How Short is too short? Kilt length.

[seasaidhlinne]

Yesterday was our Apple blossom parade and as we were walking there was a kilted fellow whom I did yell "I LOVE YOUR SPORRAN" at (I may have come across as a bit of a crazy kilt lady) But it was a beautiful 'coon skin sporran. However I noticed his kilt seemed a little short .

So what is a appropriate length? Knee length seemed appropriate to me.... This seemed to fall a little shorter.....
So how short is to short? How long is a kilt supposed to be traditionally,( I know as a girl I could buy the mini skirt version but have no desire)

[1oldsarge]

I'd say Googling "Pictures of women wearing kilts" then follow your instincts....

[The Wizard of BC]

This question of kilt length comes up about once a month.

"The Art of Kiltmaking" states the top of the knee.

Utilikilts are often worn mid calf.

In old paintings you can see anything from well below the knee to two or three inches above.

There is the reoccurring myth that the kilt should just brush the floor when kneeling in church.

All are correct.

With the exception of the Military where the uniform is, well, uniform, there are no set rules. My personal preference, for my own kilts, is to have the hem just brush the top of my kneecap.

And that is the secret. Personal preference. I have made kilts for others with the hem anywhere from an inch below the knee to an inch above.

Most kilts I make however have the hem right at the top of the patella or knee cap. This is to show a little leg.
The only length I will not make is about the same as baggy shorts. I caution customers asking for below the knee kilts that walking for any length of time can, and has, drawn blood from all that fabric chafing the back of the calf.

I also advise my customers to have the hem no shorter than top of knee, leaving that length for ladies.

This all is determined by the total length of the kilt of course and whether it is worn as it was designed. Quite often a kilt designed to be worn up at kidney level is worn like blue jeans. The result is a hem below the knee. Pipe bands with a lot of young members are famous for this. They issue a kilt designed to be worn at the natural waist to someone who has never worn anything there. It is also common to re-issue kilts as needed.

On X Marks we seem to agree, that anywhere from mid knee to the top of knee, is the length preferred by our members.

[Carlo]

Since with kilts we tend to show some knee, I wonder if anyone has ever tried to visit the Vatican in a kilt.
I remember that you have to have your knees covered to enter St Peter's.

I don't know but maybe there are some situations when you would have to wear it lower.

To wear the kilt much higher than the top of the knee seems strange to me. I could see why one might do it walking through a stream.

[CMcG]

Here is a cartoon example that I like for the way it humorously suggests avoiding the extremes of too short or too long:

[Chas]

Too short - very difficult to define.

But you know it when you see it!

[mookien]

... So what is a appropriate length? Knee length seemed appropriate to me.... This seemed to fall a little shorter.....
So how short is to short? How long is a kilt supposed to be traditionally,( I know as a girl I could buy the mini skirt version but have no desire)

For me, and many others, the kilt will fall from about one inch above the knee to mid knee. Personally, I regard anything outside that range as "outside that range".

[Dale Seago]

Quite often a kilt designed to be worn up at kidney level is worn like blue jeans. The result is a hem below the knee. Pipe bands with a lot of young members are famous for this. They issue a kilt designed to be worn at the natural waist to someone who has never worn anything there.

The result looks like this lad proudly wearing his made-to-measure kilt at a Scottish Gathering & Games. Perhaps I should have found some way to correct him, but if he couldn't even see what was different about his attire versus the others wearing kilts. . .

[creagdhubh]

Right at the top of the knee is where I prefer the selvedge of my kilt(s) to fall. No higher...no lower. It also helps not to wear your kilt hose too bloody high as well.



Cheers,

[Stan]

I'm suspect that the guy in the green plaid skirt knew how "the kilt" was to be worn, and may have been choosing to be a "contrarian" .
But then again (and you never know) he could have been (or "be") very long waisted......LOL...