Kilt height guide. Sort of.

[OC Richard]

Very good

Now are we going to have to debate if half-way up the knee is the correct length.

For sure people can debate about their opinions on what is "correct" but when I put my historian cap on I just look at the evidence, which shows:

1) Kilt length has been fairly stable over the centuries, certainly showing less variance than most other aspects of clothing. The maximum variation amongst experienced kilt-wearers is only around 2 inches over the last couple hundred years.

2) Kilt length, within the same time period, has always varied a bit from individual to individual.

3) In the 18th century it tended to be around the top of the knee, while throughout the Victorian period and the 20th century it varied between the top of the knee and the middle of the knee, the kilt covering around 1/3 of the knee being average.

4) The army continued the slightly higher stance for a longer period that civilians tended to do.

5) There is a recent trend to keep the kilt a bit lower, with the kilt covering around 2/3 of the knee or even all of the knee. Seems to me that this trend is mainly powered by newer, inexperienced kilt-wearers, and Pipe Band drummers. (Why so many Drum Corps have low kilts while the Pipe Corps have proper kilts I have no idea.)