Why not make a kilt 4" wider than it needs to be?

[OC Richard]

Why not make the kilt say, 4" wider than my measurements, and put the buckle where it should be for my current weight?

I can speak to this from recent personal experience because due to a bit of weight loss a couple of my kilts are around 4" too big.

On the wearer's right it's a simple matter to move the buckles further towards the centre of the back of the kilt.

Now the fringed side of the upper-apron is overlapping some of the pleated portion. It's not really noticeable when the kilt is worn. (My kilts are pleated to the stripe and don't have belt loops so the back of the kilt has no centre-point to be thrown off.)

The problem arises on the other side, where the strap has to be moved 4 inches further from the edge of the under apron.

Which means that now there's 4 inches of loose unsupported fabric on the wearer's left side.

When I put on the kilt I have to pull up and flatten that fabric, otherwise it can get bunched up, which isn't comfortable. It can also slip down so the corner of the under-apron is peeking out from under the upper apron.

It was bugging me so my solution was to take off the strap, fold over and stitch down 4 inches of the under apron, and put the strap back.

Yes there was extra bulk underneath on my left side but it felt and looked better than having that extra loose fabric.

The good part is that it's easily reversible if I should gain back that weight.