Kilt lengths

[Thirteenthcor]

Recently placed an order with SWK for a few thrifty-kilts only to find that the stock length is much too short for me (I'm 6'8"). After further research it seems that the stock length of pretty much all pre-made kilts are 24 inches. Anyone else wonder why kilts aren't offered in both length AND waist size?

Looks like now if I want anything to fit the way I prefer to wear kilts I'm looking at custom work.

[Dughlas mor]

As a tall guy, I learned a long time ago that businesses don`t stock what they rarely sell, whether it be shoes, shirts, jackets, or whatever. I`m just under 6' 7" and my traditional kilt length is 26.5 or 27 inches. I wouldn`t feel bad that you can`t buy an off the rack kilt, I think you will be much happier with one made to measure. I would recommend USAKilts as a good place to start looking.

[Tobus]

Anyone else wonder why kilts aren't offered in both length AND waist size?

Higher quality (i.e. custom-made) kilts are indeed made to whatever measurements you specify. Waist, hips, and drop length. If you're a non-standard size, you'll likely need to go that route instead of a one-size-fits-all, off-the-peg kilt.

I have the opposite problem. Those off-the-peg kilts are too long for me.

[Thirteenthcor]

As a tall guy, I learned a long time ago that businesses don`t stock what they rarely sell, whether it be shoes, shirts, jackets, or whatever. I`m just under 6' 7" and my traditional kilt length is 26.5 or 27 inches. I wouldn`t feel bad that you can`t buy an off the rack kilt, I think you will be much happier with one made to measure. I would recommend USAKilts as a good place to start looking.

Thanks for the recommendation!

I've been in contact with UT Kilts, specifically their Utility Kilts, and they're more than willing to make extended lengths for me at marginal extra cost!

[Steve Ashton]

Can you imagine how many kilts a re-seller would have to have in stock?

Let's say, just for argument, that the re-seller offers 4 Tartans. If they then offer kilts in 2" increments of waist size from 28" up to 54" that would be 56 different kilts.

Now, for the sake of the same argument lets say that they also stock kilts in 1" length increments. Let's say from 20" to 26". They would now be up to 224 different kilts, in different sizes, and different Tartans.

And 90% of these would just sit on a shelf in the hope of someone ordering one in that exact size and that exact Tartan.

In fact it would take quite a few more than 224 kilts in stock to be able to maintain a business. The common sizes would need 10 or 20 each. And some re-sellers carry quite a few more than 10 or 20 simply because they do not make the kilts. They order them from a maker and the average time for product to arrive could be as much as a month or more.

Add to that that most of the kilts like the one you are interested in are made in Pakistan. The re-seller must order the kilts, pay for them in full, up front, pay the shipping charges, duty and everything else.
They must have storage space for all of these.

It is just not cost effective. Even at the wholesale cost of between $6.00 and $12.00 each, the re-seller would have many thousands of dollars of stock sitting there on a self.

[Thirteenthcor]

Err, well what I mean is that why aren't varying drop lengths offered like waist sizes are? It's a simple pleated wrap with patterns and colors of varying simplicity/complexity, so simply cutting the fabric longer would easily allow for selling in multiple lengths, unless I'm missing something here; people, even Scots I assume, come in all different shapes and sizes, so seeing as how "off-the-peg" kilts come in X,XXL, etc. I'm surprised that they aren't also offered in "Tall" sizes with 2-4 inches added to the drop.

[OC Richard]

Yes as Tobus say it's standard on traditional kilts (handsewn 8-yard wool etc) for the customer to be measured for waist and length.

The limit is the width of the wool, which as I recall is around 27".

I'm only 6'4" but I don't like wearing a 24" length kilt. I think all my kilts are 25.5 or 26.

By the way the nomenclature for kilt length can be confusing to those not used to it.

Traditionally the kilt's total length is broken into two components, the "drop" and the "rise". The point of demarcation is the "natural waist" which is where the buckles are located (not including the 3rd buckle, if present).

Civilian kilts usually have a 2" rise, so for example a kilt with a 24" drop and a 2" rise has a total length of 26". Military kilts have a higher rise.

Confusion can happen because some kilt-sellers use the term "drop" to refer to the total length (I see it on Ebay all the time).

[Thirteenthcor]

Great information! I did not know this.

Why is the wool limited to 27"?

[Mikilt]

Great information! I did not know this.

Why is the wool limited to 27"?

Thirteenthcor,
Double width fabric is 54". When cut in half, each half is 27"

[ratspike]

Err, well what I mean is that why aren't varying drop lengths offered like waist sizes are? It's a simple pleated wrap with patterns and colors of varying simplicity/complexity, so simply cutting the fabric longer would easily allow for selling in multiple lengths, unless I'm missing something here; people, even Scots I assume, come in all different shapes and sizes, so seeing as how "off-the-peg" kilts come in X,XXL, etc. I'm surprised that they aren't also offered in "Tall" sizes with 2-4 inches added to the drop.

Because it's easier and more cost effective to keep it simple and not have a lot of options. Adding that tall size means duplicating your existing stock in the longer length. I'm guessing that the demand isn't there, so it makes more sense to have a one-off made on request from time to time. Remember, these guys aren't actually making anything themselves. Their kilts are made in a factory in Pakistan, and in a production environment you can't necessarily just cut the fabric longer.