As a Scot who has worn a kilt since I was about 3 (now 60) I was taught the correct length for wearing the kilt is, while kneeling on the floor the bottom of your kilt should just about touch the floor. Given that my father made the kilts for the family he should know. So my pet "hate" is a kilt not being worn to the correct length.
Mr. Giggles that's the proper way to know that your kilt is at the right length, make sure when you're kneeling that your back is straight, you get a true measurement. I used to make kilts. If your going to do it, do it properly.
At a Highland Games back in the 90s, I saw a fellow dressed in a turquoise polyester woman's skirt with a beige patent leather woman's handbag worn as a sporran, a yellow polo shirt, argyle knee socks w/ sandals & a canvas porkpie hat. Too bad we didn't have camera phones back then...
Not caring is one of the things I try to ensure my boys don't do. Everyone wants to relax and lounge around at times. But when you leave the house, look presentable. Make an effort. It shows you care. Thanks for these videos guys.
Love all those examples of how to wear a kilt or sporran wrong. You really brought it home. Ouch! I played an Irishman at the big Renaissance Faire in California from '80 until it ended around 2000. A léine that would hang to the ground was the basic guys garment, which we would blouse up through our belts until it was about halfway up the thigh. Many of us had two belts, a traditional woven cloth belt for the léine and a leather "utility" belt for pouch, dirk, and mug. We were portraying the household of Hugh O'Neil, but we'd all read about Shane O'Neil's visit to Queen Elizabeth. His galloglach scandalized the English because they marched through London wearing their helmets and with their léines hiked up so high their wieners showed, which came from the Irish of the time having no body shame and finding England really hot. Of course the English disgusted the galloglach 'cuz they threw their poop into the street. BTW, nice fiddle music. Cliffs of Moher is one of my faves.
Jacobite shirts with Victorian/ modern kilts. White socks/ hose. Ever. Even in pipe bands and "royalty"....they're so gash. Chrome chains on day sporrans. Cowboy hats with kilts. Dudes wearing women's' sashes like they are a fly plaid. There's a long list...
Exactly! I'm what I call 'short coupled' . .. my legs are short compared to my torso so the standard 'off the shelf' kilt is just a touch too long. I cant afford to have all my kilts tailor made sooo .. ......
Fully Agree. A kilt worn too low has been one of my pet hates all my life. It turns the Kilt in to a skirt. I've always worn my Kilts hem on the top of the kneecap.
EXCELLENT VIDEO The knee thing is absolutely right. My dad from Kilmarnock was a stickler about the knee thing. Sporran too HIGH looks ignorant! Kilted nerd. Sporrans had the other purpose of protecting the junk. You now know where it should be positioned. True story: Big man. In the mid ’70’s (I was 15), we attended our family church, St. Andrew’s Parish Church in Ayr. There was a big farmer who came to church in the kilt on Sundays with his small kids. He wore the Macleod tartan which is REALLY yellow. He was tall and really big around in a really yellow and black kilt. My point: he wore it around the belly like you correctly stated AND HE LOOKED ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! Oh yes and a beard as well. BIG, YELLOW, BALSY. The rest of us in suit and tie looked like chicks in comparison. You two guys know what you’re talking about.
Thank you that you showed the difference on a big guy having the kilt to low or correct. I didn't know that! I will save money each month until I have enough to buy a proper kilt made by a good and professional kiltmaker.
So many Americans have Scottish heritage. I remember men wearing yards of fabric and it was at the knee. But, when it rained or was cold they pulled it down and the back side up over their head.
This looks more authentic for wear in settings where tradition is all-important; and the full length allows more and deeper pleating at the rear, which results in the impressive 'swing', for example when dancing. The Casual Kilt sits lower on the waist, like trousers, and uses less material.
OMG, pleats in the front and the shipping basting left in the pleats. Loving the videos and have been providing links to our clan FB page. Education never ceases. Clan Davidson.
When I wear my great kilt around my fat belly, some time later when I'm out walking my dogs my belt will slip down under my belly and my kilt feels like it's going to fall off, this is why I intentionally wear it tightly just about 3 inches below my belly and at least it won't fall off plus I wear a vest that covers my belly, I haven't had any complaints from anyone so far.
I wear a modern denim utility kilt (Got-Kilt form here in Michigan), and I purposefully wear at the waist, like I would a pair of pants. I have a bit of a gut, so that's part of it and I don't like the feel of the fabric against my gut so I don't like cloth riding up that high anyways, but the other part is that I'm not trying to adhere to a tradition. Also, I don't let the back ride-up high. (I have friends who have kilts who do that and... ugh, that's one of my pet-peeves... when that back lifts up 3-4" when they walk or (worse) bend over. (I also don't use a sporran since the kilt has pockets, so I'm really not trying to look "traditional" either.)
I would say one of the things that I see that is ridiculous is when guys are in kilts and figure it is their opportunity to wear a large knife, dirk, dagger, etc... it just looks silly to say nothing to the fact that it puts people on edge (see what I did there, :) ). A sgian dubh should be enough.
My buddy who is color blind and wore a tartan kilt with a tweed jacket and a gingham check shirt with a striped tie and mustard colored hose. OMG! Not just the colors clashed but the patterns clashed. That was forgivable and unforgettable. Table cloth kilts at the RenFaire are unforgivable. The new Starfleet tartan is imminently forgettable and almost unforgivable, giving Buchanan a run for it's money as worst tartan.
It's not from Black Rifle Coffee - it's from 1776 United. That being said, we do PROUDLY support our veterans. We offer a 10% veterans discount and have 21% of our workforce who are veterans (3 of 14 people). :-)
@@USAKiltsOfficial I think that's very generous of you. In the UK there isn't the support for Vets that you have in USA. I was on a course in November on Armistice Day (11/11) and the tutor stopped at 10:59 to prepare for the silence. One of the adult students asked, "Remembering what?" Part of the course was on British Values, where do they think those come from?
