Kilts Worn at Long Length

[Dr Mac]

Personally, I want my kilt to touch the top of my knee, mid-knee at the lowest, with hose three fingers from bottom of knee. I cringe inside when I see someone's kilt and hose touch, (kilt too long, hose too high).

[werewolves]

I've said this before. Its all about fashion. Kilt hems have been worn higher and lower at various times based on the kilt fashions of the day. We all have personal preferences, but unless you are wearing a kilt as part of a uniform, there is no absolute as to where it must fall in relation to your knee (or how high your hose must be).

I think Colin's point about off-the-rack sizes is a significant one. Combine that with modern fashions of long shorts, and wearing pants lower on the hips, and the result is lower kilt hems. Its not necessarily wrong, its just what is.

Best regards,

Jake

Amen!

The first time I saw a guy in a UK, it was long. As in well below the knee long. And he looked great.

I tried ordering my first UK long to get that look. It looked terrible on me, so I got it chopped to mid-knee. Much better.

On me, I'm not a fan of above the knee. Looks silly, but to each his own.

I'm also pretty sure I've seen old drawings of Scots with kilts from mid-calf to mid-thigh. I could be wrong.

[JelicoCat]

I to have seen drawings where 4 different lengths are portrayed on four different men in the same picture. So is the current length relative to history fairly modern?

[Pleater]

mutter mutter can't see knees grumble grumble.

Kilt without knees - humph.

Going around with long kilts on mutter mutter.

[sharpdressedscot]

I wear mine (when I do) at above the knee or just on it. Depends on the day.

[cavscout]

I'm with the top of the knee crowd as it's more comfortable and looks better IMHO. To me the top of the knee (TOK) is the center of the universe or the benchmark when it comes to kilt wearing. EVERYTHING else pretty much hinges on that point. I measure my kilt length from the top of the knee up to the comfortable point on my waist where I want the kilt to ride. My kilt hose stop @ 3" below the top of the knee and my cuff extends @ 3" down from the top of the hose (flashes if worn extend a couple of inches down from the bottom of the cuff). The sgian dubh does not extend above the top of the knee. Following these personal preferences help me keep the outfit in visual proportion for the best appearance and comfort.

Pleater was exactly right with:

Wearing a kilt where the lower edge hits the crease of your knee is the worst of all lengths if you are out in the weather we have around here - it is not severe most of the year, but it can be wet.

With the wind blowing on your back climbing a hill or going over rough ground the wet cloth is caught at every step and it takes only a little while for the affected skin to feel that it has been sandpapered.

The front of the Knee will get the same effect.

Top of the knee gives a much more tidy and organized look to my eye. As with virtually everything in Scots clothing, proportion is critical. From the width of a belt being proportionate to the length of the kilt to the amount of leg showing between the top of the hose and the bottom of the kilt. As a guy with a long torso and short legs I can say that the last thing a guy with short legs should wear is anything that falls below the knee. Part of what makes a kilt look so good is the narrowness of the knee being seen in proportion to the width of the calf and the kilt. When the kilt is allowed to cover the knee, you loose that visual feature and the wide kilt area just blends into the wide lower leg.

9 times out of 10 when I've heard people say they don't like wearing the kilt at the top of the knee it's because they really don't like having the kilt around their ribs. This goes back to what Collin said about buying off the rack. They need to get a shorter kilt rather than wear it lower and I think they will be much happier.

P.S. Their are several references for a kilt historically being worn long. Historically though I believe the kilt was worn long for a reason though ie. to keep more heat in in the winter. The Highlander would likely also shorten the kilt in the warmer months or when activity would benefit from less fabric around the legs. Frankly, what we see on parade with the regiments and in most situations is the top of the knee as the "norm" but it is truly a personal preference.

[Rex_Tremende]

I have one second-hand "tank" that hangs at mid-knee, but on me it just feels way too long. For the kilts that Barb and Steve have made for me, I measured to the place where a pencil rests on the top of the knee cap and I was quite happy with the results.

I have a few UK's as well. I bought the standard length, but I feel so dumpy in those. I have one "short" mocker, and it's by far my favorite in terms of fit.

My preference is to the top of the knee. There is so much "advice" floating around out there, I would hesitate to say what was officially "traditional."

Regards,
Rex.

[Carolina Kiltman]

mutter mutter can't see knees grumble grumble.

Kilt without knees - humph.

Going around with long kilts on mutter mutter.

I prefer just to the top of the knee or maybe a tad lower. But as I remember one of my elder relatives muttering, "A woman's knee is a joint, not an entertainment!" I think the same applies here.

[Nick the DSM]

I don't care, as long as it looks good.

at first pants were worn around the waist, now they're at our knees! LOL
but seriously, they change all the time why can't the kilt???



Thoguh i wouldn't recommend wearing the waist of the kilt around the knees trying to be a scottish gangsta or something.

[The Wizard of BC]

You have to remember that when Steven V. designed his product he had no idea what a Kilt was, how it should be worn or how it was made.
The Utilikilt is not really a Kilt. It is a truly unique garment and I think it will go down in history as one of the true innovations of the last half of the 20th century. Along with the Bikini it is a garment completely new and different.

Steven designed it to be worn at the jeans waist, over the hip bones, with the hem below to well below the knee. Just as are baggy cargo shorts.

If you wear a UK any other way, that is your choice, but it does not follow any of the conventions associated with the Kilt because it's not one. Even Steven vehemently denies that it has any Kilt, Celtic or any other inspiration. To quote Steven, "It's a skirt. Get over it."

A kilt on the other hand has conventions. They are not rules just the usual way the Kilt is worn. There are no Kilt Kops to tell you you can't wear the Kilt like a UK. It's just not usually done because of the look.

I am sure we would have a better definition of what the Kilt not by saying it has pleats and aprons but by setting down the conventions that define how The Kilt is worn.

Yes, in the old wood cuts there is a portrayal of Kilts being worn at different lengths but that is the Great Kilt or Belted Plaid. The small Kilt is usually worn just a the military have worn it which is just at the top of the knee cap down to the middle of the knee cap.

Yes, some older Kiltmakers measure for a Kilt by having the customer kneel on the floor. But when the Kilt is made up there is a 2" Rise above the top buckle and that brings the hem up to just the top of the knee cap again.

Wear the Kilt where ever you want. No one can say you are wrong. The convention though says Top to middle of knee cap.