Confused About Measuring.

**Frank MacDuffy** · 8th December 06, 09:10 AM

Strange, I'm 5'10" and my measurements are for a 25" length! I hope I'm not messing that up, I've retaken my measurements over and over and over...

**The Wizard of BC** · 8th December 06, 09:24 AM

Can you post a photo of yourself?

**Frank MacDuffy** · 8th December 06, 09:32 AM

I'll try to post a pic later on today (emphasis on "try", I'm the college student who can't figure out computers, I know, in this day and age I'm doomed. Fallback plan, move to South Uist and start a farm!).

**freddie** · 8th December 06, 03:43 PM

Getting the kilt length right really is tricky. I'm 6foot 1inch and I find that the perfect length for me is anywhere between 25 inches and 25 1/2 inches. This is wearing the top of my kilt just under my rib cage. I had my first kilt made to 26inches and it always looked too long in photos. Then I got myself a casual kilt with a stanard drop of 24inches and found that this came to just above the top of my knee. I tried wearing my longer kilt higher on my waist but first of all it showed ABOVE my prince charlie vest, and then no matter how tight I wore it it always droped slightly (due to my big tummy I suppose) and found it's own comfortable level. 25 inches is just to the top of my knee (where I prefer the kilt) and 251/2 inches is the absolute maximum length for me.

**Frank MacDuffy** · 8th December 06, 04:10 PM

So for a traditional fit should I be measuring to just above the knee? I just want to make sure I get all of this right before I order anything!

**freddie** · 9th December 06, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Frank MacDuffy

So for a traditional fit should I be measuring to just above the knee? I just want to make sure I get all of this right before I order anything!

It really is a matter of personal choice. Some like a longer kilt and some like a shorter kilt. I think it's worth quoting J. Charles Thompson in 'So You're Going To Wear The Kilt'. On kilt length he says 'In the time of Queen Victoria the kilt was supposed to come to the middle of the kneecap, this is now horribly out of date' (he describes it as "Trollopy"). 'At the very longest the kilt should reach only to the top of the kneecap.' However he does warn that 'An inch above the top of the kneecap is probably as short as you will want to go.' The other burning question is how high should a kilt be worn ? Years ago the kilt was always worn very high on the waist, but then again so were trousers. Thompson says 'It used to be the fashion to use a whole single width of tartan in the kilt. This meant that, particularly with a short man, the top of the kilt would come way up over the short ribs. Worn with a belt, there would be a considerable band of tartan showing above the belt. This is no longer the style.' (Remember my longer kilt showing above my prince charlie vest). The old military kilts were 'high waisted', and if you look at one there is quite a lot of kilt rising above the waist straps, whereas the waist straps on a modern civilian kilt are just about level with the top. In fact Thompson uses the waist straps as a guide to determining the length of the kilt. I quote: 'The critical measurement is the one from the lower edge of the kilt straps to the bottom of the kilt. It should be taken from the peak of the hip bone to the level of the top of the kneecap. The total length of the kilt must not be over two inches more that this measurement.' Using his advice I strap my kilt on and adjust it so that the lower edges of the straps sit just above the peak of my hips (the top of the kilt is about 2 inches above my belly button) and my kilt sits nicely, feels comfortable, and drops just to the top of my kneecaps. Hope all this helps.

**RockyR** · 8th December 06, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Frank MacDuffy

Strange, I'm 5'10" and my measurements are for a 25" length! I hope I'm not messing that up, I've retaken my measurements over and over and over...

If you have very long legs (femur bones) or a high natural waist, that may account for it. However, I do think it's a bit long. I'm 5'11" and my length is 23.5". I would suggest not going longer than 24" or it the kilt may:

A. end up hanging below the knee
B. end up having to sit VERY high waisted at the top, making your torso appear short.

**Frank MacDuffy** · 8th December 06, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by RockyR

If you have very long legs (femur bones) or a high natural waist, that may account for it. However, I do think it's a bit long. I'm 5'11" and my length is 23.5". I would suggest not going longer than 24" or it the kilt may:

A. end up hanging below the knee
B. end up having to sit VERY high waisted at the top, making your torso appear short.

Hmm... Could I get an accurate measurement by standing in front of a floor length mirror with the tape hanging down to halfway up the kneecap and reading the measurement at the navel? I say floor length mirror meaning I can read the measurement in the mirror without bendind over.

**RockyR** · 8th December 06, 09:48 AM

That could help...

**auld argonian** · 8th December 06, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Frank MacDuffy

Hmm... Could I get an accurate measurement by standing in front of a floor length mirror with the tape hanging down to halfway up the kneecap and reading the measurement at the navel? I say floor length mirror meaning I can read the measurement in the mirror without bendind over.

But you might encounter parallax error:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallax

...there must be somebody who can measure you while you stand up straight.

Best

AA