Kilt length OK?

**TyGuy** · 9th August 12, 12:39 PM

I was hoping for input on this, although since it's already made I can't really change anything. Is the length on this kilt alright? It's probably 0.5"-1.0" from the top of my knee, about 2" up from touching the ground when I kneel.

I don't necessarily want my kilt to cover my knees, as I plan on using it during some shooting competitions where I have to run a lot, but I want to make sure that it doesn't look ridiculous.

Keep in mind that my wife took the pictures and she is 5'5", so the view is downward from that height, not exactly from the side, so it might appear longer than it is.

I was super excited when I received my kilt, but now I am nervous that I look bad as it is too short.

Thanks for the input.

**TyGuy** · 9th August 12, 12:41 PM

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

**Tobus** · 9th August 12, 12:47 PM

Looks fine to me. That's about where a proper kilt should fall - somewhere around the top of the knee.

**TyGuy** · 9th August 12, 12:53 PM

Tobus, first let me say as a stalker here (reading posts without being a member) I have found your insights to be most helpful, so I really appreciate you taking the time to answer MY question.

Secondly, it looks like it's the top of the knee from my wife's view, but the kilt is actually a little higher, again probably 0.5"-1.0" from the top of my knee cap if you look directly from the side, not looking down. Is that height still ok?

Should I stop fretting about the length and just enjoy it as much as I did the first day that I wore it (in the pictures)?

**TyGuy** · 9th August 12, 12:57 PM

Also, IDK what happened in picture 3. I am not as skinny as I used to be, but my shirt looks like I have big love handles on my side. I have some love handles, but not up there. Weird.

**Tobus** · 9th August 12, 01:09 PM

Secondly, it looks like it's the top of the knee from my wife's view, but the kilt is actually a little higher, again probably 0.5"-1.0" from the top of my knee cap if you look directly from the side, not looking down. Is that height still ok?

Personally, I think it's fine. Keep in mind that everyone else is going to be seeing it from eye level too, not directly from the side.

The trend these days seems to be for folks to wear modern style (utility-style) kilts at the bottom of the knee. But I prefer to wear them as kilts should be worn, at the top of the knee or slightly above. A half inch to one inch above the top of the knee cap is perfectly fine. As a visual comparison, here's how I wear my Utilikilt:

**creagdhubh** · 9th August 12, 01:24 PM

Length looks good to me, mate.

Cheers,

**Geoff Withnell** · 9th August 12, 01:25 PM

Tobus is 100% correct. The height is fine. Especially if you are going to be moving/running a lot in the kilt. A too long kilt irritates the dickens out of the back of the knee!

**Tobus** · 9th August 12, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by Geoff Withnell

Tobus is 100% correct. The height is fine. Especially if you are going to be moving/running a lot in the kilt. A too long kilt irritates the dickens out of the back of the knee!

Absolutely. Especially when it's a 'hard' material like duck cloth, and has a bottom stitched hem. And it's not just the backs of the knees that will get irritated. The fronts too. That inside edge of the hem will rub up and down on the kneecap as you walk. As much hiking as I do in my Utilikilt, I learned that lesson pretty quickly. It's not that it ever really becomes a painful show-stopper like a heel blister, but it's just annoying. So wearing a utility-style kilt high when doing a lot of walking or running is simply good sense. And when I say high, I mean high enough over the top of the knee where it's not an issue.

**TyGuy** · 9th August 12, 01:32 PM

Geoff - I already noticed that this one hits the back of my knees a little when I move quickly in it. It's not annoying, but I could TOTALLY see how that would be annoying in a longer one.

Ok, good, so it sounds like I don't look like I'm wearing my wife's mini-skirt. Thank you all. I was really afraid that I would have to have it remade, thus throwing away $200!

Any other comments are appreciated.

BTW - this kilt was made by Bilt Kilts, a division of Burnetts and Struth. Brandon there answered all of my questions and really did a great job helping me out. I can't speak highly enough of him.