A question about kilt construction?

[Rex_Tremende]

Rex,

Remember that it does not necessarily taper from bum to waist in some of us gutted wonders, or might even taper the reverse direction.

Not to repeat what Rocky and Anne have said, but after Ryan Ross posted his reply, I thought to add that in my case I do prefer to have my rise taper out in reverse a bit, but that is in the upward direction - creating a slight hourglass shape - and results in a more comfortable kilt. But this is for my body in particular. It would require a different solution if I had rock-hard abs or a Buddha-belly.

Regards,
Rex.

[Pleater]

Oh yes - above the waist, the rise, the kilt follows the body shape and curves outwards, so when made right and buckled on correctly the top of the kilt settles above the natural waist rather than on it.

The tailoring above the waist is - I suspect - directly connected to the different proportions of males and females, as kilts worn at a man's natural waist and at the normal length of the top of the kneecap are not in proportion to their height. By extending the top of the kilt this imbalance is corrected and gives a visually pleasing division of the body. It is probably one of those 'Golden mean' measurements.

The longer length kilt worn at a woman's natural waist is probably just another expression of the same ratio.

Anne the Pleater

[ForresterModern]

I guess I was talking about those of us built more like a martini glass or a 55 gallon drum tilted at a 45 degree angle, than those built more typically like a bowling pin with an easily discernible natural waist. In my later years what used to be a fairly tight **** has only grown a wee bit while what was a flat belly above has grown a great deal by comparison (the tilted 55 gallon drum shape).