I have a kilt that was given to me that has me completely stumped, what tartan pattern it is. Since I don't have a history on it, how can I find what what tartan pattern it is? The tartan registry is huge. I feel lost in there. Help?
I just bought a wool tartan & love it. But still really need to do a family genealogy. I use to wear a Non-Traditional Sport Kilt, but it was stolen. So I just decided to purchase a nice one this time.
I've been wearing kilts for 13 years now. I'm a bigger guy in the midsection and having a problem of either the back is riding up or it falls down and the pleats hang really low. How would I solve this problem?
I understand about the wearing it around belly thing for us bigger belly guys, but I'd still be worried about it sliding down all the time. Ive never tried to wear pants in that region without suspenders. My pants would always want to fall down without them.
I've just stumbled across you lads, and I'm loving these videos. But surely the biggest faux pas is the wrong footwear. I once was at a wedding where some muppet was wearing a kilt with black leather slip-on shoes and grey socks. It looked TERRIBLE. I almost never wear a kilt without ghillie brogues laced to the calf, but hiking boots or army boots can go well with a kilt, especially if you are aft tae the rugby or likes. But the wrong shoes with a kilt is a stinker. Cheers lads, CJ (Clan Lamont)
@@amim4701 Im a Scot and wear all my kilts to just above the knee. As Diomedes says they feel better and swing better. Nicer view of legs and derriere from the rear . Its also far easier to sit down in a kilt to just above the knees.
Hello ye braw lads!! I have a question about something I hadn't thought about before until you mentioned this. The sporran hanging to low, so I switched a while back from the usual thin belt and chain style of sporran, to the 2 separate sporran "hangers" style, that individually go behind and over the kilt belt and snaps on with the short chain down to the sporran on each. My question would be regarding what is "too low" you mentioned hanging around the knee yes and I do get that, but as this style doesn't adjust as precisely as the other one, you would spread them further apart on the belt to go higher on the sporran however the slip back as the ceilidh rocks on hehe. So mine usually hangs above mid kilt area if it's the long horse hair dress sporran and maybe around 3 inches below the bottom of the belt if it's my standard sized sporran, still looks a wee bit above the center though. Would you consider this acceptable and proper sporran placement, you touched on this but never did mention the precise proper placement. :) As far as most photos I've ever seen of guys dressed up nice, its close to level with the belt/kilt top, as this doesn't work perfectly in my situation, would you have any tips on how to remedy this, I thought of some kind of extra button on or clip on "stoppers" or something on the belt to keep from sliding, but haven't seen anything resembling that even on everyday belts hehe. Thanks again for all your videos and I am a long time fan of your shop and website! You are even well known up here in Bonnie Canada! :D Slainte Mhath!
So, I got a kilt because of a gentleman's agreement and turns out I really enjoy it. Thank you for helping me learn about wearing it properly. Something I have noticed is that when worn as you describe it feels like a lifting belt when you are doing some heavier lifting stuff.
What's your advice for adjusting without going to a tailor? I'm starting up a youth pipe band, and we're looking to keep costs low, but also to keep our uniform stock manageable. Is it difficult to adjust the length by an inch or two?
"Here you go 'mildly irked scotsman', have some scotch. I'm sure this will keep you calm and subdue you passionate response!" *people quitely trying to get out of the way without making sudden movements or mentioning the English*
After my great grandfather died, my brother inherited his complete dress kilt. Grandpa was a wee man from Glascow so it was small. At the time, I could just barely fit into it. That outfit is now about 130 years old. The first time I ever tried on a kilt, I had it on backwards. Didnt know any better until I decided to get my own!
I wish your store was closer as I'd love to spend a few hours and many $$$ at your place but it's a long haul from central Ohio. Anyway, thanks for all your productions.
I cant wear a kilt to the mid ..I wear them lower ...I have them made to fit that properly though I hate my kilts hanging below the knee ..im 5'7" 140lbs ..I tend to have them cut to 34w 38h with a 20" langth it usually lays just above the mid of the knee and low enough to miss the medical device I have to wear from time to time ....im not sure if wearing it higher or lower on the body is the issue ...it's more knowing where you will wear it and have it fit to the correct length.
I remember in the late 1970s being in a pipe band of all women except for me and the Pipe Major. One day, Pipey wasn’t well and had to give it a rest for a good while. He put me in charge. We didn’t have a lot of funds and the new kilts were too lightweight imho. They didn’t even give me a sporran but lucky for me, the Pipe Major, who was in the A&SH, loaned me a real badger head sporran he had. We went to a local highland games and there was a truck with the Scots Guards recruitment guys there and I strutted past them a few times when I saw them pointing at me and admiring my sporran. I was so grateful to Pipey for the sporran because I was 20 and there was a couple of gorgeous Irish girls in the band 😻.
Incorrect flash placement is a pet peeve. Or wearing what looks like girls' knee high socks. Cheap synthetic and thin with no visible knit pattern- in temperate climates. Hey- if it's hot i get some people don't like wearing wool. But in Canadian or northern lower 48 states climate- i have worn my wool kilt and hose in extremely cold and hot weather. As a natural fabric- wool is a wonderfully versatile garment material
Once saw white trainers with a kilt. In fact it was my brother. I still mention it to him many many years later. Got him telt. Never hope tae see yer likes again, appalled.
For a gent, every 'true scot' knows that the kilt should be worn such that it rides at the top of the kneecap. This becomes abundantly clear if it's worn for a duration of time involving walking (or dancing etc) as chaffing will occur if worn lower then the top of the kneecap. The only other 'issue' which has been made abundantly clear regards an individual wearing a kilt belonging to a particular Clan and the individual not having any lineage to that particular Clan.
I wear a kilt slightly too short, but also below the belly button, the reason for below is because no matter what I do the kilt wont stay above and ends up below the belly button, I wear them all day for work. I like them short, well because I do, its not a heretic thing, I just think they are a very comfortable item.
