How do leg proportions affect kilt proportions?

[OC Richard]

Kilts do not flare out...from the lower edge of the fell, the sewn part at the back, downwards the pleats should hang straight down...

Sorry but I'll have to disagree a bit with you there.

I never realised how critical the flare was to the look of a kilt until I bought a cheap "casual" kilt that hung straight down.

It looked horrible.

Yes a proper kilt doesn't flare much, but it does flare some, and the flare is needed for the kilt to look right IMHO.

Two modern military pipers:



A Victorian gent:



A modern Pipe Band drum corps:



I purposely picked photos where men have both legs straight down, so we know it's not the angle of the legs making the kilt flare.

(Of course I understand that the flare happens with the aprons and that the pleats, in theory, hang straight down. But look at the back of the kilt of the left-hand piper in the top photo.)