Apron Overlap, he wants it on the left. Help!

[Steve Ashton]

Also explain to your customer that a kilt is not like pants. You can spin them around on your body. When you want to do the right strap, spin the kilt so that the buckle is where you need it. Then spin it around again for the left strap. I have a customer who does not have the use of his left hand and was worried about doing up the left strap. Once I showed him how to spin his kilt he had no problem doing all the straps single handed.

[davidg]

I wonder if Jock is right about you over thinking this, although for different reasons

As Steve says, kilts can be swung around to fasten and as others have pointed out there are two straps, left and right. If you only have one hand then doing any strap us is going to be difficult regardless of which side we are talking about or wherever you swing the kilt to

So, perhaps the question is not which side the apron goes to but "how do you find a simpler one-handed method to fasten the kilt". I don't have an immediate answer to that but I would consider other options like elastic, velcro, braces (suspenders) etc or perhaps even a one handed drawcord system

[Jock Scot]

I wonder if Jock is right about you over thinking this, although for different reasons

As Steve says, kilts can be swung around to fasten and as others have pointed out there are two straps, left and right. If you only have one hand then doing any strap us is going to be difficult regardless of which side we are talking about or wherever you swing the kilt to

So, perhaps the question is not which side the apron goes to but "how do you find a simpler one-handed method to fasten the kilt". I don't have an immediate answer to that but I would consider other options like elastic, velcro, braces (suspenders) etc or perhaps even a one handed drawcord system

Isn't it strange, the practicalities of doing up a kilt one handed did not even cross my mind. It should have of course, but I was actually thinking about the comments, from some, at their shock and horror of the kilt closing to the left.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

In general, if a male client asked me to make a kilt with the closure on the left, I would explain to him that the normal practice for men is for the kilt to close on the right, and if his closed on the left many people would see it and automatically assume it was "wrong." Knowing this, if he still wanted his kilt to close on the left, I would do it. It's his kilt, after all.

Not having use of one's right hand would certainly be seen by most reasonable people to be a good enough reason for customizing one's kilt in this way (though as Steve has pointed out, you could get by with a standard kilt simply by swinging it around).

I'm thinking, though, of alternative kilt closure methods I have seen in the past and wondering if any of them would be easier to operate one-handed than the standard strap and buckle.

I've seen ribbon ties, buttons, hook-and-eye, and I think any of these methods would still be difficult one handed.

Velcro would be much easier. Perhaps add this in as an addition to the strap and buckle, to help keep the kilt in place while the strap is being fastened.

Historically kilts were made with none of these things, it was just wrapped and belted. Remember that the original "kilt pin" was not a piece of decorative jewelry worn on the lower apron, but something more resembling a lady's hat pin, a straight pin of sprung steel that would have been worn up at the waist to keep the kilt closed. Maybe a straight pin like that would work best for him.

[davidg]

I'm thinking, though, of alternative kilt closure methods I have seen in the past and wondering if any of them would be easier to operate one-handed than the standard strap and buckle.

I'm not sure whether I can describe adequately what I'm thinking of but I don't have time right now to draw a picture so I need to rely on words alone

Perhaps instead of left hip buckle a very large eye inside the waistband. An extremely long webbing strap in place of the leather strap on the under apron that loops through the eye. Pulled tight with the left hand towards the right side where it attaches again to the waistband by large hook and eye (like garter elastic hooks and eyes but a bit stronger (bra type?). Then simply fasten the top apron with velcro on the right hip and covering the webbing strap

Hopefully you will all understand what I am describing

[Richard]

sorry ooops

[Dixiecat]

Maybe this isn't about the buckles, but the way the apron opens?

I don't mean to be indelicate, but when a kilt-wearing gentleman needs to take care of a certain situation, how is it done? Do you lift or do you sweep the aprons back?

[MacLowlife]

I am a lifter.

[Tobus]

Lifter here too. Sweeping the aprons back would require both hands to hold them in place. And, uh, we need at least one hand free for obvious reasons. I'm not quite sure how this would be accomplished by a gentleman who only has one hand. I'm guessing he could use his other arm to hold the aprons up, even if it's only with his elbow. But in any case, it shouldn't be affected by which way the aprons close.

[Dixiecat]

Lifter here too. Sweeping the aprons back would require both hands to hold them in place. And, uh, we need at least one hand free for obvious reasons. I'm not quite sure how this would be accomplished by a gentleman who only has one hand. I'm guessing he could use his other arm to hold the aprons up, even if it's only with his elbow. But in any case, it shouldn't be affected by which way the aprons close.

Okey dokey. Obviously, you all know more about this than I do, so let's say we can leave this question as answered.