Which of your kilts are you wearing in the video? Is that the semi-traditional, 5 yard, or 8 yard? I'm guessing it's not the 8 yard because the weight looks to be too light. Thank you for the videos, the content is great.
I agree 100% with everything you said. Ironically, the before and after pictures of the overweight man wearing the kilt at the waist as opposed to the hips (while you were talking about sporrans being worn too low) the guy's sporran was worn too low. It should be one hand width from the top of the kilt. I saw a man working a booth at a Ren Faire last month with his kilt on backwards! UGH! The other faux pas is not removing the basting stitches before wearing the kilt. Again, this is usually done by newbies and I usually try to privately tell them, and even help them, remove the stitches. Oh, and it looks really bad when a person's kilt doesn't have the tartan pattern symmetrically centered on the apron.
Clan Gregor here! I wear the traditional red and green tartan, but I also wear a short kilt, because I am a woman. I do make sure my pin is placed in the correct position, and my sporran is worn correctly. I hate ghillies, but I use flashes and keep it as good as I can bring a woman. I hope I haven’t looked like an ass this whole time :(
BunnieSueWho ..I recon you would look very sweet, don’t worry your trying to do your best and that’s all that matters because you care. Big hugs ,take care. 💐 👍
As someone of Scandinavian decent, i naturally gravitated toward longer kilts that go below my knees. Ive been wearing a kilt every day for almost 18 years. Literally every day. I wear the waste low like pants. I wear utility kilts. And it goes below my knees because i buy them longer on purpose.
Thanks gentlemen. I just got a nice kilt (purchased in St Andrew, Scotland). I just need a chain or strap for my sporin. Do you have videos about what kind of shirt goes good with a kilt? I'm not a button up shirt person. I like tunics. Any suggestions?
Depends on the occasion for me, formal will be a shirt and tie, rugby match or night down the pub, just a t-shirt or a rugby jersey. Wear whatever you’re comfortable in. Fashion is subjective, there are no hard and fast rules.
As an American in the United States. I wear my kilt as traditional as possible. That being said I do not wear a sporran often. I largely wear my kilt when my band Altar of Bedlam play concerts. JB
I have to go with the one that is probably mostly well-intentioned but just makes me cringe whenever I see it. Men wearing tartan sashes, with the kilt, so that they sort of kind of look like a plaid. I have even seen these worn in different tartans than the kilt, and once even saw a tartan winter scarf used for this purpose.
Proportionally the Kilt at the very top of the kneecap or bisecting the kneecap looks correct, once the belt, sporran, hose and boots are in place, the entire lower half has a nice symmetry and balance. I've been wearing a Kilt for over 20 years now. Asked Kilt wearing Scots a million questions about proper attire, and I'm a stickler for tradition.
At a Celtic festival I saw 2 men walking around with pleats that were still stay stitched from shipping. They didn't know they were supposed to take that thread out so the pleats could swing freely.
I've seen street bands wearing a great kilt with the top part hanging down the front right to the ankle, I prefer to tuck the front part behind me and let it hang down the back.
I was in Scotland to buy a kilt. First, with all those touristy stores, it was near impossible to find a store that sold a women's Size 14/16 kilt! I was informed that most sizes accommodate Asians who form the biggest tourist group which visit Scotland!This forced me, a woman, to buy a second hand men's kilt, which breaks all the rules! I wanted a Princess Diana kilt that was designed for her foundation by the Scottish kilt maker association, but walked away with an unknown pattern. It's all good and my kilt is above knee! However, many of these issues come from the kilt industry themselves, wanting to make a quick buck and not servicing the people properly! That Asian tourists take presidence and are more important than average size women is bad policy. Therefore, the industry has created these issues which are exacerbated by people being under served by retail. Edinburgh should care more about its culture and not just see wearing a kilt as making a quick buck! If they did this, then people would be less apt to wear kilts improperly and women wouldn't be insulting men by putting on their attire!
I can not agree more with them. Especially with where the kilt is worn. Everytime i measure the guy asks why that high, and usually im a bit higher than the naval because they are a heavier set man and the belly button is un the under curve of their belly. Then the sporran, for larger guys im always recommending them to go with sporran suspenders and a kilt belt. then they don't have to worry about the sporran chain/belt digging in and forming a crease under the belly, because it hangs off the belt.
I’m a Scotsman, who owns 5 kilts, and 3 sporrans and I’ve never heard or seen sporran hangers! I’ve always found the chain kinda annoying, hangers might be the way to go!
@@calebmurray3945 It's a basting stitch along the bottom of the pleats to keep them neat and tidy in the box. It's in a contrasting color thread, like bright white, so it's easy to see and remove.
@@calebmurray3945 basting stitches that hold the pleats in place during shipping. You simply cut the stitch (the basting stitches will be obvious) and then pull them out, usually in one piece. Then the pleats hang free.
This may be an odd question but if you have many different Scottish families in your heritage which tartan do you decide to wear? My husbands family on his mothers side is Scottish but there are many clans. Do you trace back to the most recent or do you go back further? And is it based on a particular side of the family? Also, if your heritage is Welsh, Irish, and Scottish which nationality do you decide to embrace when choosing your tartan? Thank you
You could pick any clan kilt and wear the crest/brooches/kilt pins of the other clansof your family, in my case i bought 2 out of 3 kilt pins to go with my kilt since I have difficulty finding a kilt that fits at the waist and length(within my budget) only one I was able to find was black watch
Whichever one strikes your fancy. I decend from multiple clans and am weaving a tartan plaid from several of these to make outfits. Maiden name, Brown. Scottish Brown.
I chose the Dalriada tartan that pre-dated the clan tartans because I have Irish and Scotish ancestors and the Dalriada Kingdom was an over kingdom that covered the areas in both Ireland and Scotland where both families came from.
what aggregates me is i try to look up vids or pics related to kilts and they post things about someone who “kilt it” they think of the word “kilt” as alternative to “killed”
I've been wearing my kilt on my hips now for 20+ years... my hips are slim, and thats where it falls.. however, it doesn't go past my knees. BTW...I'm a Celtic musician, and perform at highland games, so none of this is new to me.
