Kilt length question

[Anndrais]

Hello all! I hope someone can help with this...

I'm about to order my first (and what will probably be only) kilt. It's a major purchase for me, so I don't want to get the measurements wrong.

I'm planning to order a Luxury hand-stitched 8 yard kilt from Scotweb - in Ross hunting modern (Lochcarron) and using the X marks the Scot discount

However, when taking measurements for it (got my girlfriend to take them), I don't know how long it should be, as I'm not sure how high the kilt will sit. Scotweb have a little video that say you should measure from the navel... But then in the diagrams they say it should be from the navel OR up to 2 inches higher... Which is quite a difference!

I'm 5' 11" and what I THINK is my natural waist is 34" (and is about an inch above my navel). From there down to the middle of my kneecap is 24". An inch higher than that (about 2" above my navel) I'm a bit slimmer at 33.5" - would that be the natural waist? It seems quite high - but I just don't know!

My real worry is not with the waist size (I realise the buckles can be adjusted), but the length. I don't want to end up with a kilt that is too short or too long! I'd like it to reach the middle of my kneecap.

Can anybody offer any advice with this? Does 24" length from an inch above the navel for a 5' 11" guy sound about right? Should I be measuring an inch higher? Will I be able to wear the kilt a little higher/lower to get it to reach the middle of my kneecap?

Sorry for beginner questions! Really hope someone can help!

[Steve Ashton]

First off I am not familiar with the model of kilt that you reference. It really depends on who makes it.

But there are three places where a waistband will naturally sit on a human body.

This photo shows the different waist heights from the side.




The top strap shows the anatomical waist. This is where the bones naturally bend. This is usually the smallest part of the body. In the back it is about kidney level. At the sides, right up under the ribs. And in front 3-4 fingers below the bottom of the breast bone. It is quite high when compared to where blue jeans are worn.

This is where all, and I'm going to repeat that word - all, of the "Traditional' kilts are designed to fit. The Iconic kilt was designed in a time when all men's trousers were worn at the anatomical waist.




The middle strap shows what is called Mid Waist Height. In the back it tucks into the small of the spine and at the sides is on top of the hipbones. This is where many guys try to wear a kilt designed to fit higher. So you must know where the bottom of the tapered and sewn down area of the back is. This area of a kilt is called the Fell Area and the bottom of the Fell Area should be right at the widest part of the hips or buttocks for the kilt to look and drape well.

The lower strap shows what is called Low Waist Height. This is where blue jeans are worn. In the back the strap sits on the rise of the buttocks and at the side below the top of the hip bones.

Notice please that I never referenced the navel. The navel is in soft tissue and is in different places on different men. So instead we reference the bones which do not move.


So, as the written directions and the photos you reference show two different things - I would suggest that you contact the maker of the kilt you are interested in.
Perhaps Scotweb would be willing to contact the maker for you. Or at least they should know, and be able to clarify, how it was designed to fit.

Good communication is the key to having any kilt fit correctly. Please do not assume anything. One maker may make their kilts differently from another maker and you may be assuming something that the maker does not.
Such as where the bottom of the kilt should hit the knee cap. A traditional maker will assume you want the bottom of the kilt to be at the top of the knee cap so if you measure to mid knee the length may be off.

[KnittedReenactor]

Steve, as always has it correct- it has been his day job after all. Definitely converse with your kilt maker so everything is correctly understood and communicated.

There has long been discussions about where the bottom of the kilt should end. The old bad joke goes 'boys wear it above the knee, men wear to the knee, a liar wears it below the knee'. Where you have the bottom edge is ultimately your choice. I think there has been a trend, especially with utility kilts, to wear at mid or bottom of knee.
My own military pattern kilt I wear in the old military fashion up on the ribs and to the top of the knee.

[Steve Ashton]

There is a little blurb at the bottom of every page of my website.

Good communication is the secret to designing your perfect kilt. Any time you have a question or would like help with your order - Remember - we are only an email or phone call away.

Remember - it is you who are laying down your hard earned money. You deserve the exact kilt you want. If you want to wear the bottom of your kilt at Mid-Knee, your kiltmaker needs to know that.
If you wish to wear the waist of your kilt at something other than Full Waist Height, you kiltmaker needs to know that.

Otherwise you are buying someone else's idea of their perfect kilt.

[Anndrais]

Thanks for the excellent advice here Steve! What you wrote here really seems to make the point.

I'm not confident in my own judgement or having my fiancée measure me for something that we don't really understand and I'm not really sure how high it will be worn or how it all works. And I want to get it right. At the end of the day, there seems no realistic alternative but to talk directly with the kilt maker him/herself and preferably have them measure me in person.

There is a little blurb at the bottom of every page of my website.

Good communication is the secret to designing your perfect kilt. Any time you have a question or would like help with your order - Remember - we are only an email or phone call away.

Remember - it is you who are laying down your hard earned money. You deserve the exact kilt you want. If you want to wear the bottom of your kilt at Mid-Knee, your kiltmaker needs to know that.
If you wish to wear the waist of your kilt at something other than Full Waist Height, you kiltmaker needs to know that.

Otherwise you are buying someone else's idea of their perfect kilt.

[OC Richard]

I'll just say that it's an unfortunate recent trend here in the USA for men to wear their kilts too low.

I think it's influenced by how modern slacks and jeans are cut to be down around the hips rather than up at the waist.

They purchase a kilt that's correctly made, but when they put it on the bottom of the kilt covers their knees, due to wearing it too low.

These people solve this problem by sending their kilt back to have it shortened by the maker, or having an ordinary tailor hem it. And the next time they order a kilt they specify a shorter length, lengths that were only used for youth's kilts in the old days.

Ancillary problems now arise, like their shirt showing in the gap that now exists between the bottom of their waistcoat and the top of the kilt. This they solve by buying longer waistcoats. We have an American firm that sells waistcoats to most of the pipe bands around here and they make some of their waistcoats absurdly long, so that they would only look proportional on a person nearly 7 feet tall, but are worn by men of ordinary height.

[Riverkilt]

Just me, your mileage may vary.

I don't mind kilts worn at jean waist, but it drives me CRAZY when the bottom of the kilt is way below the knee....a sad, silly, dumb looking, modern trend that I abhor. Yucko.

Yes, I have an opinion on that.

[Anndrais]

Absolutely - ultimately it was where the bottom of the kilt would end that was worrying me - I didn't want it to be too long or too short.

Rather than going through a supplier, I took some good advice and went directly to a kiltmaker (someone recommended by several people here) and she made things very clear for me. With discussions of what I'm after and a combination of checks, double checks and photos, it's all good and the kilt is underway!

Thank you to everybody for your contributions here - it's VERY useful. I'd be lost if I hadn't found this place - I'm really enjoying the learning process!

Just me, your mileage may vary.

I don't mind kilts worn at jean waist, but it drives me CRAZY when the bottom of the kilt is way below the knee....a sad, silly, dumb looking, modern trend that I abhor. Yucko.

Yes, I have an opinion on that.