One thing that I try to stress with my customers is not to use their naval as a guage for the height of their kilts.
Depending on your body shape the level of your navel may be different than someone with a different body shape.

Kilts that are made in the traditional manner, the Fell or sewn down and tapered area in the back, is not a straight line. It tapers smaller till it gets to the level of the top straps, It them flares back out above the straps. This means that the smallest part of the kilt is at the top strap.



This style of kilt is worn at the natural waist. To find your natural waist turn your hand so your spread fingers point towards your back. Place your hand with your fingers on your spine and your thumb at your side just under your ribs.
Then bend sideways towards your thumb. You will feel your thumb go into a depression or hollow just under your ribs. That is your natural waist. It is the smallest part of your body and where you cinch the straps.

If your kilt does not have this two way taper then you must adjust it till the smallest part of the kilt is worn at the smallest part of the body.


Now, if you do not have a Traditional style kilt, if you wish to wear your kilt at other than full rise, then the best thing to do is find where the waistband of your kilt would fit best given your body shape.

This is most easily done with a strap or belt. Put the strap around your self where it feels comfortable to you. Snug it up a bit but not tight enough that it cannot move. Then slide it side to side. Allow the strap to move till it is laying where it naturally wants to fit on your body. If you then put your kilt on at this level it will stay in place quite naturally.

Again, do not use your navel as a referance. I tell my customers to pay attention to their back, near the spine. There are three places on the body that are sort of natural for a waistband to lay. One is up at the natural waist (or if you will up at kidney level.)

The next place is into the small or nape of the back. To find this place back up to a wall, reach behind yourself and find where your spine if furthest away from the wall.

This is what I call 'mid-rise'. At mid-rise the waistband will usually sit just on top of your hip bones. A kilt worn at mid-rise can fit quite loosly as it is supported by the hip bones.

Low rise I define as 'Jeans waist'. The waistband of the kilt will sit on the flare of the butt in the rear and at the sides be below or over the hip bones.

Notice that the three levels are not referanced to the navel. They are found where a belt would fit naturally on your body. Where ever that is.