It's funny watching this because I wear mine lower so that it actually hits the knee. If I actually wear it at the navel, it's about an inch off. I had messed up my measurements a little when I ordered one from USA Kilts, but it turned out okay! I have a kidney problem (yes 1 kidney) so it works out perfectly 🤣
Should colored dress shirts (Like Black or Lt. Blue) be worn with a kilt and under a black Argyll jacket and waistcoat or a Gray Braemar jacket and waistcoat? And what about button down collars?
When dancing i was tought ways of measuring with my fingers etc. Like the hose should stop att three fingers from this bone at the side of the knee , the kilt should go from the middle of the navel to the middle of the knee cap etc. Though done historically, i think a modern kilt worn above the knees looks awful.
I think you're over thinking this, some pictures of scots way back in the day had their kilt at least 6 inches above their knee, I wouldn't wear it like that but it would depend on circumstances as to why if I was wading across a river that wasn't too deep and not wanting to get my kilt wet.
This JUST a joke. Though I don’t have a kilt that fits anymore nor an occasion to wear it, the skn dubh my father bought me when I was 11 in 1971, is one of the few possessions I actually care about. So, this joke which you may have heard is SELF-DEPRECATING and you can roll with it if someone tells it: Q: Why do Scotsmen wear the kilt? A: Because sheep can hear zippers. Ok, cool off.
I have mine cut with an extra inch because I found out that if you are a Walmart employee they cannot stop you from wearing it. But they do have conditions. It cannot be measured 3 inches above the knee like the requirement for a skirt and of course the kilt will not reach that, but since I don't want them to cry about it I get an extra inch put in. They also require me not to go "Traditional" because I bend over a lot
Worked on the Zoo interchange project in Milwaukee wi. At safety meeting we were told no kilts, safety issue and all. While in that meeting instructor asked a guy if he spoke Spanish and if could serve as an interpreter bc not all understood English. He went on to say one does even understand the command stop. So, they're worried about you getting your bare legs injured but not concerned you could get flattened by a 20 ton machine bc the operator doesn't understand the command stop. Oh what a world we live in.
The Carptender's Khaki / Pleated by Seattle, Washington State's ::: Utilikilt ::: is worn by a few, in Portland Oregon - and I don't really understand WHY ?!? Does anyone remember Wrestler, Rodney Piper ?! --- what makes the Pacific Northwest so different than what's happening across The Atlantic Ocean ?!?
The kilt length is purely about old military use. They didn't want the rough wool rubbing on the back of the knee when marching. I think the masculine vs feminine idea of it came later
!['Reasons to Wear a Kilt & How Guys Get Started' ExP 3.15.19 [Annotated]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/y0t8ZNEqEWQ/mqdefault.jpg)
As a Scot who has worn a kilt since I was about 3 (now 60) I was taught the correct length for wearing the kilt is, while kneeling on the floor the bottom of your kilt should just about touch the floor. Given that my father made the kilts for the family he should know. So my pet "hate" is a kilt not being worn to the correct length.
That's exactly what my Scottish grandfather taught me. Thankfully, mine happens to be the standard 24" length exactly.
The word you are looking for is peeve.
@@tampazeke4587 24"might be right for you, but it isn't 'standard' for everybody!
Güzel
@@tampazeke4587 I think lots of us had Scottish granda's that did this. Mine was ex Gordon Highlander.
Kilts should be worn like a well-written essay, ...long enough to cover the subject, yet short enough to keep it interesting!
I will now live by this... thank you
Totally stealing that! 🤣
LOL
True words.
Lmaooo
When I wear a kilt, I kneel down and adjust the kilt so that the bottom of the kilt just touches the ground and no more. I'm Scottish, by the way.
Mr. Giggles that's the proper way to know that your kilt is at the right length, make sure when you're kneeling that your back is straight, you get a true measurement. I used to make kilts. If your going to do it, do it properly.
Perfect . Thats how I started . After a while you automatically know its correct 👍👍👍
Mr. Giggles My piping tutor taught me this too. He was pipe sergeant 2nd battalion Scots Guards
Absolutely, heard the same from a fella in the black watch back in the 40’s
This is the proper way to be measured to have your kilt made. After it’s made, you shouldn’t need to kneel again.
At a Highland Games back in the 90s, I saw a fellow dressed in a turquoise polyester woman's skirt with a beige patent leather woman's handbag worn as a sporran, a yellow polo shirt, argyle knee socks w/ sandals & a canvas porkpie hat. Too bad we didn't have camera phones back then...
This video got me some compliments at the city festival for wearing my kilt the right way
My other half got his kilt from you guys. He wore it to our Christmas banquet and the comments were amazing. He looked Damn good in it!
Thanks for the tips. “Grinds my gears” great. My wife (Romanian) introduced “That crawls over my liver!” To me. I love it!
I’m at the stage in life now where I’d need help to get back up after kneeling down to set the correct length, so a full length mirror is essential!
Not caring is one of the things I try to ensure my boys don't do. Everyone wants to relax and lounge around at times. But when you leave the house, look presentable. Make an effort. It shows you care. Thanks for these videos guys.
Thanks for the tip about hooking your sporran over the kilt buckles to keep it higher.
Love all those examples of how to wear a kilt or sporran wrong. You really brought it home. Ouch!
I played an Irishman at the big Renaissance Faire in California from '80 until it ended around 2000. A léine that would hang to the ground was the basic guys garment, which we would blouse up through our belts until it was about halfway up the thigh. Many of us had two belts, a traditional woven cloth belt for the léine and a leather "utility" belt for pouch, dirk, and mug. We were portraying the household of Hugh O'Neil, but we'd all read about Shane O'Neil's visit to Queen Elizabeth. His galloglach scandalized the English because they marched through London wearing their helmets and with their léines hiked up so high their wieners showed, which came from the Irish of the time having no body shame and finding England really hot. Of course the English disgusted the galloglach 'cuz they threw their poop into the street.
