Weight Loss

**KiltedPilot** · 18th May 08, 10:47 AM

I'm losing weight (great!). My kilts don't fit (boo hoo!). I need to buy more (hurray!). The trouble is I don't know where I'll end up settling.

It depresses me to wait for months to see where my waistline is going to level out - I need kilts!. I'm tempted to just buy a new kilt to tide me over. Pick a size a couple of inches below my current waistline, knowing that the kilt will have an inch or so of upward play in the buckles.

I've gone from a 46" waist, through a stable 44" (for 2-3 years), to a 39" now (in last 3 months). I think I am still losing. Primarily this was through sustainable change to my diet, plus some moderate increased exercise.

Any hints from all those successful 'losers' ? Did you just wait until your measurements settled down to buy new kilts, or kept adjusting existing kilts, or just closed your eyes and bought kilts in your current size?

All tips appreciated.

KP

**James MacMillan** · 18th May 08, 11:04 AM

I see we are venturing into the fiction/fantasy arena again. What is this weight loss thing you speak of?

Seriously, SWK would be a good place to buy several kilts to tide you over till you settle into a new weight.

And since you can also sell your kilts for very close to what you paid for them, you should be out of very little money. Recycling kilts is a growing practice here on X-Marks.

**KiltedPilot** · 19th May 08, 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by James MacMillan

Seriously, SWK would be a good place to buy several kilts to tide you over till you settle into a new weight.

And since you can also sell your kilts for very close to what you paid for them, you should be out of very little money. Recycling kilts is a growing practice here on X-Marks.

I've previously bought a couple of SWKs. SWK give great service, and great value for money. Kudos to Jerry!

There are two features of SWK that did not appeal to my personal taste, however -- the cushion butt, and the 24" fixed length. Purely a matter of taste for me. I really did like the look of my SWKs, but a shorter kilt workers better on my frame, and I prefer a lighter feel around the waist. I ended up selling my two Stillwater's on XMarks.

That said, maybe SWK might be a good compromise for an interim -- particularly as I've never tried a SWK 'Thrifty Kilt'. I'll have to reread the reviews on the product.

Thanks for the ideas.

KP

**McFarkus** · 20th May 08, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by James MacMillan

Seriously, SWK would be a good place to buy several kilts to tide you over till you settle into a new weight.

The SWK Thrifty kilt is just $30. Closure is velcro and it doesn't have the yardage of the Standard or Heavyweight, but it's a good temporary kilt. I got one just for St. Patrick's day in Irish National, and even got a lot of compliments on it.

**Dukeof Kircaldy** · 18th May 08, 12:03 PM

I keep my first kilt, which is a bit tight, on the off chance I will lose enough weight to wear it the way I did 25 odd years ago.

Recycling your kilt, is a very good idea.

**Highland Logan** · 18th May 08, 01:19 PM

I have just the one and it had the straps moved once, and was shipped back to Lochcarron twice to be rebuilt. They did a fantastic job, and you can't tell that work was done on it.

Frank

**KiltedPilot** · 19th May 08, 06:38 AM

Originally Posted by Highland Logan

I have just the one and it had the straps moved once, and was shipped back to Lochcarron twice to be rebuilt. They did a fantastic job, and you can't tell that work was done on it.

If I had a quality wool kilt like that, I'd certainly consider getting it remade. Good idea.

To date, however, I've experimented in the low to mid price range to date, however, so that my mistakes are less expensive

(Mistakes, yes, I've made a few!)

My most expensive kilt is a USA Kilt semi-trad. Great kilt, but I suspect it might be as cost effective to sell it, and buy a new one in the right size, as to get it remade. Might be worth a brief e-mail to Rocky to enquire. Good call.

I find, though, that as I buy kilts I learn more about what I like and dislike. Tartans in photos don't look the same up close, or don't look the same on my frame. I find, therefore, a natural desire to invest dollars moving forward in my kilt quest (new designs and tartans), than backwards (remaking an older kilt).

KP

**Dukeof Kircaldy** · 18th May 08, 02:10 PM

Actually, that's true, you could have the straps moved if the waist size is loss less than 2". 2"is the max you should move straps on a kilt.

**Nighthawk** · 18th May 08, 02:21 PM

I too am steadily loosing weight. I've gone from 56 to 50 so far. My SWK 52's fit me wonderfully. Although there is this odd phenomenon going on with my chubby butt... I made a thread about and got some great answers to my weird little problem. So anyways, I have bought kilts that are one size down from my actual measurements. The SWK's seem to be make so that the middle hole on the strap is the actual measured size, and it gets an inch larger from there. A size 52 seems to fit up to a 53 and down to a 51 as far as I can tell. My USAK is the same. So it seems to me that if you are a 48, you could safely buy a 46 and wear at it's largest, and adjust it down as you loose. I had to get my hip straps adjusted- being a 300 lb martial artist and hiker has made my hips and thighs gorrilla-esque- and the adjustment cost me a grand total of $10. So there is also the option of having the straps brought in. I seem to recall reading from (I think) Barbary Tucks... however you spell her name!! that you can have the straps moved in up to two inches before you need to have the kilt rebuilt. So there you go- my two cents worth.

If I'm wrong on this, please someone correct me before the guy takes my bad advice!

**KiltedPilot** · 19th May 08, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by Dukeof Kircaldy

Actually, that's true, you could have the straps moved if the waist size is loss less than 2". 2" is the max you should move straps on a kilt.

I have about 5" adjustment required on existing kilts. A bit much for shifting buckles! Dang!

That said, I don't think any future adjustment will be 5" from my current size, especially if I buy an inch or so lower than my current measurement (and start by using the maximum setting on the kilt).

So if my poor brain is figuring this right: I'm around 39" now, I could buy 38" kilt which would probably work until 37" (given it allows +/- 1" typically). If I fall below 37" I can have the buckles brought in 2", which keeps it working until about 35". Neat.

If I was to end up losing that much weight I'd be so happy that I'd not feel the pain of additional kilt expenditures.

Not a bad idea.

KP