You guys were right!

[OC Richard]

I mis-measured my length, and would like to shorten it by one and a half inches...

I would make sure before I had the kilt shortened- you can't put it back!

Thing is, a large percentage of American kilt-wearers have kilts that are too short.

Some order their kilts too short.

Others order their kilts correctly but after they wear them they think they're too long and have them shortened.

There's a guy in our pipe band who also plays in a local Service Pipe Band. He told me his Service band kilt was too long and he was looking for a kiltmaker to shorten it. (You shorten kilts from the top. It's complicated.)

When I saw him with his Service bandmates, he was the only one with a proper-length kilt!

I told him that and he said "I know. But I need to match the other guys."

That's an unfortunately common thing here in the USA.

[Tobus]

I would make sure before I had the kilt shortened- you can't put it back!

Thing is, a large percentage of American kilt-wearers have kilts that are too short.

Interesting observation. In my experience, the vast majority of kilts that I've seen are too long. Most hand well below the kneecap, or to mid-cap. Even pipe bands here seem to prefer bottom of knee.

[kiltimabar]

Interesting observation. In my experience, the vast majority of kilts that I've seen are too long. Most hand well below the kneecap, or to mid-cap. Even pipe bands here seem to prefer bottom of knee.

That's my observation, too. I think it happens when they get the kilt at the traditional measurement, but then wear it too low at the top, being unused to the traditional kidney-high waist. If it's going to be worn at the jeans-level height, it should be ordered shorter. That's what I did with my second kilt.

[jhockin]

Interesting observation. In my experience, the vast majority of kilts that I've seen are too long. Most hand well below the kneecap, or to mid-cap. Even pipe bands here seem to prefer bottom of knee.

With the kilts I have made for myself, following TAKM, they generally hang about mid knee-cap, or barely above that.
Edit:

I was wrong. Standing straight, and further from a mirror, they reach just below the top of my knee-cap.