'Ultra' Casual Kilt Wear

[adempsey10]

For those who feel that my look is excessively slovenly, well, you are entitled to your opinion, and your choice of words. I am also entitled to my opinion about A.) what clothes I strap on, in the morning and B.) what I think about YOUR opinion.

I think you've got a well rounded look for every occasion. That's putting the versatility of the kilt to good use, IMO.

P.S. We share a name, glad to see it's spelled the proper way. A-l-a-n. hahaha. Cheers, mate.

[Nathan]

My Utilikilt was purchased for me (second hand) by a friend and the only time I've ever worn it outside the house was when I went to that friend's place for dinner. Here's a pic from that night:

See I think this look looks just as cool or cooler with a traditional kilt. Like this.

Colin_Photoshopped by Nathan.jpg

Colin: I'll delete this if you object to having a photoshopped image of you in an outfit you didn't wear. I just thought that was the easiest way to illustrate my point.

[Nathan]

It's probably because you're expecting the kilt to sit at your jeans waist and not your true waist. The traditional Kilt is really meant to be worn much higher than jeans and your rise is probably correct. If you hem a kilt, the selvedge looks odd. THe correct way to lower the rise is from the top and this can be costly.

Steve Ashton (Wizard of BC here) owns Freedom Kilts. If you really want to wear your kilt on your hips rather than at your true waist, he can make you a kilt that is designed for just that.

[CMcG]

See I think this look looks just as cool or cooler with a traditional kilt. Like this.

Colin_Photoshopped by Nathan.jpg

Colin: I'll delete this if you object to having a photoshopped image of you in an outfit you didn't wear. I just thought that was the easiest way to illustrate my point.

No objections to the photoshopping, but good Heavens, what tartan is that? You know I could get in trouble for being seen in the "wrong" sett :buttkick: Just joking

You're right, though, that looks cool too and might be a little more acceptable in most of my current social situations than a Utilikilt.

[CMcG]

I'd like to thank everyone for their replies and suggestions. I discovered that the drop on my PV kilts are far too long for me. I have a 21.5" drop and PV HoS kilts come standard with a 24" drop. This is probably why I look so ridiculous with a tucked in shirt whenever I wear my kilt. In order to get the kilt to sit just below my knee (which is apparently still too long) I've got to make the kilt sit about two inches above my navel. I'm looking into having them hemmed today.

It's certainly a process finding a good mix of smart and casual without looking like a weirdo-in-a-kilt....

It does take a bit of getting used to wearing a traditional kilt at the natural waist, especially if you are used to wearing everything at the lower "jeans waist." If you tuck your shirt in, a nice wide belt helps to balance the look, but you can also cover it with a sweater or vest. If the kilt is really too long, hemming isn't as good as having it shortened from the top, but it can look just fine if it is done with a blind stitch.

On the other hand, if you are wearing your kilt with sneakers or boots and scrunched or rolled socks, then IMHO it looks OK to me to have the bottom of your kilt go as low as the bottom of the knee. I'll probably get flamed by some people for suggesting that the kilt should ever be lower than mid knee, but we're not talking traditional attire here. In this case, the proportions still look acceptable to my eye because the top of the hose/socks is lower. Check out these promo shots from 21st Century kilts:

[TheOfficialBren]

It's probably because you're expecting the kilt to sit at your jeans waist and not your true waist. The traditional Kilt is really meant to be worn much higher than jeans and your rise is probably correct. If you hem a kilt, the selvedge looks odd. THe correct way to lower the rise is from the top and this can be costly.

Steve Ashton (Wizard of BC here) owns Freedom Kilts. If you really want to wear your kilt on your hips rather than at your true waist, he can make you a kilt that is designed for just that.

Steve is pretty much the go-to guy for contemporary-styled kilts that balance tradition with modernity. They don't call him "The Wizard" for nothing!

[kiltedwolfman]

Here's a few pics from this past weekend in what some would consider ultra casual, especially since tartan is involved (Maple Leaf in PV ).
DSCF4216.jpgDSCF4218.jpg

It's very easy for people to attempt to impose thier personal sence of fashion on others. Often it's done very innocently with phrases such as "I think that such a such a style is slobbish" or " If you are going to be wearing the kilt you should be more respectful and wear it thusly." etc etc. The tough thing though is when we ascribe our personal sense of what makes or breaks the rules we inherently impose limitations on others who may not share our leanings. If I create my own method and thinking of proper dress I will undoubtedly start seeing people who don't do it my way as being wrong or at the least not as right as me. I've seen various ways of wearing the kilt and while many of them don't fit my personal model I would never be as arrogent as to paint them as wrong. Should someone ask me my oppinion then hell yeah they'll get it, but at the end I still won't tell them they are outright wrong for wearing their kilt their way.

[CMcG]

Here's some pics of the Tartan Army showing the lower kilt bottom combined with scrunched/rolled socks/hose and sneakers or boots. I wouldn't go past the bottom of the knee, because it starts to look "droopy." And if you are trying to dress sharp or traditional, then get the bottom of the kilt above mid knee and pull up your hose!

[adempsey10]

It does take a bit of getting used to wearing a traditional kilt at the natural waist, especially if you are used to wearing everything at the lower "jeans waist." If you tuck your shirt in, a nice wide belt helps to balance the look, but you can also cover it with a sweater or vest. If the kilt is really too long, hemming isn't as good as having it shortened from the top, but it can look just fine if it is done with a blind stitch.

On the other hand, if you are wearing your kilt with sneakers or boots and scrunched or rolled socks, then IMHO it looks OK to me to have the bottom of your kilt go as low as the bottom of the knee. I'll probably get flamed by some people for suggesting that the kilt should ever be lower than mid knee, but we're not talking traditional attire here. In this case, the proportions still look acceptable to my eye because the top of the hose/socks is lower. Check out these promo shots from 21st Century kilts:

I realize the kilt sits at the natural waist. What my issue is that my kilt is sitting almost up at my nipples in some cases because my drop is so short. I've got a short torso, unfortunately. I like the kilt sitting just about my belly button or even slightly lower, which still about two-three inches above where my pants sit.

[adempsey10]

It's probably because you're expecting the kilt to sit at your jeans waist and not your true waist. The traditional Kilt is really meant to be worn much higher than jeans and your rise is probably correct. If you hem a kilt, the selvedge looks odd. THe correct way to lower the rise is from the top and this can be costly.

Steve Ashton (Wizard of BC here) owns Freedom Kilts. If you really want to wear your kilt on your hips rather than at your true waist, he can make you a kilt that is designed for just that.

My PV kilts already have a blind stitch hem so I'm hoping that taking them up a few inches won't be too difficult. I've seen other threads on this site where people have done it and it looks good.
As I said to the other fella, my issue isn't with being used to jeans sitting at my hips. I like the kilt at my true waist but my drop is so short. 21.5" between belly button and buttom of my knee that a 24" kilt sits up almost to my nipples. I have an unusually short torso and long legs. It makes me a powerhouse when I'm riding a bicycle but hard to find a good fitting kilt without custom tailoring, which I can't afford right now.