buckle on left?

[haxtonhouse]

Does it matter what side the buckles are on? My son was given a kilt that wraps right side over left side.

[billmcc]

It matters on an adult's kilt, but some kid's kilts are made backwards. How old is your son?

[haxtonhouse]

My son is 17. so is it considered a kilted skirt if the apron edge is on the left? Also, there is a kilt i wasthinking of buying for auction that has 2 buckles on the left and one on the right, but I can't tell from the picture which way it wraps- are the 2 buckles usually on the side that is the edge?

[billmcc]

My son is 17. so is it considered a kilted skirt if the apron edge is on the left?

Yes, it sounds like a kilted skirt.

[billmcc]

Also, there is a kilt i wasthinking of buying for auction that has 2 buckles on the left and one on the right, but I can't tell from the picture which way it wraps- are the 2 buckles usually on the side that is the edge?

Yes, the 2 buckles are always on the side that is the edge. Sounds like another skirt, but there is a chance that the picture could be flipped backwards.

[SteveB]

When looking at photographs of a kilt, please look carefully, if it has two buckles on one side the male wears them on the right side. The outer apron should be fringed or open on the male wearer's right side. That being said, the main concern for "proper" kilt display is that a men's kilt the apron opens on the right and a women's on the left. There are multiple exceptions in that a pipe band will uniformly have all the kilts open on the same side for both genders (usually the right side (male)). I am ancient enough to have been around when some schools were just integrating sexes. During this time a few former all girls schools, with only a few boys at first, both genders in the band were kilted with left aprons. As most of the public is clueless about this distinction, only rival band types were likely to tease them.
I have seen a kilt or two where there is a buckle on the left for the under apron, and the outer apron uses a hidden fastening. Possibly a pants type clasp, internal snap, or Velcro?
--- Steve

[James MacMillan]

Making the assumption that all other things are equal - I don't really know if it makes much difference about which side the kilt opens. I do know, that if I recieved a kilt like that from an order of mine, I would send it back, just because I am used to one way of dressing. It would slow me down in the morning and all day it make me feel more weird than I normally do...

[Arlen]

You can just convert the way it fastens.
I converted a kilted skirt to a kilt in this thread.
It's fairly easy and doesn't take long.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The kilt as we know it today owes virtually all of it's design to the military. In the 18th century officers and sergeants wore swords, and other ranks carried bayonets, all of which were worn on the left side. The direction of the wrap of the kilt has to do with the drawing of a sword-- from left to right. If the apron opened on the left, there would be a very real possibility that the sword would become tangled in the kilt, something to be avoided in a life or death situation.

The only instance of a "left handed kilt"-- that I am aware of-- is Richard Waitt's painting of the Laird of Grant's Piper (done in 1714) which clearly shows the apron of the kilt wrapped from right to left. Whether the piper was left handed or not can't really be determined from the painting. Although the pipes are under his right arm, both his sword and pistol are worn on his left side.

[Bugbear]

Thank you for pointing this out about the painting, as well as your other information, MacMillan of Rathdown.

The kilt as we know it today owes virtually all of it's design to the military. In the 18th century officers and sergeants wore swords, and other ranks carried bayonets, all of which were worn on the left side. The direction of the wrap of the kilt has to do with the drawing of a sword-- from left to right. If the apron opened on the left, there would be a very real possibility that the sword would become tangled in the kilt, something to be avoided in a life or death situation.

The only instance of a "left handed kilt"-- that I am aware of-- is Richard Waitt's painting of the Laird of Grant's Piper (done in 1714) which clearly shows the apron of the kilt wrapped from right to left. Whether the piper was left handed or not can't really be determined from the painting. Although the pipes are under his right arm, both his sword and pistol are worn on his left side.

This is all very interesting. I guess this is like the male vs female buttons on shirts vs blouses... I'm not sure I fully understand why there is a difference, other than it just is that it is...