Length advice?

[Mike M.]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a kilt (USA casual, as I'm in mid-diet and don't want to spend big $$ on a first kilt I intend to have falling off me in six months or so). My kneeling measurement is 23 in...which equates to 22 inches to mid-knee. Should I go with this, or about an inch shorter? Thanks.

[cdarwin]

Rocky has instructions for measuring on all of his kilt pages. They are slightly different for each type of kilt, so make sure to follow the instructions for the type of kilt you are getting. His casuals can be made to fit at the 'true waist' as most traditional kilts are worn or a bit lower near the trouser waist. As long as you follow Rocky's instructions, you will have the kilt you want.

[piperdbh]

Kneeling is one way to measure; another is to have someone else measure you while you're standing. Measure from your waist (where the kilt waistband will ride) to the top of your kneecap. Or, ask your kiltmaker.

edit: CDarwin beat me to the punch: follow Rocky's advice.

[seanachie]

Rocky has instructions for measuring on all of his kilt pages. They are slightly different for each type of kilt, so make sure to follow the instructions for the type of kilt you are getting. His casuals can be made to fit at the 'true waist' as most traditional kilts are worn or a bit lower near the trouser waist. As long as you follow Rocky's instructions, you will have the kilt you want.

Not to be argumentative at all but Rocky's site says: "USA Kilts Casuals can either be worn at the "Jeans Waist" or at the "True Waist" (just above your naval) like a traditional kilt". So the statement that most traditional kilts are worn a bit lower near the trouser waist I would not personally agree with. In fact some kiltmakers will include a 2" rise. Because the OP seemed to be new to kilting I thought bringing this into discussion was advisable.

[Ryan Ross]

...most traditional kilts are worn or a bit lower near the trouser waist.

I think you may have that backwards, as traditional kilts are worn at the true waist, and modern kilts are often worn at the "trouser waist".

EDIT: seanachie beat me to the punch.

[RockyR]

"True Waist" is just above the navel at the top of the hip bone (push in on your side at your love handles and you'll be able to feel the top of your hip bone).

Oddly enough, my preferred way to tell people to measure who haven't ever worn a kilt before (and are hesitant about measuring) is the "Bath Towel Method":

Length measurement WITH BATH TOWEL assistance:
Take a bath towel and FOLD IT so that it is 24" long.
Standing in a pair of shorts (SO YOU CAN SEE YOUR KNEES) in front of a full length mirror, hold the towel up to your waist, putting the top of the towel at the top of where you'd like to wear the kilt.
If the 24" length hits below your knee, shorten the towel by folding another inch or two, so that the bottom edge hits you square in the middle of the kneecap.
If the 24" length hits above your knee, lengthen the towel by unfolding an inch or two, so that the bottom edge hits you square in the middle of the kneecap
Once you have the top of the towel sitting at the top of where you want to wear the kilt and the bottom edge hitting the middle of your knee, measure the length of the folded towel from the top to the bottom. That will be your kilt’s length measurement.

[madmacs]

I think you may have that backwards, as traditional kilts are worn at the true waist, and modern kilts are often worn at the "trouser waist".

EDIT: seanachie beat me to the punch.

If you reread it.. i had to...

I think the CAN, nd the missing comma make all the difference... but I could be wrong..

[Geoff Withnell]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a kilt (USA casual, as I'm in mid-diet and don't want to spend big $$ on a first kilt I intend to have falling off me in six months or so). My kneeling measurement is 23 in...which equates to 22 inches to mid-knee. Should I go with this, or about an inch shorter? Thanks.

Personal opinion. I'm not sure how big a guy you are, since you don't say. I believe, and I have seen this stated elsewhere, that "gentlemen of substance" look better in slightly shorter kilts. Say an inch or so above the middle of the knee to the top of the knee. I have also found that a kilt will hang a bit longer as you lose weight, particularly in hip measurement. This is from personal experience. Since I started wearing kilts, I have gone from north of 400 lbs to 320, and from a 62 inch true waist to 53. I've got about 70 more pounds to lose, and there are coming off slowly.

Good luck on your weight loss efforts.

[Ryan Ross]

If you reread it.. i had to...

I think the CAN, nd the missing comma make all the difference... but I could be wrong..

I see what you mean, sir. Hah- that's why I wrote that I thought you might have had it backwards, really; I thought I was also possible that I might be misreading it. No harm done, I hope.

Sorry to threadjack.

[Mike M.]

Personal opinion. I'm not sure how big a guy you are, since you don't say. I believe, and I have seen this stated elsewhere, that "gentlemen of substance" look better in slightly shorter kilts. Say an inch or so above the middle of the knee to the top of the knee. I have also found that a kilt will hang a bit longer as you lose weight, particularly in hip measurement. This is from personal experience. Since I started wearing kilts, I have gone from north of 400 lbs to 320, and from a 62 inch true waist to 53. I've got about 70 more pounds to lose, and there are coming off slowly.

Good luck on your weight loss efforts.

Thanks. You haven't done too badly yourself. I haven't stepped on scales, but dead reckoning says I've lost about 40 lbs so far (since mid-March). I figure about 120-130 more lbs to go...