First kilt. High on the waist?

**unclevenus** · 6th September 12, 12:16 PM

Hello, all! Just wanted to get your opinion. I am familiar with height for the knee area of a kilt, but how high is too high for the waist area? Trying to pull it up a bit more so it's not over my knees so much. Kind of concerned that mine is looking higher than normal. This is no more than 1.5-2 inches above my navel. I know that I have to move my kilt hose down a bit. Unfortunately on the photo with the hose, the angle is a bit off, so it looks a bit off. I took another one. No hose. Had the kilt pulled up even higher with a sweater on. Looks a bit better on the knees, but still it's not pretty. Any ideas? I had this kilt created while I was in Scotland and to send it back for xx months for alteration would be mental torture.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/a...9&d=1346506562

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/a...0&d=1345984458

**rlloyd** · 6th September 12, 12:27 PM

Looks and sounds right to me. You want the top of your waistband around 2" above your navel, also known as your "true waist".

**Jock Scot** · 6th September 12, 12:31 PM

Good lord man, you could go up at least another two inches, if you need to! Get the "Knee Cap Height" right and don't worry too much about what is happening at the top.

**auld argonian** · 6th September 12, 12:31 PM

Helps to have a belt and sporran on....breaks up that long expanse and gives you a better idea of how it looks.

Best

AA

**Tobus** · 6th September 12, 12:31 PM

Looking at the photos, it looks OK to me. Definitely not too high at the waist. In fact, it could even come a little higher and still be OK.

Every man's natural waist is in a slightly different spot, so don't try to go by the navel. Just find it with your hands. It's easy enough to feel on your sides. That's where your top kilt strap should be. Then the top hemmed edge of the kilt will be about 1.5" or 2" above that (this is the "rise" of the kilt... for military kilts it's even more). If the kilt was made correctly for you, with the top straps right at the natural waist, the bottom selvedge will be just above your knee. But you can always wear the kilt higher and be OK. Unless it's WAY off, that is...

**unclevenus** · 6th September 12, 12:32 PM

Thanks, all! Will show more photos soon.

**unclevenus** · 6th September 12, 12:36 PM

So would the second photo look more ideal? Just didn't know if I was encroaching that territory of an old man that wears his pants to his shoulders. Wasn't sure if that was a good look with kilts. Thanks for everyone's reply, though!

**rlloyd** · 6th September 12, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by unclevenus

So would the second photo look more ideal? Just didn't know if I was encroaching that territory of an old man that wears his pants to his shoulders. Wasn't sure if that was a good look with kilts. Thanks for everyone's reply, though!

Those old men wearing their pants to their shoulders look that way because they're wearing their pants at the natural waist. :P

**Jock Scot** · 6th September 12, 12:42 PM

OK to my Scots eyes your kilt needs raising to the top of the knee cap -------your pictures do not appear to show that, by quite a margin.

Now, there is no hard and fast "rule" here, but many would say that the kilt and wearer are seen to best advantage with the bottom of the kilt at a wee tad above top of the knee cap height. Most would agree, I think , that no lower than the centre of the knee cap would be the lower limit.

Go on, try raising the kilt at least an inch and perhaps rather more than that and see how it goes.

**Cecil** · 6th September 12, 12:45 PM

It looks pretty darn good to me. I am waiting on my kilt myself. It was shipped last night and its suppose to be here Friday. Got my fingers crossed it will fit fine.