BTW, nice fiddle music. Cliffs of Moher is one of my faves.
For those that want to wear it too low buy a pair of trews, they will cover your knees if you are ashamed to show them.
Jacobite shirts with Victorian/ modern kilts. White socks/ hose. Ever. Even in pipe bands and "royalty"....they're so gash. Chrome chains on day sporrans. Cowboy hats with kilts. Dudes wearing women's' sashes like they are a fly plaid. There's a long list...
Off the rack kilts always hang too low on short guys
Exactly! I'm what I call 'short coupled' . .. my legs are short compared to my torso so the standard 'off the shelf' kilt is just a touch too long. I cant afford to have all my kilts tailor made sooo .. ......
I'm saving this video for when I get my first kilt at 18. Fourteen years down and, *sigh* , four long years of wait to go...
Daniel MacDonald When you do get your kilt, it's completely worth it! Hang in there!
@@gemista thanks for your support, mate!
Yes men, i just turned 18 and i’m waiting for my first kilt, it’s my birthday gift and got it all, kilt pin, sporran, belt and the good fucking kilt
@@obi-wankenobi1233 is 18 a traditional thing ? What do you generally wear now ?
I’ve waited 54 years..... now I buy it for my son’s wedding.
Fully Agree. A kilt worn too low has been one of my pet hates all my life. It turns the Kilt in to a skirt. I've always worn my Kilts hem on the top of the kneecap.
EXCELLENT VIDEO
The knee thing is absolutely right. My dad from Kilmarnock was a stickler about the knee thing.
Sporran too HIGH looks ignorant! Kilted nerd. Sporrans had the other purpose of protecting the junk. You now know where it should be positioned.
True story: Big man. In the mid ’70’s (I was 15), we attended our family church, St. Andrew’s Parish Church in Ayr. There was a big farmer who came to church in the kilt on Sundays with his small kids. He wore the Macleod tartan which is REALLY yellow. He was tall and really big around in a really yellow and black kilt. My point: he wore it around the belly like you correctly stated AND HE LOOKED ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! Oh yes and a beard as well.
BIG, YELLOW, BALSY. The rest of us in suit and tie looked like chicks in comparison.
You two guys know what you’re talking about.
Thank you that you showed the difference on a big guy having the kilt to low or correct. I didn't know that! I will save money each month until I have enough to buy a proper kilt made by a good and professional kiltmaker.
Thanks for the protocol of this matter, we need more of this so all can do it right, many thanks.
So many Americans have Scottish heritage. I remember men wearing yards of fabric and it was at the knee. But, when it rained or was cold they pulled it down and the back side up over their head.
I prefer it at the middle of the knee. More dignified, to my taste.
This looks more authentic for wear in settings where tradition is all-important; and the full length allows more and deeper pleating at the rear, which results in the impressive 'swing', for example when dancing. The Casual Kilt sits lower on the waist, like trousers, and uses less material.
OMG, pleats in the front and the shipping basting left in the pleats. Loving the videos and have been providing links to our clan FB page. Education never ceases. Clan Davidson.
When I wear my great kilt around my fat belly, some time later when I'm out walking my dogs my belt will slip down under my belly and my kilt feels like it's going to fall off, this is why I intentionally wear it tightly just about 3 inches below my belly and at least it won't fall off plus I wear a vest that covers my belly, I haven't had any complaints from anyone so far.
In this country too many have the it's my kilt, I'll wear it however I want attitude.
I wear a modern denim utility kilt (Got-Kilt form here in Michigan), and I purposefully wear at the waist, like I would a pair of pants.
I have a bit of a gut, so that's part of it and I don't like the feel of the fabric against my gut so I don't like cloth riding up that high anyways, but the other part is that I'm not trying to adhere to a tradition. Also, I don't let the back ride-up high. (I have friends who have kilts who do that and... ugh, that's one of my pet-peeves... when that back lifts up 3-4" when they walk or (worse) bend over.
(I also don't use a sporran since the kilt has pockets, so I'm really not trying to look "traditional" either.)
I would say one of the things that I see that is ridiculous is when guys are in kilts and figure it is their opportunity to wear a large knife, dirk, dagger, etc... it just looks silly to say nothing to the fact that it puts people on edge (see what I did there, :) ). A sgian dubh should be enough.
My buddy who is color blind and wore a tartan kilt with a tweed jacket and a gingham check shirt with a striped tie and mustard colored hose. OMG! Not just the colors clashed but the patterns clashed. That was forgivable and unforgettable. Table cloth kilts at the RenFaire are unforgivable. The new Starfleet tartan is imminently forgettable and almost unforgivable, giving Buchanan a run for it's money as worst tartan.
I have not read all the comments, but is that a Black Rifle Coffee mug??? If so, thank you for supporting us Veterans.
It's not from Black Rifle Coffee - it's from 1776 United. That being said, we do PROUDLY support our veterans. We offer a 10% veterans discount and have 21% of our workforce who are veterans (3 of 14 people). :-)
@@USAKiltsOfficial I think that's very generous of you. In the UK there isn't the support for Vets that you have in USA. I was on a course in November on Armistice Day (11/11) and the tutor stopped at 10:59 to prepare for the silence. One of the adult students asked, "Remembering what?" Part of the course was on British Values, where do they think those come from?
that brown combo and tartan is so beautiful! I want it!!!!:)
I have a kilt that was given to me that has me completely stumped, what tartan pattern it is. Since I don't have a history on it, how can I find what what tartan pattern it is? The tartan registry is huge. I feel lost in there. Help?
I just bought a wool tartan & love it. But still really need to do a family genealogy.
I use to wear a Non-Traditional Sport Kilt, but it was stolen. So I just decided to purchase a nice one this time.
I've been wearing kilts for 13 years now. I'm a bigger guy in the midsection and having a problem of either the back is riding up or it falls down and the pleats hang really low. How would I solve this problem?
I understand about the wearing it around belly thing for us bigger belly guys, but I'd still be worried about it sliding down all the time. Ive never tried to wear pants in that region without suspenders.
My pants would always want to fall down without them.
I wear a kilt just above the knee, depending how I feel, I will hike it up a bit, X dressing aside I find them so comfortable
I've just stumbled across you lads, and I'm loving these videos. But surely the biggest faux pas is the wrong footwear. I once was at a wedding where some muppet was wearing a kilt with black leather slip-on shoes and grey socks. It looked TERRIBLE. I almost never wear a kilt without ghillie brogues laced to the calf, but hiking boots or army boots can go well with a kilt, especially if you are aft tae the rugby or likes. But the wrong shoes with a kilt is a stinker. Cheers lads, CJ (Clan Lamont)
I prefer mine to be just above the knee. It feels better as I walk and the ladies like the legs
Legs & derrieres
@@amim4701 Im a Scot and wear all my kilts to just above the knee. As Diomedes says they feel better and swing better. Nicer view of legs and derriere from the rear . Its also far easier to sit down in a kilt to just above the knees.
Hello ye braw lads!! I have a question about something I hadn't thought about before until you mentioned this. The sporran hanging to low, so I switched a while back from the usual thin belt and chain style of sporran, to the 2 separate sporran "hangers" style, that individually go behind and over the kilt belt and snaps on with the short chain down to the sporran on each. My question would be regarding what is "too low" you mentioned hanging around the knee yes and I do get that, but as this style doesn't adjust as precisely as the other one, you would spread them further apart on the belt to go higher on the sporran however the slip back as the ceilidh rocks on hehe. So mine usually hangs above mid kilt area if it's the long horse hair dress sporran and maybe around 3 inches below the bottom of the belt if it's my standard sized sporran, still looks a wee bit above the center though. Would you consider this acceptable and proper sporran placement, you touched on this but never did mention the precise proper placement. :) As far as most photos I've ever seen of guys dressed up nice, its close to level with the belt/kilt top, as this doesn't work perfectly in my situation, would you have any tips on how to remedy this, I thought of some kind of extra button on or clip on "stoppers" or something on the belt to keep from sliding, but haven't seen anything resembling that even on everyday belts hehe. Thanks again for all your videos and I am a long time fan of your shop and website! You are even well known up here in Bonnie Canada! :D Slainte Mhath!
the pleats in the front remind me of my old uniform skirt I wore during my catholic school days. lol.
So, I got a kilt because of a gentleman's agreement and turns out I really enjoy it. Thank you for helping me learn about wearing it properly. Something I have noticed is that when worn as you describe it feels like a lifting belt when you are doing some heavier lifting stuff.
I happened upon this completely randomly, but I love the skunk sporran! Just wanted to say that.
What's your advice for adjusting without going to a tailor? I'm starting up a youth pipe band, and we're looking to keep costs low, but also to keep our uniform stock manageable. Is it difficult to adjust the length by an inch or two?
The other thing about wearing it too low is the belly hanging over. It looks bad.
Belly hanging over in anything looks bad!
Don't have a belly. You look more badass with abs.
wearing a Kilt at any level except what is right makes every thing wrong.
Get it done properly or don't bother. Sassenachs shouldn't bother
"Here you go 'mildly irked scotsman', have some scotch. I'm sure this will keep you calm and subdue you passionate response!"
*people quitely trying to get out of the way without making sudden movements or mentioning the English*
After my great grandfather died, my brother inherited his complete dress kilt. Grandpa was a wee man from Glascow so it was small. At the time, I could just barely fit into it. That outfit is now about 130 years old. The first time I ever tried on a kilt, I had it on backwards. Didnt know any better until I decided to get my own!
I wish your store was closer as I'd love to spend a few hours and many $$$ at your place but it's a long haul from central Ohio. Anyway, thanks for all your productions.
I cant wear a kilt to the mid ..I wear them lower ...I have them made to fit that properly though I hate my kilts hanging below the knee ..im 5'7" 140lbs ..I tend to have them cut to 34w 38h with a 20" langth it usually lays just above the mid of the knee and low enough to miss the medical device I have to wear from time to time ....im not sure if wearing it higher or lower on the body is the issue ...it's more knowing where you will wear it and have it fit to the correct length.
I remember in the late 1970s being in a pipe band of all women except for me and the Pipe Major. One day, Pipey wasn’t well and had to give it a rest for a good while. He put me in charge. We didn’t have a lot of funds and the new kilts were too lightweight imho. They didn’t even give me a sporran but lucky for me, the Pipe Major, who was in the A&SH, loaned me a real badger head sporran he had. We went to a local highland games and there was a truck with the Scots Guards recruitment guys there and I strutted past them a few times when I saw them pointing at me and admiring my sporran. I was so grateful to Pipey for the sporran because I was 20 and there was a couple of gorgeous Irish girls in the band 😻.
A flattering appearance ... From a "FLATTER" tummy
Thanks for the heads up, I Wear a Kilt to,
That was very helpful. Thanks
Incorrect flash placement is a pet peeve. Or wearing what looks like girls' knee high socks. Cheap synthetic and thin with no visible knit pattern- in temperate climates. Hey- if it's hot i get some people don't like wearing wool. But in Canadian or northern lower 48 states climate- i have worn my wool kilt and hose in extremely cold and hot weather. As a natural fabric- wool is a wonderfully
versatile garment material
Once saw white trainers with a kilt. In fact it was my brother. I still mention it to him many many years later. Got him telt. Never hope tae see yer likes again, appalled.
Better than seeing guys in longer women's skirts marching in their clan at a highland gathering. And they kept doing it each year too!
For a gent, every 'true scot' knows that the kilt should be worn such that it rides at the top of the kneecap. This becomes abundantly clear if it's worn for a duration of time involving walking (or dancing etc) as chaffing will occur if worn lower then the top of the kneecap.
