Beer Gut + Traditional Kilt = Barrel? Help!

[ccga3359]

I'd second this. A few weeks ago I stopped wearing the belt with my kilt and started using braces (as we call them here), and the comfort improvement was extraordinary. I wish I'd thought of it years ago!

The next question is what to wear to cover the gut and braces... waistcoats, v-necked sweaters, fleeces and sweatshirts all come to mind.

Cheers, Graham.

My question to those that wear them, do you sew buttons on the inside for button on or do you use the clip on style of braces/suspenders? For those clip ons isn't ther a good chance of damagaing the wool?

[ForresterModern]

I too have the problem of not a lot of difference between my waist and hips making the trick of keeping the kilt up difficult, not to mention the belt. I wear a belt and use sporran hangers, as a chain really gets under the gut, and the sporran hangers tend to pull down on the belt making the whole thing want to submerge itself below my gut. My solution== suspenders, or braces as they are called in the UK. And yes, I often wear both together. Other solutions that have been mentioned are using a rubberized belt underneath your kilt to act as grippers to both the kilt and the shirt underneath, holding the kilt up as long as your shirt can stand the weight. The same thing can be done with the underside of your belt, and this would help the kilt grippers do their job. I personally have not tried this solution but may in the near future, as my kilt collection enlarges I am not wont to enlarge my suspender collection at the same time.
Good luck with that. And I think you ought to consider joining the social group "Gentlemen of Substance".

[Big Mikey]

The following is a link to a thread about this very thing. A few posts down you will find a "visual aid" of yours truly showing the difference between jeans waist and traditional height.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/j...x.html?t=45963

IMHO, a G of S looks mighty fine wearing the kilt at trad height.

[stvlange]

The following is a link to a thread about this very thing. A few posts down you will find a "visual aid" of yours truly showing the difference between jeans waist and traditional height.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/j...x.html?t=45963

IMHO, a G of S looks mighty fine wearing the kilt at trad height.

Mikey your photos helped a ton!!!!! I still think I need to get one size down but seeing that height really helps!

[McNulty]

Steve
I like to wear my kilts up high. I'm usually at least three to four fingers above my navel. I take a 46 and wear it high. The belt is more decoration. All of my kilts are at 22 length because of my fireplug figure. Find the spot that's right for you, but remember to pull it up some.


Nulty

[stvlange]

Thanks guys! I guess its just something that I need to get used to (and my wife used to) more than anything else. Part of the problem right now is that the 50" I bought is just too big.

I am going to exchange for a 48" and hope its tight enough, as I understand it the belt is merely decorative.

[ccga3359]

The belt shouldn't be considered decorative as much as part of the kilt, although yes a quality kilt should hold itself up. It depends on where you hold the extra weight, if it's mostly lower down the kilt may tend to migrate up not down. Much as I like SWK they tend to be cut for some with no hips. Wear your Stillwater and enjoy but treat yourself to bespoke kilt next time a USA Kilt or Canadian Casual Kilt in a quality PV is surprisingly not that much more than a wool SWK, and it's made for you in your size.

[The Wizard of BC]

I hope I can help a little with this problem.

I don't do a "Beer Gut Cut" as that is a technique used by the Utilikilts Co. What I do is slope the waistband of each and every Kilt I make.To understand what Slope is look at yourself in a mirror while wearing jeans. Stand sideways and you will see the waistband is lower in the front than it is in the back. This is Slope. Everyone has Slope and the lower you wear the waistband of your clothes is the more Slope will be appearant.
Slope is also be greater the more of a belly you have.

Now, here is how I am now trying to get "Gentlemen of Substance" to measure for their Kilts.

FORGET using the naval or any other reference in the front of your body. Use where the waistband would fit at your back.

Here is my description;

Spread the fingers of your hand and reach around placing your hand on your back with your fingertips on your spine and your thumb just under your ribs. Just under your hand you will find your "Love Handles". Just above them you will find an indentation that is about at the level of your Kidneys. If you bend from side to side you will feel your thumb go into an indentation at your side just below your ribs. This is your Natural Waist. It is where the top Straps of a Traditional Kilt will cinch into.

Now take a belt. Any sort of belt will do as long as it will go around you at the level of your Natural Waist. Place the belt at the place your hand was and tighten it till it is snug but not overly tight. Then move around a little. Bend and sit. The belt will find its own natural place to sit in the front but stay tucked into the Natural Waist.

This is where a Traditional Style Kilt should be measured at. Depending on your individual shape the belt may end up at your Navel, as much as three or four inches above your Naval or almost anywhere. Don't worry about it. If the belt settles into a place where it naturally wants to sit then that is also where a Kilt will naturally sit.

[ccga3359]

I don't do a "Beer Gut Cut" as that is a technique used by the Utilikilts Co.

My apologies Steve, and to think you've corrected me on this before. My mind is slipping as my age progresses, something you know all about... or do you?

[The Wizard of BC]

They say that the first thing to go with age is memory.

I can't remember what the second thing is.