gut bigger than hips.

[HarveyH]

I live with the gut bigger than hips problem and recognize many of the things people have said. I always wear my kilt on true waist, which is quite high by modern trouser standards, but that way the kilt happily stays up.

There is a strain on the buckles and straps but my kiltmaker used extra strong threads and put some additional support into the inside to avoid any damage to the cloth. He has also started to use his own hand spun linen thread for additional strength in attaching the straps.

I do tend to prefer a waistcoat with the kilt, that gives me quite a "trad" look but in the heat I think twice about it. When I am wearing a belt, although I don't particularly like them, I do use belt loops on the kilt which help prevent slippage. I do have some sporran hangers and they do stop the problem of the sporran dropping in below the gut, but they have a habit of pulling the belt down, also you can't sweep the sporran to the side when at table or dancing.

These are all compromises one way and another but I accept that I'm a big bloke and have to live with it.

[KiltFitz]

I am fat. There, I said it. My heavyweight kilt is worn an inch above my navel and is easily the garment with the most 'slimming' effect that I have.
I know this from the criticism that some of the more forthright people in my life offer. When talking about a suit that I have outgrown a little or an old pair of jeans they will talk about how fat it makes me look but the closest I have had in relation to my kilt was a compliment about how 'big' I look in it and how much they thought the kilt suits 'big' men.

Although my gut hangs over my waist a bit, The kilt goes round at the largest point of my belly and hangs straight down. I use a leather sporran strap mainly which helps a bit but the main thing to remember is that pulling anything too tight such as a belt or strap will not pull your gut in but just strangle it and cause any fat to hang over or engulf it with the kilt being drawn in and pulled out of shape. Tartan being such a precise pattern, it is very noticeable when anything pulls the lines of the sett askew. Basically, as soon as I came to terms with the fact that there is no kind of belt or strap or anything else which will make me look slim, I could relax and stop adjusting myself every two minutes by pulling this down and that up and the other out. It really boosted my confidence.

I would completely agree with Dale about bespoke however. Off the peg items generally conform to an industry standard of what the average shape is. This is fine at around medium size but is not scaleable above xl in my opinion. If there is an average shape for fat men, it's not what you normally find clothing manufacturers offering and kilts are no exception to this. Any time I have bought anything standard in my size, I have had to spend a sizeable proportion again on alterations. When I bought my kilt it was made to measure and although it's the most I've ever spent on an item of clothing, it's easily the best value purchase I ever made.

[FinleyJackson]

My husband is overweight and I talked him into a kilt as I feel that larger men might look sexier in a kilt than smaller men do. I feel it is flattering to the shape!! I am so glad my husband now wears his kilt a lot more places than he thought he would given how comfortable it is.

[andycwb]

Off the peg items generally conform to an industry standard of what the average shape is. This is fine at around medium size but is not scaleable above xl in my opinion.

I can confirm this; my business suit jacket from a specialist for the larger gentlemen is two sizes smaller than what fits from a mainstream retailer - and a far better fit.