First kilt. High on the waist?

[rlloyd]

This all reminds me of a post I made sometime back. In a poll topic about where you let the bottom edge of your kilt fall, I was rather curious as to how the various answers (above the knee, mid-knee, below the knee) related to people's ages.

[Tobus]

Lastly, I weighed in. Guess I've lost about 10 pounds since I got the kilt made for me. It is at its tightest settings. Had to pull it up a bit. If it sits naturally, it would drop about 1/4 inch. Not a bad feel when it does, but I think it's eclipsing the knees then. Didn't want to take the belt route, so maybe I'll just eat and drink it up for a few weeks to fill it back in!!

Based on your latest pics, I still think the kilt needs to come up a little bit. The buckle is still sitting below your natural waist. And the tops of your kneecaps are still covered by the kilt's selvedge. I'd take it up another inch or so.

Now, I do understand about the weight loss making it impossible to cinch it tight and keep it up at your natural waist. I have wrestled with that issue myself. A kilt belt can help here, even though that's not really its intended purpose. The kilt buckles are supposed to keep it snug without any help. But when you need a little assistance, a kilt belt can help. And as others have said, it will break up the visual line and make you look like you're not wearing the kilt as high.

Nice Danzig shirt, by the way...

[unclevenus]

So one other thing to entertain, but wanted your opinion on it. I am at my typical weight now. The straps/buckles are tight as they can go, but I there is extra room for another hole to be punched. Since the kilt is brand new, I'm kind of against it at the moment (maybe when I've had it a while). Would rather try a belt in the meanwhile. Has anyone else punched a hole or are there any problems you can run into doing that (stressing the leather?)?

Tobus, good catch on the shirt. Haha!

[Tobus]

If there's room to punch another hole, there shouldn't be any problems in doing so. It won't stress the leather or ruin anything. It's the best solution, actually!

[sailortats]

I had to punch a hole in the strap on my first kilt as I had lost weight also. It now fits me well and there is no apparent added stress to the strap, and I wear this kilt frequently.

[CMcG]

I think showing some knees is more important than where the top of the kilt sits; I've seen contemporary kilts that sit low on the hips, like a pair of pants and I've seen military kilts that look they go up to the lads' nipples!

That being said, a traditional kilt will feel more comfortable if the straps/buckles sit at the natural waist, where they can get a grip on the 'divot' between the top of the hip bones and the bottom of the rid cage. I've had to punch extra holes on straps too, so no problem there.

If the kilt is not quite the right length to show some knee and you therefor can't both have it sit at the natural waist as well as show some knee, a belt is quite helpful. If I'm going to wear a waistcoat, I use suspenders/braces instead. Either belt or waistcoat can help the kilt from looking 'too high.'

[unclevenus]

Punched the hole in it and it worked great. I lost another 10 pounds and I've had it.. I need beer and bread. Have no more room to punch another hole.

Lastly.. if I wanted to take 1/4 to maybe 1/2 inch off of the kilt length (just being mental over it also draping my knees), how hard would it be for a decent tailor to trim it down? Or is this a big NO / gray area I should avoid and just suck it up and hike the kilt higher?

[Pleater]

I just used this to solve the problem of a jersey knit skirt where the waist was slowly migrating South as the waistband was not strong enough and it had stretched out, leaving the waist four inches larger than it ought to have been.

I took a length of strong ribbon yarn the correct size for the waist and anchored the ends just above the seam joining the skirt and waistband, then measured and pinned the waistband evenly easing in the excess all the way round, and then sewed, by hand, along both edges of the ribbon yarn.

I was going to do the same along the top edge of the waistband, as it is rather a wide one, but when the skirt was tried on the band was fine, so I left it alone.

Although a kilt should be far more rigid around the waist, it might be possible to sew a tape along the inside of the narrowest part - behind the buckles, and then ease in to reduce the size.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Tobus]

Punched the hole in it and it worked great. I lost another 10 pounds and I've had it.. I need beer and bread. Have no more room to punch another hole.

Lastly.. if I wanted to take 1/4 to maybe 1/2 inch off of the kilt length (just being mental over it also draping my knees), how hard would it be for a decent tailor to trim it down? Or is this a big NO / gray area I should avoid and just suck it up and hike the kilt higher?

For only a quarter- to half-inch, I'd just hike the kilt up a bit. Kilts can be hemmed, but you'd likely need to be taking more away from the length than you're talking about.

[unclevenus]

Feels like it would be far more. Is this hemming something that a general tailor would be knowledgeable on? I know a few reputable ones but didn't know if this is something (kilts) that you can just take to your local mom and pop or if you advise on sending it off to a kilt maker.