Kilt Length - Above Knee or Mid-Knee?

[The Wizard of BC]

A word of caution......

The gray kilt in the above photos is one made in accordance with "The Art of Kiltmaking". It is what is described as a Tradional kilt.

Many kilts are made today without the flare above the top straps. The Fell, or sewn-down and tapered area at the back of the kilt tapers in a straight line from the hips to the top of the kilt.
Even if the top straps are located 2 inches below the top of the kilt the smallest part of the kilt is up at the waist banding.

When you strap on a kilt without flare it will drop down until the smallest part of the kilt settles into the smallest part of your body.

The kilt will drop down and the hem will end up at the middle or bottom of the knee. This is what we see so often in the rental company photos. They are not to be take so much as examples of how the kilt should be worn but a testament to the kilts not having the traditional flare above the straps.

I am seeing more and more kilts, from some very reputable names, coming into my shop without the flare. The most common complaint with these is that the kilt does not feel like it can be cinched tight enough to stay up. So the kilts come to me to be re-sized smaller.

I am convinced that this idea of a kilt fitting at mid or bottom of the knee is the result of two things.

One - The kilt was made without the traditional flare.
Two - The owner does not realize that a traditional kilt should be worn so high. He is attempting to wear a traditional kilt down where he is used to wearing pants.

Here is a photo of my traditional kilt being worn. The bottom pencil is pointing at my naval and the top pencil is pointing to the bottom of my breastbone.