Weight loss and taking in the kilt

[CollinMacD]

My wife lost over 30 lbs and much around the waist. She has several kilts, can kilts and skirts be taken in easily or is it a major problem. She has lost about 6 inches on the waist and gone from 42 hip to 37.5, suggestions?

[Barb T]

It depends on what you mean by a kilt. If they are kilt skirts, the best thing to do is take them to a tailor and have the tailor alter the garment to fit her better.

If they are true traditional kilts (which they would be if she has been a Highland dancer or a piper), a tailor won't know how to alter a kilt properly. You have a few options.

• You could try just moving the underapron strap and the buckles on the fringe edge. The instructions are here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-larger-78931/ If you or she are handy with a needle, it's an easy job to do yourself.
• You could take the kilts to a kiltmaker and have the kilts altered. This is most commonly done by changing the size of the apron symmetrically (so that the center stripe remains the same). This is not a small job, and a reputable kiltmaker who does a proper job will put many hours into the re-build and should charge you accordingly for this kind of custom work. But, if she has lost 6" in the waist, the apron would be 3" smaller on each edge, for an overall 6" smaller across the front, which is likely to look really odd and out-of-proportion to the amount in the pleats on a person of her size. The pleats are typically not altered unless you're willing to pay a lot more.
• Having said all this, I always tell people that an un-altered kilt has a lot more value than one that has been altered. I think that a better alternative for a trad kilt that is in good condition is to sell it and have a new, properly fitting one made. You'll spend less than it's likely to cost if you get someone who knows what they're doing to do a good job on an alteration, and the new kilt will fit a lot better than an altered one would.

[kingandrew]

I've recently lost weight and instead of trying to alter my old kilt, I have used it as an excuse to get a new, better one.

I am keeping my old one around "just in case" something happens to make my waist get bigger again.

Andrew

[Steve Ashton]

You can always keep the older, larger kilt and do one of those weight loss photos. "Look what I did! This used to fit!"

[Barb T]

You can always keep the older, larger kilt and do one of those weight loss photos. "Look what I did! This used to fit!"

Brilliant, Steve!!! I love it.

[CollinMacD]

You can always keep the older, larger kilt and do one of those weight loss photos. "Look what I did! This used to fit!"

Although I think this would be a great idea, knowing my wife, I think she just wants to forget about the "before" look and bask in the current "after" look. Since the time I have posted, she has gone from a size 12 to a size 6, lost almost 35 lbs. So, the her older tartan skirts either get altered or sold for new ones. She plans to lose about another 10 lbs in next month or so. So proud of her accomplishment. ALMOST a pleasure to purchase some new Scottish Ladies Wear for her. CHEERS.

[Barb T]

Congratulations to her!

[Riverkilt]

I've lost 67 pounds in the last year so I've chosen to take the route of selling my larger kilts and reinvesting in smaller ones.

Only...hopefully, I'm not done losing weight yet. Just moved from morbidly obese to obese. More to go. Wanna stabilize at the healthy weight before doing any new kilts.

Whatever that weight turns out to be will talk to my kilt maker about whether reducing the remaining kilts in my clan tartans is worth it.

Being thin feels better than anything tastes!