Too short?

**Jerry** · 21st January 06, 10:33 AM

Just received my new black wool kilt from Kiltstore. It seems to be too short to me. My wife made the measurements, using their instructions:

Kilt Length:
From the top of the hip to the top of the knee cap: The Fashion Kilt sits on (or perhaps just very slightly above) the normal trousers waistline.

Worn just below the navel, the kilt hits about one inch above my knee. This is my first solid colored kilt, but all of my tatran kilts hit at about mid kneecap.

**Blu (Ontario)** · 21st January 06, 11:14 AM

I suppose you could just let it sit an inch lower on the hips. By my way of thinking, a bit short is better than too long!

(I was thinking about getting one of those kilts a while back but the funds always had other places to go.)

.

**cessna152towser** · 21st January 06, 11:21 AM

My Black Watch kilt was originally 24" length and worn for formal wear but the selvedging frayed over the years and when I got it back from repair I found that the tailor had shortened it to 22" and put a hem on it. I nearly handed it in to a thrift shop but decided to give it a repreive and I can still wear it as a casual kilt, worn low at the waist and supported by a trouser belt, in which case the hemline hits to the middle of the kneecap.

**NewKilt** · 21st January 06, 11:55 AM

Matthew Newsome discusses kilt length in his article for first time kilt wearers over at the Scottish Tartan Museum. He states that "Acceptable kilt lenght is anywhere from the middle of the knee cap to an inch or so above the knee.

So I would interpret your kilt lenght as being OK as long as you as satisfied with wearing it slightly below your naval. On the other hand if you like your kilts to be at mid-knee, then it's shorter than what you prefer.

I prefer mine to hit at the top of the knee or just slightly below the top of the knee. It's a matter of personal preference.

Darrell

**GlassMan** · 21st January 06, 12:39 PM

I like mine right at the top of the knee. Do you have a pic of what you look like in it?

**KiltedCodeWarrior** · 21st January 06, 02:40 PM

Great idea Phil. Post a pic Jerry. Let us give you our unbiased opinion. I personally like to wear mine so that the bottom of the kilt is right at the top of the knee or slightly below.

**Blu (Ontario)** · 21st January 06, 05:39 PM

The traditional Kiltmaker that made my first kilt insisted that the correct length was to the middle of the kneecap. My subsequent kilts were made to fall to the top of the knee and I believe they look better.

**michael steinrok** · 21st January 06, 07:03 PM

Jerry wear do like the kilt level at. If you don't like it , why put up with it?

**Riverkilt** · 21st January 06, 11:25 PM

Take a look at some of the old paintings of kilted Scots...it might look a bit long compared to them.

I like my kilts at the top of my knee or higher...though it is taking me some time to get used to the bare leg look when I sit...wouldn't think twice about it in shorts...weird...relative thing I guess.

Your kilt, your body, follow your heart.

Ron