Is my kilt the size I think it is?

[Steve Ashton]

Ok, let's move on to the waist circumference measurement. How do you find out what the waist size of a kilt is?

When you put a kilt on, the outer apron overlaps the under apron. We all know that. But how much?
Well, that is a good question. And again we need to talk to our kiltmaker before we order.

Here is the front apron of a traditional style kilt.

I need you to look closely at the Tartan pattern in this kilt apron.




Can you see that the double white lines appear to be at the center of the apron?
Can you also see that the fringed edge of the apron is different from the non-fringed edge?

Well, on a kilt made in this Traditional manner the outer apron is designed to overlap the under apron by 1".

Again, not all kilts are made the same. It is very common today not to have this extra inch added when laying out the aprons. I have not, in recent years, seen a Scottish made kilt made with this 1" of extra even though this is the traditional way to do it.

You don't need to know this when you are measuring to send in your kilt order. You don't even need to know this when you wear the kilt.

The only time you need to know this is when you are measuring a kilt on the table.



OK, take your your tape measure and let's find out what the waist size of this kilt is.


Start at the fringed edge of the outer apron aligned with the top strap on a traditional kilt with the flare to the Rise above the top strap. If the kilt you have does not have the flare you will measure at the smallest part of the kilt.
Now, carefully measure across the kilt At the level of the top straps and buckles on a Traditionally made kilt - from the edge of the outer apron - all the way over to the right edge of the under apron. (Do not measure the under apron.)

(If your kilt has the extra 1" start measuring 1" in from the fringe.)



The idea here is quite simple but it is interesting how many people don't think about it.

The outer apron wraps around and overlaps the under apron. The waist measurement of a kilt is then - from the right edge of one apron all the way across to the right edge of the other apron.

On the kilt in this example the waist measurement is 34".