for more variety and some extra colour. I would definitely wear it belted and hanging down to create a 'train' effect, bonus is it looks lke the great kilt when worn down. As for the 'costumy' aspect of wearing it out on the street, my regular wardrobe is Edwardian gothic/ cottagecore inspired, so people notice anyway. Might as well own it. Had never tell anyone I looked weird, and only ever got nice reactions. (Especially from older people who remember clothing styles from way back when).

[@kerriemckinstry-jett8625]

I've used my as an over garment. At 5'4", I find that 2.5 yds, unpleated, gives me a nice overskirt effect & enough for a hood, if I wanted one (I very rarely like anything on my head, so no). I haven't experimented with pleating it, but my guess is that I would need 3 yds, maybe a bit more, to do a full overskirt + hood. Mine is 11oz wool. I can't imagine having 3+ yrs of 16 oz wool draped all over me, so I think you would have to be a larger person than I am to pull that off (I can't wear chunky jewelry for the same reason). Edit: autocorrect can't handle less common words 🙄

[@BCSchmerker]

@kerriemckinstry-jett8625 *_Feiladh mór_** in 11Z wool are available: The "Kilts & Packages" tab gives you access to the required information.*

[@kerriemckinstry-jett8625]

@@BCSchmerker Thank you for letting me know! I might be checking those out. Or at least an earasaid in PV or something. 🙂

[@nanabutner]

Could a female experiment with two pieces of muslin(which is less expensive) cloth one 2 1/2 yards and the other 4 yards to see which length is easier to work with before buying the actual tartan? That way they just might have some sort of reference!

[@kerriemckinstry-jett8625]

Honestly, that's pretty much what I did before ordering mine. Just make sure your fabric is 58 - 60" wide and fairly good weight. I'm guessing you probably sew, if you're thinking of experimenting with muslin. The weight of 11oz wool is not like muslin, but is somewhat similar to a very light suedecloth, maybe more like moleskin (more drape than muslin, but more thickness, too). I think the 16oz wool is more like wool scarf thickness. The mill my 11oz came from (Strathmore?) put a really beautiful selvedge on it, so you would only have to deal with the two ends. I hope that helps. 🙂

[@AtarahDerek]

I bought a length of regular fabric from Joanne's to be a "practice" earasaid. I discovered that most bolts of fabric are two to three yards wide, so I have to do some trimming and sewing. But once that's done, it'll make a fine garment to practice with before committing to a proper earasaid.

[@pambuchanan6358]

There's a huge difference between fabric content and weave when it comes to drape, and weight. I have a 10 oz shawl, and 13 oz shawl and the drape is not even close. I'm sure the different mills they were woven at also factors in. On the bright side I couldn't buy the tartan fabrics I have now for what I paid then, and because of that I'm moving forward in projects.