Where do you wear your kilt?

[AJBryant]

To properly answer your question I would need to ask you one in return.

When and how is your kilt made?

Prior to about 10 years ago almost all kilts were made in the traditional style. The top strap was designed to snug into your natural waist.

It's a 22-year-old 13-oz wool MacDuff (red) tank made for me by Strathmore.

To find your natural waist - open your hand and place your thumb at your side just under your ribs. Then bend into your thumb. Do you feel a hollow there? That is your natural waist.

It occurs to me that, in another "reality" (that of my medieval re-enacting), I am constantly telling people that their armour has *WAY* too low a waist, as they aim for pants-waist rather than as you point out, the "under the ribs where your body bends" waist. Our medieval forebears knew about that, and made what we would think of as "high-waisted" armours.

I have to think that way about kilts.


<snip>

So, do you have a traditional style kilt?

Very much so, yes. It was made smidge over 22 years ago by Strathmore. I haven't been able to wear that one for about 15 or 20 years, either. I swear, there was a time when I had a 36" waist. Not lately, but there *WAS* a time...

So since I'm doing the diet thing, I've decided to get a few less "hardcore" trad kilts (but still as "traditional" in terms of cut and style as I can) that I can wear for the next year until the diet is done. -- At which time the old tank will again fit (if the bloody moth holes aren't too obvious ;) ) and I"ll buy another tank anyway.

I really appreciated the heck out of this post, Steve. You're aces.

Oh...

And, Charles, DAMNED good point about the southward-bound navel. I totally failed to take my arch-enemy, gravity, into account!

Tony

[OC Richard]

Old army kilts were the full length (27" I think) no matter what the stature of the man, giving an extremely high waist for short guys... here's a Gordon Highlander

[jetstar63]

Indoors, out and about.

[CMcG]

Well, it sounds like the OP got his answer, but I still have a comment or two...

If one is having a kilt made, they have the luxury of determining where the top will sit. For a traditional kilt, that is a function of the strap/buckle being at the natural waist (or nearest approximation thereof for the anatomically "waist-less"), then determining the "rise" or amount of fabric above it. A 2" rise is probably about average, but one could have more or less and I've heard a 4" rise referred to as "military."

If one is strapping on a kilt that is already made, then where the top sits is a function of getting the selvedge/bottom to sit in the right place. This is particularly important for a kilt that was not tailor made to one's body, such as a second hand, inherited, off-the-rack, or uniform kilt. Some people are very precise in their measurement of where the bottom should fall. I just follow my Scottish-born auntie's advice: make sure you show some knee. Once that is sorted, then do what you must with the top to keep it place if it is not at your natural waist, such as wear a belt/suspenders. If the top looks too high when the bottom is showing a good amount of knee, put on a waistcoat or a sweater

[AJBryant]

Thanks everyone. I've definitely learned a bit more about kilts than I knew when I started this thread.

I see now that how high up it comes isn't nearly as important as I thought it was. That's good to know. As I think about it, that's a lot like pants. I have some that have a higher body than others, but they all do the same job.

Many, many thanks for relieving my concerns.

Tony

[Stan]

Tony, I have 10 kilts and 9 of them are "traditional" cut. My most recent kilt was my first wool kilt, and it's a "casual" kilt that's worn at the hip level. When it arrived and I tried it on, I really like the lower kilt level.

I kind of share your quandary, because now my confusion is this. As seem to be swapping out P.V. kilts for wool, do I continue to order Traditional cut, or a few of the casual cut, that seem to fit so well?

The lower (about 22.5 inches long in stead of 24.5-25 inches) "casual cut" can be worn below your /my (Uhumm) gut, and (at least I think) don't make me look quit so (shall I say) out of shape...LOL..

If I'm going to spend roughly $300.00 (m/l) for wool kilts instead of $80.00 to $100 for the P.V.'s that I have (and love) right now I'm going for the higher wear. With the traditional cut kilt I'll always have the option of wearing one of them with a P.C., which I have yet to buy.

Obviously I'm still a bit undecided, because I now have one wool "casual 5 yard" kilt and just ordered a new "traditional" length wool kilt.

Stan L.