Resizing a Kilt?

[WalesLax]

I have been perusing eBay and some other outlets where I've found some potentially good deals, but I guess I am either a popular size or an unpopular one, and wanted to get advice from anyone on here who has re-sized a kilt.

Does re-sizing generally work? I could see some potential issues.
How far could one go? Could I make a 34-36 fit my ~38 waist? Could I drop a 42-44 down to ~38?
Any advice helps. I am interested in experiences of people who have done it or had it done for them.


Thanks all,

Rob

[The Wizard of BC]

OK, first the good news. Re-sizing a kilt can be done and done successfully.

But here is the catch.

NEVER! EVER! Buy a kilt that is too small, hoping to make it bigger.

If you can't find one in your size, and all that is wrong with it is the waist is too big, any kiltmaker can move the straps and buckles to make it smaller.

But and here is a very important but. The kilt should also be the correct length. If it is too long, pass it by. If it is too short, pass it by.
And if the kilt is designed to be a traditional kilt do not hope to wear it lower than it was designed to be worn.

A kilt may sometimes be hemmed but that is not where you are going to run into problems. With a kilt that is designed to be worn way up at the ribcage the Fell area will also be long. If you just wear it lower you will get shower curtain waves in the rear from the bottom of the Fell being too low.

So, yes, a kilt may be taken in at the waist but it cannot be let out nor can the length be altered too much.

You are actually far better having a little patience and finding one that fits.

I know and understand the problem. There are thousands of Tartans and literally thousands of possible sizes. Finding just the right one would be a stoke of very, very good luck. But it has happened before and will happen again. Someone actually does win the lottery.

[Benning Boy]

You could easily make a smaller kilt work just by the use of strap extenders, or whatever they're called. They're just straps that strap onto the straps and make them effectively longer. You should be able to find them through any X Marks advertiser. You might try Highland Express. I have it on good authority that quite a few sellers of kilt straps and buckles actually get them through Highland Express, even very big names in the kilt world. I use extender straps on a couple of my kilts. The straps help keep me motivated as I lose weight. I'm looking forward to the day when I can "throw away the crutches."

A larger kilt could be tightened up by moving the buckle(s) on the right side and the strap on the left side. Barb Tewksbury has related here and elsewhere just how great a change can be made doing this. Consult the Professional Kilt Makers forum here. Scroll back through the contents.

[Norbo]

This is something I have also asked as I seea lot that are to small . Having had a look at quight a few I fined that making big er can be done if they have folds at ether side of the kilt but most do not and if they do they are quight small/

However I have made big kilts small many times and have 4 kilts now that were a lot bigger and now fit .I simply move the straps and buckles and wrap them round more . I'm not saying they are perfect as the pleats fold under the front apran . But I don't see a problem with this and they retain the weight ,I didn't want to start cutting bits of.

[GrainReaper]

I have successfully moved the buckles and strap in on two kilts with great success, what started out too big on me now fits perfectly and took an honest 20 minutes with a needle and thread.

I second finding one the right length, I have one that was too long, you just might die of old age before you get it properly hemmed and pressed

[Calgacus]

Listen to Steve, what he says is very true.

I have a kilt which I have worn for over 25 years. When I first got it, it was if anything a little too big in the waist for me, so the buckles were moved to suit. Some of the pleats lay under the front apron, but that looked ok. I think you can get away with making a kilt roughly 3" to 4" smaller than its intended size.

As I got older, I had to move the buckles 2", which made the kilt if anything a better fit, as it was closer to the intended size. As I got older again, I moved the buckles once more by 2". Now, the kilt is at the point where the outer apron does not quite cover all that it should. I wear the kilt when hiking, but I wouldn't wear it to any sort of formal or evening event as I do not think it now looks good enough due to the slight 'gap' where the apron does not quite meet the pleats. Furthermore, my waist got a bit bigger but my hips did not, so the kilt no longer fits quite right at the hips. This means that it tends to sag a little at the back.

In short, I think you can take a kilt in by 3"-4", or let it out by 1" from its intended size range before compromises start to be made. I personally don't think it's worthwhile buying any kilt that's not the correct length to begin with.

By 'intended size range', I mean the size the kilt was designed to be, including the range of adjustment afforded by the straps. So, 'going beyond the intended size range' involves moving the buckles.

Just my experience.

[Pleater]

Those folds at the edges of the aprons are there to open up as you move, climb stairs, sit down, rather than the aprons being pulled aside - not as sources of extra material.

It might seem strange that a garment with so much fabric in it can be unable to go all the way around the wearer, but by folding and sewing all that fabric is shrunk down to quite a small width.

I'd advise waiting and watching for a kilt which is your size or slightly bigger, but the correct length - unless you plan to cut the carbs and reduce your waist size - though I found that so effective that my waist size was reducing faster than I could sew new garments.

A kilt has so much tailoring, reinforcing, shaping that you need to get a good fit rather than trying to create one.

If considering a slightly larger kilt if you can find one which is pleated to the stripe rather than to the sett it is going to be aa better buy.

Kilts pleated to the sett have the same element of the sett centered front and back - or they ought to have. By making them smaller the both centres are moved to the right, making it impossible to align them. With a pleated to the stripe kilt the problem is not seen.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: