kilt height+tie length+button height+heaviness

[OC Richard]

There's a number of issues which have come up recently on various threads which to me are interrelated.

These are:

1) tie length

2) whether or not to tuck the bottom of the tie into the waistband of the kilt

3) button height on jackets purpose-made for kiltwearing v. jackets made for "Saxon" wear

4) kilt length (or in this instance, kilt height)

5) kiltwearing for heavier gents

In addition there have been numerous discussions about wearing a waistbelt yes/no wearing a waistcoat yes/no which also relate.

As I've gained weight I've noticed that for me the most-slimming outfit is wearing an Argyll jacket without belt or vest underneath, and buttoning the jacket.

I know that traditionally these jackets aren't buttoned but left to hang open. For pipers there's a practical consideration in that if you have your jacket unbuttoned, half the time when you strike in one side of the jacket gets pushed up along with your pipes into your arm-pit, which is unsightly. So it's pretty common for pipers to button their jacket.

Having the jacket buttoned creates two issues, kilt height and tie length. I like having the top of the kilt right in line with the button, so that above the button the tie alone shows, below the button the kilt alone shows. Tucking the tie into the kilt insures that the tie stays in place, and also that none of the tie will be visible below the button.

To me, either with Saxon or Highland dress, having the tip of the tie peeking out from under the jacket below the button looks unsightly.

Here's how I usually do it for piping gigs: jacket buttoned, tie long and tucked in, only tie above, only tartan below, no vest or belt



As above, when playing. I'm around 40 pounds heavier in this pic than the ones above and below.



Jacket unbuttoned, not a good look!