The Black Watch duty uniform

[Pleater]

If you are ever going to be wearing your kilt out in the rain, and do not have a long enough cape or Inverness coat to stop the lower edge getting wet, you don't want it to be long enough to catch in the back of your knee or it will make the skin really raw really quickly.

[TheSp8]

I prefer top of the knee but the Goodwife prefers I wear them at mid-knee. There was a guy playing the pipes in the St Patrick's day parade last year that had a kilt a good hands breadth above his knee. His looked too short.

YMOS,
Tony

[SteveB]

Another vote for the top of the knee. Maybe we should start an X-Marks poll...
I prefer mine at the top of the knee, but have one that is almost to the middle of the knee. I am tall, so I have more room to play with for the proportions to look right.
--- Steve

[thescot]

I wouldn't have a kilt lower that the top of the knee cap. Shorter is even better as it's more comfortable.

[Riverkilt]

Aye, above the top of the knee for sure. Lower and the back of the kilt will slap away at your popliteal fossa and be irritating (at least for me), and over long hikes or strolls through the mall the kilt edge can start beating up your skin there and causing soreness.

Ron

[Highland Logan]

According to Thompson, and others, the length should be the top of the knee, to no more than an inch higher. And I suppose where this is in the traditional threads, how one wears anything other than a traditional is irrelevant. I am surprised sometimes with all of the former military personal on this board, there seems to be a culture of "I like it like this", rather than "the correct way to wear it is". When wearing a proper traditional kilt, there are rules on how it is to be worn, no different than your Drill Sgt. ensuring that your dress uniform is on correctly. I Think it's safe to say that when most of the people here see the kids nowadays with their pants down around their ****, we think they give all kids a bad name. Well it's the same with someone who "chooses" to wear the kilt incorrectly. Others see this and guilt by association... unless of course they have already seen someone wear it correctly. This was not meant to offend, just a strong stance on proper dress.

Frank

[Riverkilt]

Hmmmm, best of luck to you finding a common opinion on the correct way to wear the kilt.

Not even sure there's a Gaelic word for "to be agreeable." A pretty independent lot borne of tribes that didn't much agree with their neighboring tribes/clans.

Sorta like there's no word for "I'm sorry" or "I apologize" in the Navajo language.

We have a thread going now about two straps or three straps...

I do so love the freedom, if not the utter anarchy, of kilt wearing.

Ron

[Highland Logan]

That seems to be part of the problem; opinion. There are guidelines on how to properly size and wear a proper traditional kilt. This makes opinions irrelevant. I want to wear white socks with black shoes and a black suit (I don't really want to, it's to illustrate a point). Is this right? No it's not, regardless of my opinion.

Frank

[arrogcow]

Regulations for military uniforms don't apply to civilians. You don't see many people getting upset about guys on the street not having their shoes spit shined or their cammo pants properly bloused.

Same thing, military uniform kilts have regs, a civilian has a little latitude.

As for Thompson's authority. He also says to wear a belt with a vest, but popular consensus here is that you shouldn't.

Adam

[Monkey@Arms]

I was looking at the Osprey Men at Arms Series “The Black Watch” and I see that all the kilts pictured are above the kneecap or right at the top of the knee. Now is this because their kilt is a military uniform and would I be period correct if I were to wear my kilt that high? I know not to wear my kilt below the knee, but just how high can you go before you would be accused of wearing a mini-skirt.

According to Thompson, and others, the length should be the top of the knee, to no more than an inch higher. And I suppose where this is in the traditional threads, how one wears anything other than a traditional is irrelevant. I am surprised sometimes with all of the former military personal on this board, there seems to be a culture of "I like it like this", rather than "the correct way to wear it is". When wearing a proper traditional kilt, there are rules on how it is to be worn, no different than your Drill Sgt. ensuring that your dress uniform is on correctly. I Think it's safe to say that when most of the people here see the kids nowadays with their pants down around their ****, we think they give all kids a bad name. Well it's the same with someone who "chooses" to wear the kilt incorrectly. Others see this and guilt by association... unless of course they have already seen someone wear it correctly. This was not meant to offend, just a strong stance on proper dress.

Frank

There appears to be two issues here. The original poster R785 asked a question about period military uniforms, and many of the answers given were about current norms.

As we know, there are many opinions as to current styles, but none answer the original question as to whether there was a regulation military length at the time depicted in the referenced picture. (That may because the OP neglected to reference the period he is inquiring about, or ask for supporting evidence.)

The second issue raised by HL is whether this a single "correct way" to wear the "traditional kilt." That is actually an entirely different question than the question raised by the OP. Further, HL's post blurs the distinctions between military uniform dress, and civilians. Certainly the Drill Sergeant is within his authority in enforcing uniform regulations. Outside the military setting (or pipe bands) it's in fact all a matter of opinion and fashion - and fashions do in fact change over time.

Best regards,

Jake

PS. We who are sworn members of the Kilt Police frown on those without badge from impersonating an officer.