How to measure myself for a kilt; suck in stomach or no?

[User]

Almost every source I've read says to keep your stomach natural when measuring yourself for a kilt. Don't suck it in, don't push it out.

But in this video by kiltmaker Robert MacDonald, he says:

Now what I'm going to do is I'm going to ask him to suck in as hard as he EVER CAN, and then I mark it with chalk.

https://youtu.be/da5wOJViszQ?t=82

Later he says:

We ask the gentleman to suck in as hard as ever again, and then we do it up.
...
I'm doing it a little tighter than is possibly comfortable. But, over time with a finished garment, when he's wearing this, the kilt is going to shape itself to him because we've tailored it to be a section of a cone. As he wears this kilt it's actually going to get more comfortable as the kilt shapes itself to him, and to that end this very tight strap is not going to be uncomfortable in the future because it's going to shape itself.

https://youtu.be/da5wOJViszQ?t=265

It looks like he's setting the smallest size, with the buckles allowing for growth only.
Conceptually, that seems fine. I don't expect to lose weight over time, only to maintain or gain it.
But I've never seen anyone measure for a kilt like that.
I'd like some opinions on it.
Is that style of measuring only for completely bespoke designs, or would it still be good for more off-the-rack kilts that only use a natural waist and hip measurement without a custom fitting?

I have about a 3 inch difference between sucking in and not. That gives me pause when considering how I should be measuring myself for a kilt.

[Pleater]

Almost every source I've read says to keep your stomach natural when measuring yourself for a kilt. Don't suck it in, don't push it out.

But in this video by kiltmaker Robert MacDonald, he says:



Later he says:


It looks like he's setting the smallest size, with the buckles allowing for growth only.
Conceptually, that seems fine. I don't expect to lose weight over time, only to maintain or gain it.
But I've never seen anyone measure for a kilt like that.
I'd like some opinions on it.
Is that style of measuring only for completely bespoke designs, or would it still be good for more off-the-rack kilts that only use a natural waist and hip measurement without a custom fitting?

I have about a 3 inch difference between sucking in and not. That gives me pause when considering how I should be measuring myself for a kilt.

I suggest you take a fairly narrow belt and put it around your waist - the natural waistline, not the lower level where trousers finish these days, pull it to the tightest you feel comfortable and leave it for a while.
Check to see if it is sitting level front to back - you'll probably need a long mirror or other reflective surface, or a second person. If the front is rising up the belt is probably too tight. If pushing the front down is uncomfortable that circumference, plus the weight of the kilt is going to make wearing it a bit miserable.

You might try tightening or loosening the belt to find a point where it is comfortable to wear for long periods but not going to move down over time. That should be your waist measurement - with any luck.
I make my kilts to be comfortable in the middle hole of the straps with two holes of adjustment either way.

Anne the Pleater

[OC Richard]

Sucking in the stomach might be just the thing.

Because nearly every kilt I've ordered from Scotland has come around 2 inches too big.

Not with American makers, who have made the size I ordered.

But I'm afraid to order a kilt 2 inches too small, because they might actually make it to size!

(Not just kilts actually, because I ordered a jacket a while back and they made it 4 inches too big in the chest and 9 inches too big in the waist, and too long to boot.)

[CBH]

After wearing pants for over half a century, my beer belly has developed completely above my pants waist line.

In order to keep it there instead of heading further down, I also wear my kilts at the pants waist. You'll probably see many posts accusing me of being a heretic after admitting this.

It alleviates your problem, but I can't say its a perfect solution.

I had a couple of kilts made in Pakistan first. I did not know to specify the waist location, but they fit great, although admittedly on the large side. All of them have to be worn in nearly the tightest strap position.

Then I splurged on a wool kilt made in America. I had a very detailed conversation when ordering it, about the fact that I wanted it fitted to my pants waist instead of the traditional location that's much higher. They agreed to do it. But I made the mistake of telling them my waist and hips were the same, but later realized I had give a hips measurement 2" larger for the Pakistani tailors.

So unfortunately, whether that's my fault or not, the American wool kilt is tight. It is not comfortable, and the straps are already in the loosest position.

The 2" difference should not matter, in my opinion. And I verified the pleats start to open at least 2 inches higher on the American kilt, so it was made differently. Yet it still feels much tighter.

The Pakistani kilts are pleated for roughly 2/3 of the total diameter, whereas the American kilt is only about 1/3 pleats, and thus 2/3 apron. I believe this is the key source of the comfort of the kilts with more pleating. I have noticed in many photos that there is so little pleating the straps are on the back of the kilt. This seems very undesirable IMHO.

That's my limited experience............hope it helps.

[User]

...
So unfortunately, whether that's my fault or not, the American wool kilt is tight. It is not comfortable, and the straps are already in the loosest position.
...

Thank you for sharing your experiences, and I'm sorry to hear your kilt doesn't fit comfortably. Have you tried a kilt extension strap? With any luck, it can give you the extra width you need to feel comfortable.
I'm sure they're available at a lot of stores, but here's one I found after a quick search:
https://www.usakilts.com/accessories...on-straps.html