Kilt Lengths in Gathering Photos

[SteveB]

Camera Angle has a lot to do with some of the appearances.


This picture was taken by my tutor while he is standing. This kilt is made to be at the top of my knee, but looks lower due to picture angle. If the photographer had squatted down for a "belt buckle" shot, my kilt would be at the same point as Skauwt.


This image is taken by a photographer that is below me on a slope in my back garden. Kilt has landed about mid knee. My early stages of great kilt assemblage. It is now adjusted a little higher.


Here there is a lot of variety in where the kilt lands!


This is my "off the peg" Stillwater. With proper fastening of the belt, I can stay between top and mid knee.

[Am Bàrd]

My personal preference is mid-lower knee, probably covering the knee (just barely).

Interestingly enough, the 'What would the Victorians think?' thread has some kilts riding at this length midway through Page 2 (http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/w...49/index2.html)

Of course I'm not so much a modernist anyway - I'd wager the kilt has covered and uncovered many knees in it's time.

[Santa Wally]

I've seen a guy wearing ... a plaid on "the wrong shoulder" However - he probably thinks "it's ok... it'll do" or had simply looked at a reversed or mirror-taken picture to guide him!

Yes, that's what happened to me. My first photo with a plaid, taken on National Tartan Day '09, after having a kilt for only a month, my plaid was on the wrong shoulder. I put it on while looking in the mirror and it looked right according to the photos I'd seen. DUH, the mirror isn't the way it will look to others or in the photo. That's why in my avatar photo, the plaid is on the wrong shoulder. I'll post a new avatar after I receive my Clan Claus (Claus of the North Pole) kilt.

[Strings]

Honestly, I base my prefered length on the time of year. My first traditional kilt is a Macleod the comes to bottom of/just below the knee, and is what I like mid winter. Reason? Since I'm a smoker, and end up banished to the outdoors to indulge, the extra length allows me to kneel and "seal off" my legs from the wind...

[Larry124]

Honestly, I base my prefered length on the time of year. My first traditional kilt is a Macleod the comes to bottom of/just below the knee, and is what I like mid winter. Reason? Since I'm a smoker, and end up banished to the outdoors to indulge, the extra length allows me to kneel and "seal off" my legs from the wind...

My aunt lives in Wisconsin, and even though she was a Woman USMC in WWII, I think that she would agree with you about mid-winter Wisconsin. You do what you have to do.

[Larry124]

I agree and offer these possible reasons:

• Camera angle.
• Rides down with wear.
• Mis-fit – Off the rack “standard” kilt length or err-on-the-side-of-long measurement.
• Reluctance to wear the waist high enough.
• Phobia about the kilt being too short.

[Bruno]

I remember talking to an old lady in the 1980's and she is dead now (obviously) She had stacks of old family pictures from before Victorian times.

I noted that many of the really old pictures showed kilts at about mid thigh believe it or not and I commented on it being short. She informed me that in those days the kilts were worn at that length and that the modern fashion of nearly touching the knee would be considered as odd.

Therefore it seems the kilt like everything goes through phases and fashions. Apparently it was the Victorians who lengthened the hem near the knee and it used to be more like a longish mini skirt in length. Glad I did not wear one then. I like mine about a inch above the knee personally not about 7.

[Carolina Kiltman]

It was "Scotty" Thompson in his book that called a too long kilt "trollopy"

My waist is still, after many decades still smaller than my hips, so that is not a problem if the kilt is of the proper fit to start with.

For those with slippage problems, I strongly recommend braces (suspenders to the Yanks) as a valid means of keeping the kilt at the proper length. I strongly recommend sewing on buttons for attachment, as clips can damage the fabric, over time.

[Sammac]

I wear my kilts at the top of the knee, but like others after walking around a bit it tends to slide down. My way of checking the height is to slide my index finger in the front of my kilt and with the tip of my finger at the top of my belly button my kilt should be at the 2nd knuckle to be the right height. A little tug usually sets things right.

[Jock Scot]

It was "Scotty" Thompson in his book that called a too long kilt "trollopy"

My waist is still, after many decades still smaller than my hips, so that is not a problem if the kilt is of the proper fit to start with.

For those with slippage problems, I strongly recommend braces (suspenders to the Yanks) as a valid means of keeping the kilt at the proper length. I strongly recommend sewing on buttons for attachment, as clips can damage the fabric, over time.

It may well have been "Scotty" Thompson who introduced the description of the kilt being worn too long as "trollopy ,to the world, but it is an oft used description here in the Highlands for the same thing. As far as I know, we have always used that description, well for the last 69 years anyway!