the Short Modern Kilt

[Kiltsnquilts]

This is one issue that really bothers me as a shorter man (5'-7"). Even when I am wearing shirts that are well-fitted to my body size, they do not make any adjustment for the breast pockets. They are the same size pockets as larger shirts, and they don't appear to locate the pockets with any thought to the fact that a shorter person is wearing the shirt. It's like they use a standard offset from the shoulder seam, regardless of shirt size. In other words, they don't scale all the parts of the shirt down proportionally. The result is that pockets which should be up on my chest end up reaching all the way down to my belly. And when wearing a kilt at proper height, I end up looking like the shorter officer in that photo, with my pockets at the top of my kilt. Or in some cases, even being slightly covered up by the kilt. For this reason, I have to be very selective about the shirts I choose to wear with the kilt. I mostly opt for no pockets at all, or have a narrow range of shirts I'll wear with the kilt.

Yes I agree with you. Even as a dressmaker I know that pocket sizes rarely change within a pattern which seems crazy. Even more so for a guys shirt!

[Kiltsnquilts]

Pardon me, but isn't the "natural waist" where a traditional kilt sits anyway? Compared to the "jeans waist" where my Levi jeans sit?

Well that depends how high you like to wear your jeans! The belly button is the natural waist and a kilt will usually sit about 4-6cm above that at the bottom of the rib cage. Obviously, there are always exceptions to the rule. Most guys I know would not wear their jeans at their natural waist (belly button).

[Tobus]

The belly button is the natural waist and a kilt will usually sit about 4-6cm above that at the bottom of the rib cage. Obviously, there are always exceptions to the rule. Most guys I know would not wear their jeans at their natural waist (belly button).

Everyone's belly button is in a different place, and is not tied (anatomically) to the natural waist. The natural waist is just the narrowest structural point of one's torso. In my case, my natural waist is about a hand-width above my belly button. In the photo below, I have pointed out my natural waist as well as the top of my kilt. But my belly button is actually just below the fob on my watch chain, about where the bottom button of my waistcoat is.

IMHO, the belly button should never be referenced in wearing or measuring for a kilt. It leads to confusion and incorrect sizing when people use it as a mark.

[Kiltsnquilts]

Everyone's belly button is in a different place, and is not tied (anatomically) to the natural waist. The natural waist is just the narrowest structural point of one's torso. In my case, my natural waist is about a hand-width above my belly button. In the photo below, I have pointed out my natural waist as well as the top of my kilt. But my belly button is actually just below the fob on my watch chain, about where the bottom button of my waistcoat is.

IMHO, the belly button should never be referenced in wearing or measuring for a kilt. It leads to confusion and incorrect sizing when people use it as a mark.

Interesting....in my experience the belly button is often in the same place as the anatomical waist (and I do check). At least for the kilts I have made over the last 20 years. Some guys don't have a narrow part of their torso either so it is a good place to start and to measure if they are completely straight (or not straight at all!)

But then I did say there are always exceptions ;-)

[Jacques]

i stand about 5'7" (at least i used to) and kind of built like a beer keg with legs. Even with the kilt sitting somewhere between my belly button and ribs, or slightly higher for comfort my kilts are at 22" and fall mid to the top of my knees. However i have just ordered a kilt at 23", following this kilt makers instructions for measuring.

Jacques

[Jacques]

Those kilts might have been made to fit the man but the shirts wouldn't. So the shorter, slimmer guy will be wearing the same 'standard issue' shirt as the taller, larger guy (maybe a size or two different but it doesn't affect the pockets much)

I think the larger guys kilt is too low......traditionally the top of the kilt should finish at the lower ribcage and his looks lower than that - although hard to tell when clothed.

The taller gentleman is wearing his kilt a little higher at the back compared to front. So he may have started the day with his kilt higher all around.

[Tobus]

i stand about 5'7" (at least i used to) and kind of built like a beer keg with legs. Even with the kilt sitting somewhere between my belly button and ribs, or slightly higher for comfort my kilts are at 22" and fall mid to the top of my knees. However i have just ordered a kilt at 23", following this kilt makers instructions for measuring.

Jacques

That seems really short, but perhaps it just goes to show how differently we are all built. For reference, we are the same height and the kilt in my photo above is 25.5 inches total length. It has a 2.75 inch rise, so the drop from the top strap to selvedge is 22.75 inches, and it falls at the top of my knee.

It should also be noted that my military kilt above is labeled for my height, indicating that the Highland Regiments would have issued you this same kilt and expected you to wear it as high as you needed to in order to get the bottom at the correct height.

[jthk]

As an aside, I'd like to compliment that outfit. Nicely done; in particular, I like the waistcoat.

Regards,
Jonathan

Everyone's belly button is in a different place, and is not tied (anatomically) to the natural waist. The natural waist is just the narrowest structural point of one's torso. In my case, my natural waist is about a hand-width above my belly button. In the photo below, I have pointed out my natural waist as well as the top of my kilt. But my belly button is actually just below the fob on my watch chain, about where the bottom button of my waistcoat is.

IMHO, the belly button should never be referenced in wearing or measuring for a kilt. It leads to confusion and incorrect sizing when people use it as a mark.

[MichiganKyle]

Interesting....in my experience the belly button is often in the same place as the anatomical waist (and I do check). At least for the kilts I have made over the last 20 years. Some guys don't have a narrow part of their torso either so it is a good place to start and to measure if they are completely straight (or not straight at all!)

But then I did say there are always exceptions ;-)

As a data point for you, my bellybutton is probably about an inch (or maybe a little more) lower than my natural waist. So, close, but off by enough to make a difference, at least for me.

[jthk]

As a data point for you, my bellybutton is probably about an inch (or maybe a little more) lower than my natural waist. So, close, but off by enough to make a difference, at least for me.

As another data point, mine is about 0.5 inch off.