Quote Originally Posted by cloves View Post
should a trad kilt be? I don't want to fudge my measurements.
Is is for a man for a woman? Is this a contemporary traditional (in contrast to casual or tartan skirt) or a regimental pattern?
A man's regimental pattern (ceremonial) kilt should fit very very snug. To strap it on one must suck in one's gut and pull tight. It has been argued in the past even that one could not get a kilt snug enough with straps (why some die-hards continued to use pins). So snug that any underwear more substantial than a mini/micro (which while quite common today I think they appeared first in late 1960s and became mainstream in the 1970s) won't work. How's that for snug!
I've got three kilts I wear just below the navel and they fit pretty good, and I have a made to measure kilt on the way that will sit at the navel.
That's about right for women's skirts. At the naval they should, I think, not be overly snug so let some weight hang on the hips. Women tend to have a lot of taper (pear shape). If the kilt, however, is for dancing it'll need be a bit firmer.
My measurments I gave my kilt maker wern't far from my off the rack models so I'll prolly be fine there too.
The pattern and style define the how a kilt maker will interpret the measurements to produce a correctly fitting garment. The same waist and breech measurements can produce a hanging on the hips casual garment or a corset. You don't want to fudge the measurements (unless you really know what you are doing) as the tailor shall be interpreting them according to their own experience.