The only other 'issue' which has been made abundantly clear regards an individual wearing a kilt belonging to a particular Clan and the individual not having any lineage to that particular Clan.
Hey guys I have a long torso and short legs . If I wear my kilt at or above my knees my waist line is at my chest . Any help
I wear a kilt slightly too short, but also below the belly button, the reason for below is because no matter what I do the kilt wont stay above and ends up below the belly button, I wear them all day for work. I like them short, well because I do, its not a heretic thing, I just think they are a very comfortable item.
I did see someone on TV once with the pleats at the front 🤣🤣🤣
I have modern kilts. At 50" waist and 24" length. The 24" just isn't long enough to cover mid knee. Im just to tall
You can usually get modern kilts in longer lengths for a small additional charge.
Which of your kilts are you wearing in the video? Is that the semi-traditional, 5 yard, or 8 yard? I'm guessing it's not the 8 yard because the weight looks to be too light. Thank you for the videos, the content is great.
They're both 8 Yard Kilts. Rocky (left) is wearing the 16 oz Scott Green Weathered tartan. Eric (right) is wearing the 13 oz Alaska State Seal tartan.
In Canada 🇨🇦 too low means it’s winter ❄️… thick Sox’s are a tradition. What about argyle overcoats ? Is that a bad look?
I agree 100% with everything you said. Ironically, the before and after pictures of the overweight man wearing the kilt at the waist as opposed to the hips (while you were talking about sporrans being worn too low) the guy's sporran was worn too low. It should be one hand width from the top of the kilt.
I saw a man working a booth at a Ren Faire last month with his kilt on backwards! UGH!
The other faux pas is not removing the basting stitches before wearing the kilt. Again, this is usually done by newbies and I usually try to privately tell them, and even help them, remove the stitches.
Oh, and it looks really bad when a person's kilt doesn't have the tartan pattern symmetrically centered on the apron.
Clan Gregor here! I wear the traditional red and green tartan, but I also wear a short kilt, because I am a woman. I do make sure my pin is placed in the correct position, and my sporran is worn correctly. I hate ghillies, but I use flashes and keep it as good as I can bring a woman. I hope I haven’t looked like an ass this whole time :(
BunnieSueWho ..I recon you would look very sweet, don’t worry your trying to do your best and that’s all that matters because you care. Big hugs ,take care. 💐 👍
hello fellow gregor :D
As someone of Scandinavian decent, i naturally gravitated toward longer kilts that go below my knees. Ive been wearing a kilt every day for almost 18 years. Literally every day. I wear the waste low like pants. I wear utility kilts. And it goes below my knees because i buy them longer on purpose.
Thanks gentlemen. I just got a nice kilt (purchased in St Andrew, Scotland). I just need a chain or strap for my sporin. Do you have videos about what kind of shirt goes good with a kilt? I'm not a button up shirt person. I like tunics. Any suggestions?
I normally wear a plain button up shirt but if you don't like those, look up jacobite shirts. Can buy them from most decent retailers.
Depends on the occasion for me, formal will be a shirt and tie, rugby match or night down the pub, just a t-shirt or a rugby jersey. Wear whatever you’re comfortable in. Fashion is subjective, there are no hard and fast rules.
As an American in the United States. I wear my kilt as traditional as possible. That being said I do not wear a sporran often. I largely wear my kilt when my band Altar of Bedlam play concerts. JB
What about wearing a full grand kilt?
I have a problem wearing my kilt on my belly because I tend to suck in my gut and it just falls so I do wear it a little above my waist.
I have to go with the one that is probably mostly well-intentioned but just makes me cringe whenever I see it. Men wearing tartan sashes, with the kilt, so that they sort of kind of look like a plaid. I have even seen these worn in different tartans than the kilt, and once even saw a tartan winter scarf used for this purpose.
Proportionally the Kilt at the very top of the kneecap or bisecting the kneecap looks correct, once the belt, sporran, hose and boots are in place, the entire lower half has a nice symmetry and balance.
I've been wearing a Kilt for over 20 years now.
Asked Kilt wearing Scots a million questions about proper attire, and I'm a stickler for tradition.
At a Celtic festival I saw 2 men walking around with pleats that were still stay stitched from shipping. They didn't know they were supposed to take that thread out so the pleats could swing freely.
I've seen street bands wearing a great kilt with the top part hanging down the front right to the ankle, I prefer to tuck the front part behind me and let it hang down the back.
Huh?
I was in Scotland to buy a kilt. First, with all those touristy stores, it was near impossible to find a store that sold a women's Size 14/16 kilt! I was informed that most sizes accommodate Asians who form the biggest tourist group which visit Scotland!This forced me, a woman, to buy a second hand men's kilt, which breaks all the rules! I wanted a Princess Diana kilt that was designed for her foundation by the Scottish kilt maker association, but walked away with an unknown pattern. It's all good and my kilt is above knee! However, many of these issues come from the kilt industry themselves, wanting to make a quick buck and not servicing the people properly! That Asian tourists take presidence and are more important than average size women is bad policy. Therefore, the industry has created these issues which are exacerbated by people being under served by retail. Edinburgh should care more about its culture and not just see wearing a kilt as making a quick buck! If they did this, then people would be less apt to wear kilts improperly and women wouldn't be insulting men by putting on their attire!
I can not agree more with them. Especially with where the kilt is worn. Everytime i measure the guy asks why that high, and usually im a bit higher than the naval because they are a heavier set man and the belly button is un the under curve of their belly.
Then the sporran, for larger guys im always recommending them to go with sporran suspenders and a kilt belt. then they don't have to worry about the sporran chain/belt digging in and forming a crease under the belly, because it hangs off the belt.
Your Photo @ 4 min 50 sec shows another issue - the sporran belt undercutting the belly. This is why I like sporran hangers.
as you noted at 5:10.
