Top of Kilt Position –Traditional vs Modern

[McMurdo]

Richard, I'm surprised you don't have this one

[KnittedReenactor]

I, for one, must chime in and state how I hate modern trousers! Today's leg prisons of all types and sizes are hip-huggers on men! Even when wearing a fully tightened belt they keep wanting to creep down. Dress pants, jeans, even my Army surplus ACU trousers all are too low at the belt loops to be comfortable and kept up all day. Hike 'em up till you're cleft in twain, and it still isn't high enough.
If I must be pantalooned, I prefer the vintage types, like my M1951 wools with braces. At the natural waist and with braces makes a pantalooned day more tolerable.

My main kilt is my high-rise Great War pattern, and it pretty well replicates these gents here. It is comfortable all day, but can be a little tight in the ribs when sitting in the car for long periods.

[Micrographia]

Genuinely can't imagine wearing a kilt that doesn't sit at the natural waist. This is presumably why the dreaded gap between kilt and waistcoat is so commonly seen these days

EEM

[SF Jeff]

They almost look like aprons rather than kilts.

[Grump]

What a wonderful thread. High cuts and suspenders, the only way to fly in comfort. I think I'm one of the few who wears a kilt apron in foul weather. They are cut high as well. Where the pattern came from I'm not sure but most likely military.

[KnittedReenactor]

Yes Grump, it is of military origin. During the Boer Wars, Highlanders wore a front only apron, and during WWI and WWII, they wore a full wrap, pleated apron. They were not used again after 1940. If someone has contradictory information, I'd love to hear it.

What Price Glory and Soldier of Fortune make reproductions, and I think someone here made a few as well.

[FinnKilt]

... During the Boer Wars, Highlanders wore a front only apron, and during WWI and WWII, they wore a full wrap, pleated apron.

Can you explain what is meant by a front only apron, in a kilting context? It sounds somewhat revealing at the rear, but obviously I'm misunderstanding.

[Tobus]

Can you explain what is meant by a front only apron, in a kilting context? It sounds somewhat revealing at the rear, but obviously I'm misunderstanding.

It's just a separate over-apron that covers the front of the kilt, as opposed to a complete cover that goes all the way around. The kilt underneath is still a regular full kilt.

[ShaunMaxwell]

Can you explain what is meant by a front only apron, in a kilting context? It sounds somewhat revealing at the rear, but obviously I'm misunderstanding.

Front only kilt apron:



The "full-wrap" version went all the way around, fully covering the kilt.

Hope that clears it up for you!

SM

[KnittedReenactor]

Shaun's pictures illustrate it well. That is what is regarded as the 'earlier' version. The later versions used up to 1940 added a pleated section to cover the kilt's own pleats.
Here is a full wrap type in the Imperial War Museum https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30097669