Contemporary kilt length, a minority report

[CMcG]

If I'm wearing a modern kilt, the hem tends to hang below the knee. For me this is tied to a couple aesthetic factors. First I think there is an alternative, casual feel about a utility kilt that is reminiscent of baggy cargo shorts. This means the hem of the kilt can fall lower, which looks a bit more relaxed. Second, and for similar reasons, I tend not to wear hose pulled up my Utilikilt. The lower hem then helps to balance the amount of leg showing against scrunched hose and boots.


If one were to wear a contemporary kilt that resembles a traditional kilt, like a Freedom Kilt or 21st Century kilt, it could go either way with the hem. For me, it still comes back to whether the hose are up or scrunched: hose up, hem up and hose scrunched, hem down looks best to me. Here's a pic from 21st Century kilts showing that, but also the opposite. You be the judge:


I suppose if it is super hot and one were to wear sandals or short socks, then all bets are off about showing lots of leg When I wear my Sport Kilt for hiking, the hem falls above my knee so it doesn't chafe the back of my legs and shorter socks to keep cool... sometimes practical trumps aesthetic.

[McElmurry]

CMcG

Thanks for the input. This picture in particular provides a good comparison.

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[Alan H]

Of my 10 kilts, most hit around the top 1/4 of the kneecap. My Gray Stewart, I made longer, it sits in the bottom 1/4 of the kneecap. The Lindsay tartan, which I throw in these days, sits above the top of the knee, just barely. My X-Kilt is at the bottom of the knee and my digital camouflage reverse kinguisse hiking kilt is at the top 1/4 of the kneecap.

Upshot? IMHO, wear it where you like it...anywhere around the knee is fine. Showing 3 inches of thigh might be grand, but IMHO it's not very kiltlike. Wearing something that ends at mid-calf is also grand, again IMHO, not very kiltlike.....which doesn't mean you can't do it, of course.

[Java]

If I'm wearing a modern kilt, the hem tends to hang below the knee. For me this is tied to a couple aesthetic factors. First I think there is an alternative, casual feel about a utility kilt that is reminiscent of baggy cargo shorts. This means the hem of the kilt can fall lower, which looks a bit more relaxed. Second, and for similar reasons, I tend not to wear hose pulled up my Utilikilt. The lower hem then helps to balance the amount of leg showing against scrunched hose and boots.

I quoted Colin here, because this is pretty much exactly how I was going to answer. On those occations when I wear a contemporary kilt with my hose pulled up and cuffed, then even a canvas kilt would be pulled up and most of my knee exposed, to balance the amount of leg showing.