I’m a Scotsman, who owns 5 kilts, and 3 sporrans and I’ve never heard or seen sporran hangers! I’ve always found the chain kinda annoying, hangers might be the way to go!
I've seen people leave the shipping stitches in. Honest mistake though if they don't have sewing knowledge
what are shipping stitches? i'm thinking i'll get a kilt soon so i'd like to know.
@@calebmurray3945 It's a basting stitch along the bottom of the pleats to keep them neat and tidy in the box. It's in a contrasting color thread, like bright white, so it's easy to see and remove.
@@MichaelRainey thanks
@@calebmurray3945 basting stitches that hold the pleats in place during shipping. You simply cut the stitch (the basting stitches will be obvious) and then pull them out, usually in one piece. Then the pleats hang free.
I'm a short guy and my kilts land just at or just bellow the ball of my knee. Most places don't make them to the right length for me.
Why/how did you two get into wearing kilts?
I also wear suspenders to make sure mine wont drop to low.
Hey guys what about utility kilt. I have wear my on my stomach it covers my knees
This may be an odd question but if you have many different Scottish families in your heritage which tartan do you decide to wear? My husbands family on his mothers side is Scottish but there are many clans. Do you trace back to the most recent or do you go back further? And is it based on a particular side of the family?
Also, if your heritage is Welsh, Irish, and Scottish which nationality do you decide to embrace when choosing your tartan?
Thank you
Could wear them all or just pick one you are more drawn to
Pick one you like! Don't be too drawn into clans and such! Just wear what you love :)
You could pick any clan kilt and wear the crest/brooches/kilt pins of the other clansof your family, in my case i bought 2 out of 3 kilt pins to go with my kilt since I have difficulty finding a kilt that fits at the waist and length(within my budget) only one I was able to find was black watch
Whichever one strikes your fancy. I decend from multiple clans and am weaving a tartan plaid from several of these to make outfits. Maiden name, Brown. Scottish Brown.
I chose the Dalriada tartan that pre-dated the clan tartans because I have Irish and Scotish ancestors and the Dalriada Kingdom was an over kingdom that covered the areas in both Ireland and Scotland where both families came from.
what aggregates me is i try to look up vids or pics related to kilts and they post things about someone who “kilt it”
they think of the word “kilt” as alternative to “killed”
I've been wearing my kilt on my hips now for 20+ years... my hips are slim, and thats where it falls.. however, it doesn't go past my knees. BTW...I'm a Celtic musician, and perform at highland games, so none of this is new to me.
I'm glad you addressed the belly issue
The correct height can easily be attained by kneeling up straight and adjust the height so the bottom of the kilt just about touches the floor
It's funny watching this because I wear mine lower so that it actually hits the knee. If I actually wear it at the navel, it's about an inch off. I had messed up my measurements a little when I ordered one from USA Kilts, but it turned out okay! I have a kidney problem (yes 1 kidney) so it works out perfectly 🤣
When should one wear a Glengarry?
How about the folks wearing the pleats in the front and apron in the back?
What the actual fuck? This happens?
Why would you wear it back too front?
I see it often. I havm't a clue why.
Saw a guy once wearing his Kilt with the pleats in the front?!!
Should colored dress shirts (Like Black or Lt. Blue) be worn with a kilt and under a black Argyll jacket and waistcoat or a Gray Braemar jacket and waistcoat? And what about button down collars?
Very formal, I would stick with a white shirt. Semi formal, wear whatever looks good!
When dancing i was tought ways of measuring with my fingers etc. Like the hose should stop att three fingers from this bone at the side of the knee , the kilt should go from the middle of the navel to the middle of the knee cap etc.
Though done historically, i think a modern kilt worn above the knees looks awful.
When I put on certain kilts just to line it up it can take 30 minutes to get fully dressed
You should try wear a full Plaid, that's fun some times to put on.
I think you're over thinking this, some pictures of scots way back in the day had their kilt at least 6 inches above their knee, I wouldn't wear it like that but it would depend on circumstances as to why if I was wading across a river that wasn't too deep and not wanting to get my kilt wet.
This JUST a joke. Though I don’t have a kilt that fits anymore nor an occasion to wear it, the skn dubh my father bought me when I was 11 in 1971, is one of the few possessions I actually care about. So, this joke which you may have heard is SELF-DEPRECATING and you can roll with it if someone tells it:
Q: Why do Scotsmen wear the kilt?
A: Because sheep can hear zippers.
Ok, cool off.
I have mine cut with an extra inch because I found out that if you are a Walmart employee they cannot stop you from wearing it. But they do have conditions. It cannot be measured 3 inches above the knee like the requirement for a skirt and of course the kilt will not reach that, but since I don't want them to cry about it I get an extra inch put in. They also require me not to go "Traditional" because I bend over a lot
Worked on the Zoo interchange project in Milwaukee wi. At safety meeting we were told no kilts, safety issue and all.
While in that meeting instructor asked a guy if he spoke Spanish and if could serve as an interpreter bc not all understood English. He went on to say one does even understand the command stop. So, they're worried about you getting your bare legs injured but not concerned you could get flattened by a 20 ton machine bc the operator doesn't understand the command stop. Oh what a world we live in.
the only reason for me to wear a kilt below the knee is in winter, when it's freaking cold...
Wear trews then.
The wind still blows & chills the jewels. ;)
The Carptender's Khaki / Pleated by Seattle, Washington State's ::: Utilikilt ::: is worn by a few, in Portland Oregon - and I don't really understand WHY ?!? Does anyone remember Wrestler, Rodney Piper ?! --- what makes the Pacific Northwest so different than what's happening across The Atlantic Ocean ?!?
Hahaha ... Rowdy Roddy Piper. Good times.
The kilt length is purely about old military use. They didn't want the rough wool rubbing on the back of the knee when marching. I think the masculine vs feminine idea of it came later
How do you feel about "utili kilts"
You mean a skirt lol
Lol
love them. I own 2
Tough as nails!
Loath them with a passion you can not imagine