Help for a kilted skirt for a bigger woman

[Patty Logan]

Hi there lady’s and other serial kilter’s!

Im trying/looking to get a kilted skirt for my GF so she could accompany me to parades and other Scottish/Irish events for my clan.(I am the the Logan clan representative of Ontario, Canada after all!)

My question is: my GF is a a bigger person with body/self-image issues, but likes the idea of geting a kilted skirt. What kind of kilt do I get? One for casual events like a mini/mens style kilt and one for black tie events like a kilted hostess skirt or do I get a one size fits all skirt?

For all you bigger women what do you think? How do I make it look good?
(Photos down below are for reference)

[Father Bill]

Longer is slimming.

[Pleater]

Kilts tend to reference the style values of an older time, and so an adult woman would not wear a short skirt.
When I think of a properly dressed woman from my youth they would be wearing a skirt with the hem below the knee - probably 27 inches as that is half the width of the wool fabric.
I went out this afternoon on a fine spring day in a kilt - just checked, it is 26 inches long - but at 5ft 4inches tall I am not very tall.
In my experience, a proper kilt - as in good quality wool and an actual tartan, is made with the right apron beneath the left, like a man's, though it might be a lighter weight fabric, longer and correctly shaped - it might even have an additional inbuilt petticoat or under apron for modesty. The maker would consider it a kilt rather than an ordinary skirt, and should observe the usual rules of pleating according to the set rather than randomly measuring out a series of folds using the minimum of fabric.

Anne the Pleater

[DunRovinStation]

Also curvy, and older.
also 5'4" tall
My pleated kilt is 26 inches long and falls just below the knee and above the top of the calf muscle.
My Tartan skirt hits mid calf and it a more straight style without being a tight pencil skirt. This can be dress up or down, white blouse and heels and shawl or sash takes it up, t and sneakers takes it down.

[Todd Bradshaw]

My wife generally makes her tartan skirts and dresses long, but though some have pleats they aren't really kilt-style pleats, which among other things would add an awful lot of weight to the garments. Even so, when we attend a function, I can be pretty sure that I'm with one of the best dressed ladies in attendance.

If these don't show, you can also find them here:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/f7y1q...t4lede3n2ljein

[Pleater]

Some of my kilts are quite heavy, around 4lb of fabric is not unusual. Add in an underskirt, leather strap and showy metal buckle, reinforcement at the waist and easily 5lb, yet once on it really is not all that noticeable.

Anne the Pleater

[DunRovinStation]

One thing I would avoid is a gathered skirt. Pleated is ok, gathered is not so great.
Those make you look larger.

[Riverkilt]

I would suggest you check my kiltmaker's website. She makes tartan skirts as well as kilts. Kathy Lare in Albuquerque, NM Kathy's Kilts. Not saying to buy one, just saying to check out the options for ladies. I've seen her work in that area and it's top quality.

[YOJiMBO20]

In a similar vein as Riverkilt, I’d recommend my pipe band’s kilt maker (mykiltmaker.com). She has a few kilted skirt options.

And I’d make sure whatever you get, make sure to get your GF’s opinion before making any purchases.

[Lady Grey]

Oohhh…. My kind of question!

A) Get her a Kilt.
End of story - forget about terms like ‘ladies kilted skirt’ ‘pleated tartan skirt’ etc etc (except’Hostess’ that’s floor length)
So closes on the right and all the other things usually found in a Kilt that you wear.

B) What is important is length.
Is she over 5’6”? - then she will look ok in any length
On the short side? Then knee or just above the knee looks better
BUT length can depend on footwear as well.
If she’s a boots/Doc Marten kinda girl I think a shorter length is better.
If she’s a flats, court shoe kinda girl then mid calf is nicer
But that depends on her height as well.

C) Things that can be changed
Rise- the traditional 2-3inch rise isn’t terribly comfortable for women
I have 1 kilt with a 1 inch rise, all the rest have no rise but do sit at my waist.
Belt loops- she may not need or want them.
Number of buckles- often we women don’t tuck our tops in… and you get funny bumps sticking out if the buckle and strap are in traditional positions.

Tops.
That’s important to the overall look and length that she chooses.
I’m busty like her, I look shocking in traditional button up shirts with a kilt.
But a singlet top and cropped jacket looks great, I also wear loose dressy T-shirts,
(Gasp… I even add shoulder pads to balance things out)
But I’m tall and wear my kilts long generally.
Or a mini kilt with leggings underneath

So there you go
Confused??