2 things learned last week. 1 good, 1 bad

[CDNSushi]

So, I tried a couple of experiments last week to help alleviate some of the issues I have in the kilt department. Two issues that have been bugging me for some time (completely unrelated to one another). Issue 1: under-kilt hygiene (as addressed in another XMTS thread here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/k....html?t=48166&) and Issue 2: Utilikilt Original curling at the apron corners and pleats. Anyway, I tried tackling both problems and here are my results.

Issue 1. Naughty bits. I don't like them sullying my kilts -- when I spend most of the day standing and running about, it's not a big deal. But more often than not, I spend a good part of my day seated. As such, it pays to have a way to keep the kilts clean and fresh.

In the other thread, I mentioned wearing silk boxers -- a good solution to be sure, but someone else mentioned taking apart the boxers by cutting through the bit of fabric that joins front and back flaps at the bottom so it becomes unbifurcated. So, that's what I tried. After I put on the modified boxers, it felt really great! Even though silk boxers are really nice as-is, they feel completely different when you un-bifurcate them...

However, now the bad news. Everyone's body geometry is a bit different, and this was a huge bust. Whenever I sat down, the "under-kilt" would ride up so that the very problem I was trying to solve just got more complicated and my "bits" still ended up on my kilt. The front "flap" of the modified boxers would have to be significantly longer to prevent that from happening -- but I don't really want that either, as adding length may make them visible and I really don't want a front flap hanging down almost to my knee. For now, I think I'll just stick to un-modified silk boxers. That seems to work reasonably well.

Results of experiment: FAILED

Issue 2: Curly kilt

This has also been brought up numerous times on XMTS. Many say it doesn't bother them but it just cheezes me right off. I hate the curl in my Utilikilt. There are two curls -- the front apron corners tend to curl up, and the pleats themselves do this little "taco" thing, and the corners of the pleats also (like the apron) curl upwards.

I took out the handy ol' steam iron and a can of regular spray starch (like you might use on shirt collars). I found that ironing the kilt inside-out, for starters, reduced the curl. A bit of starch stiffened it and made it stay more like that: flat. I also ironed the pleats as much as I could, inside-out, and used some starch between the pleats. This took away the taco shell effect, and reduced the curl on the pleat corners. Then, putting on the kilt, it (first of all) felt a lot more like it did new when I first bought it, but the curl all-around was significantly reduced. Notice that I didn't say "gone" because it wasn't, but it WAS a fair sight better than it was before.

Results of experiment: PARTIAL SUCCESS

[Dan R Porter]

I don't know about the first problem, or the second, but all my kilts reverse pleats always curl and it drives me mad.

[DWFII]

I may have been the one (or possibly one of the ones) that suggested the idea of cutting the boxer shorts.

The solution to your problem is simple and it is the one I use...most boxer shorts are seamed fore and aft, leaving the legs as one piece of fabric. Cut along the seams and eliminate one leg. Trim the other so that it is just a rectangle of silk attached to the waist band.

Wear the silk in the front...without the rear to scrunch up and ride up when you sit and shift, it will remain neatly in place, providing a comfort zone and a barrier to scratchy wool.

An alternative solution is simply to detach the front from the rear so that they hang separately. But you will still have the problem of bunching in the seat.

The ideal colour, of course, is black but there will always be some who insist on white or cream.

[The Wizard of BC]

Another experiment you can try for no. 1 is to make yourself an UnderKilt.
Take a standard t-shirt and cut it off just under the armpits.
Then unstitch the 1" waistband from a pair of jocky shorts. Be carefull and note how the stitching is done.
Then stretching the elastic sew the top of the t-shirt to the waistband just as it was done to the shorts.
voila...UnderKilt. It will be long. That's not a problem because as you saw with the cut away boxers it will ride up a bit and not show under the Kilt.

Now for no. 2

The UK is supposed to curl. It is sort of built in. Steven likes his product to have a Seattle Grunge look.
The only thing you can do is iron your UK's. A lot. Iron the bejeebers out of them each time you wash them. Use and iron on a hot, Cotton setting. Pull and lightly stretch each and every pleat edge until the stitching is stretched and taut.
Cotton and Poly/Cottons have the strange quality that they get better and better the more you iron them.
The edge stitching also is part of the problem as it will shrink and pull up on the pleat creases causing them to curl.

If ironing doesn't work the only thing left to do is take a small tuck on each inside pleat. You will form a small pucker in the inside of each pleat and this will allow the pleats to lay flatter.

To see what I mean try this.

Hole the Kilt from the waistband and reach inside on one pleat that is curling. Now pull up slightly on the inside pleat crease. You will see the outer pleat crease fold back in. Now do the same thing with a couple of stitches.


Dan R. Porter - The same idea applies to your curling reverse pleat. The reason they curl is simply poor tailoring when the Kilt was made.
So do the same experiment with pulling the inner pleat crease. Then take a small stitch till a pucker forms and this should help with that pesky curling.


Note----this stitching is not meant to repair a poorly made Kilt. It is only a stopgap to help control pleat curling. It will not correct it completely.

[Bugbear]

The ideal colour, of course, is black but there will always be some who insist on white or cream.

[JolyStNicholas]

I resolved that #1 problem, several eons ago my wife began buying me silk boxers w/ comic SANTA reliefs on them. They work fine, and if anyone insists on seeing what's under the kilt they get a funny/pleasant shock! I'm to old to be modest!

[turpin]

I did the same as JSN, but bought clearance boxers with a movie theme. If someone were to lift my apron they'd be confronted by King Kong in full ROOAAARRRR!

[Richard]

Instead of ruining a pair of good silk boxershorts why not get a ladies short underslip without any lace, it also makes the kilt swing better

[DWFII]

Instead of ruining a pair of good silk boxershorts why not get a ladies short underslip without any lace, it also makes the kilt swing better

You'd have the same problem with it rucking up in the back and dragging the front with it...wouldn't you?

Sounds like Sushi has already cut his silk boxer shorts so they're of no use without further modification anyway. That's what led me to keep trimming away on mine until they were correct.

Another solution was mentioned on Xmarks in some other thread, and that's to baste a panel of silk to the underside of the under apron...strategically placed of course.

[Bugbear]

* Never mind, it was already discussed in another thread. *