Kilts for chicks, I'm confused...

**GoodGirlGonePlaid** · 13th June 11, 05:02 PM

Google isn't helping me so I come to ask the experts.

So, I see a bunch of different names for said item, what's the universal term?
Is it:
Ladies Kilt
Women's Kilt
Kilted Skirt
Plaid skirt (yup, our lazy incorrect American term for tartan, I know)
Mini kilt
unisex kilt
tartan skirt
"Ye daft lass, only men can wear a true kilt"
ladies kilted pleated skirt
skirt kilt (in which case I'm nick naming it a Skilt... like Jorts (jean shorts), Shants (short pants), or Manpris (capri pants for men))

or
"It doesn't matter as long as it looks nice"

-from "the tartan pleated skirt" wearing gal
GGGP

**Nighthawk** · 13th June 11, 10:33 PM

Since I don't know the answer, I'll confuse the issue by A) Voting for "Ye daft lass, only men can wear a true kilt" and B) mentioning the fact that they are also often referred to as hostess skirts and billy kilts. You're welcome.

**English Bloke** · 13th June 11, 10:41 PM

My sister has a couple of ladies kilts with thinner straps that buckle up the other way (right over left not left over right). They were both handmade to order using 10oz fabric by Hector Russell Kiltmakers of Edinburgh and were sold to her as "Ladies Kilted Skirts".

**Really a McQueen** · 13th June 11, 10:43 PM

Hey! You left out skorts (shorts with and outer skirt, usually worn for exercise purposes).

**Barb T** · 14th June 11, 02:46 AM

A traditional knife-pleated kilt has roughly 8 yards of (typically) heavier weight tartan, has the fringe edge on the wearer's right, comes to the top of the knee cap, has a 2" rise above the waist, is pleated either to the stripe or the sett, and has lots of heavy canvas interfacing inside, which stabilizes everything and makes the kilt pretty thick and somewhat stiff in the pleats. This kind of kilt is traditionally a man's garment, although female pipers and Highland dancers wear exactly this garment (made the same, etc.).

Typically, though, women don't hire a kiltmaker to just make a traditional kilt for them to wear with a sporran, belt, kilt hose, and the whole kit, although some do.

What's much more commonly made for a woman is variably called a kilted skirt, kilt skirt, hostess kilt, ladies kilt, etc. The garment is typically made from much less (maybe 3 or 4 yards) of lighter weight tartan, has the fringe edge on the wearer's left, has the bottom edge typically below the knee and the top at the waist, rather than a couple inches above, is not pleated formally to the sett or stripe, and doesn't have all the interior heavy canvas, etc. This garment is worn as a skirt without belt, sporran and kilt hose.

Then there's the huge variety of mini-kilts, etc. Does that help?

**Ancienne Alliance** · 14th June 11, 04:00 AM

Just for fun... check this out...

http://www.lady-chrystel-kilts.com/s...ais/women.html

Best,

Robert

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 14th June 11, 04:14 AM

In practice, the terms lady's kilt, women's kilt, kilt skirt, tartan skirt, etc, are all petty much used interchangeably to describe a tartan skirt for women, pleated in the rear with flat overlapping aprons.

Now, there are a few terms that do mean something specific. Hostess skirt (or hostess kilt), for example, is a full-length tartan kilt skirt. You'd never use that term to describe a mini. And a mini-kilt is obviously a very short tartan skirt. The term "billie skirt" refers to a specific fashion style - it is a short skirt with a wide waistband featuring the tartan on the bias.

And because visual aides are always helpful, here's what we currently offer from our shop.

First a standard lady's kilt skirt, made from around 4 yds of cloth, pleated in the back, flat front aprons.

Hostess kilt aka hostess skirt. Same as a standard kilt skirt, but length over 28".

Mini-kilt. Same as the standard kilt skirt, with a length under 18"

Here's the Billie kilt I mentioned. Note the bias tartan details. This one is also a mini, so max length 18".

And remember that ladies' tartan skirts don't have to look like men's kilts, so we also offer a couple others. This one, called "The Fiona," has pleats all the way around.

And this one is not pleated at all! It's called "The Laura."

Purchasing info on all of the above here:
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/skirts.html