Uneven lower kilt hem

[The Wizard of BC]

This problem of a hem that is lower in the front has plagued kilt wearers for a few years now.

It all stems from the idea that the kilt is not worn like pants. The top straps of all traditionally designed kilt is supposed to cinch into the natural or anatomical waist.
This is actually quite high on the body. Right up under the ribs.
All traditional kilts will also have more fabric above the top straps. This is called the 'rise'. The rise of the kilt goes up, over the ribs.

So a kilt made traditionally will fit well only when worn this way. The top edge of the kilt at the front will sit three or four finger widths below the bottom of the sternum or breastbone.

The problem comes in when today's guys, who have never worn anything up this high, try to wear a kilt lower like trousers.
The bottom of the 'Fell' (the part in the back that is tapered and sewn down) will drop below the crest of the hips and butt. This will often cause shower curtain folds in the back of the kilt.

But most noticeable will be that the front of the kilt wants to move down, lower than in the back. This causes large puckering of the front apron and the hem is now lower in the front than in the back.

Here is an illustration of what I am talking about.
The top black strap is at Full Rise. The center strap is at Mid Rise. The lower strap is at Low Rise.
At Full Rise the top of the kilt is horizontal.



You can see in this picture taken from the side that as the kilt is worn lower the front begins to drop down further than the back.




If a guy wants to wear his kilt lower than it was designed to be worn a few things must be done. But they are done from the top down not from the hem up.

The first thing you need to check is if the kilt is the correct length. I don't mean total length. I mean from the very top of the kilt down to the bottom of the Fell.
You look at the back. The bottom of where the pleats are sewn down should be at the bottom of the crest of the hips and butt.
You can find the point easily. It happens to be just about the same place as the hip joint.
Have the person put the kilt on and adjust the waist up and down until the bottom of the Fell is at the crest of the hips.
Have the person lift one leg. Find the hip joint with your hand and see if the bottom of the Fell is no lower than this point.
It can be an inch higher but no lower.

If the hem is now at the top of the knee cap the kilt is the correct length.

Then get some sort belt or strap. without moving or adjusting the kilt put the strap around the kilt where the person wishes to wear the waistband. You don't look at the top edge of the kilt. for this you are looking at where the top straps are.

Mark the kilt with chalk at the top of the strap.

Now lay the kilt out on a table. (You will notice that the kilt will not lay flat. If you make the Fell lay flat the pleats will splay out. If you want to make the pleats lay flat and parallell you have to lift the Fell up.)

This is where you would have to cut the kllt to make it fit the new waist position.