Need help regarding jacket lenght

[TheCzech]

There is this formal/semi-formal school dance coming up, and I would love going in my kilt, but I am not sure if my jackets fit properly/ aren't too long, because I don't want to look like a fool.

I put it one and took some photos, please just focus on the kilt and the jacket, other things I just put on so it doesn't look bland on photos (I have different ties etc...)

First (more like suit) jacket

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2Ro1oxG.jpg

Second jacket

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hLPSbux.jpg

Album elswhere
http://imgur.com/a/SpJMU
If more pictures needed, write

If anyone could comment on it that would be great
Thanks

[Taskr]

Czech,
In my opinion the first (suit) jacket is too long. There is at least one Xmarker who can call up some historic photos of long jackets with the kilt, but I think it is safe to say that has not been the fashion/style of more recent times. The second jacket doesn't look too bad from the photos. the length at the back appears not too far off from the fell. That's the biggest issue with a regular cut jacket, falling too long takes away from the look of the pleats. The front isn't cut away, of course, but that's not too huge an issue for a jacket that isn't going to be buttoned closed. I also have a short cut jacket that looks not too badly with a kilt and put it on a couple of times before getting a "kilt jacket", and would still do so.

[Tarheel]

My "go to" man for jacket information is our member Issac. Here are two photos of a conversion he did that I think is the perfect length.

This is how I will change my jackets in the future. Hope this helps with your project.

[The Wizard of BC]

A suit coat or sport coat has the bottom of the jacket at around the bottom of the buttocks. This is to hide the pucker caused by the trouser legs.

A jacket cut for a kilt will have the bottom right at around the crest of the buttocks or where the pleats end being sewn down. This is called the bottom of the Fell.

A kilt jacket will also have some form of cut-away in the front to go around the sporran.

This present two problems for someone wanting to convert a trouser jacket to a kilt jacket.


The first is the pocket and vent placement. On a Kilt Jacket the pockets must be higher due to the length. Many suit coats cannot be altered successfully because the pockets will end up right down near the bottom of the jacket once it is cut off. The cutting off of the bottom also interferes with the side vents in the rear. If, after you cut off the bottom, the vents are not long enough there is usually no fabric that you can make new, higher vents with.
The bottom of a kilt jacket will be right about the same length as the sleeve.

Then there is the sporran cut-away. One a suit coat the buttons are quite a bit lower than on a kilt jacket. The sporran cut-away will almost always have a button hole in the way.

This does not mean that a suit or sport coat cannot be converted. Many have. But finding a suitable coat to convert can take a while. Sometimes it is just easier and cost less in the long run to buy a kilt jacket.

[GrainReaper]

I've done a conversion on a thrift store jacket, the new hem of the jacket was targeted to hit the bottom of the fell of my kilt, that was the easy part of the conversion, the tough bit was the sporran cutout curve and having it not end up right in a button hole. (A three button jacket was ideal for me), I made a paper cutout of the desired curve and flipped it over to do the other side of the sporran cutout. Often the pocket flaps look too low on a conversion, raising the flap to just barely cover the pocket slit looks ok quite often... Mine was a patch pocket jacket and I ultimately decided that for the time being no pockets at all lent a clean look that my wife approved of and so that was how it stayed.. I have a few pics as well as a thread on the conversion somewhere here on the forum...

[Benning Boy]

It isn't the ordinary choice but personally I think the best jackets for conversion are those with no vents and patch pockets. With some hunting they can be found on ebay, and if you're fortunate close to home. With such the vent issues are solved and you have flexibility of pocket placement and design.

[Benning Boy]

It isn't the ordinary choice but personally I think the best jackets for conversion are those with no vents and patch pockets. With some hunting they can be found on ebay, and if you're fortunate close to home. With such the vent issues are solved and you have flexibility of pocket placement and design.

[Taskr]

I don't think he was asking about a jacket for conversion. He was asking if either jacket would be ok to wear with his kilt.

[Bruce Scott]

Go with the shortest jacket that you have. The photos aren't very clear but the jackets in pictures three and four (possibly the same jacket?) are only sightly longer than the sleeve length. In my view these would work well enough until you can get a kilt jacket.