Oh Oh.. my kilts don't fit -what now?

[Barry]

I am in that turning decade of life where I gracefully(?) slide into being an old git. Over the past few years the effects of beer, wine, clotted cream, etc. have had their effect. (What's this guy babbling about?)

For sure, I'm afraid that my waist line, which has been a constant 32" for as long as I can remember, has crept up to 34". This means that all of my kilts are either too tight or straining at the last hole of the buckles.


What can be done? I certainly can't afford to replace all my kilts.

Advice please ( yes, I am dieting a bit) ;) I'm UK based BTW

[caig]

Im in the same boat Barry. Please let me know what the solution is !!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

It should be a fairly simple matter to have your kilt let out, especially if you are only talking about a matter of 2". Any reputable kiltmaker there in the UK near you should be able to offer this service.

[macsim]

Same problem here. I've lost a little bit but I have a long way to go. I exercise almost daily but once you hit your 40's that's just not enough. It really comes down to what you're eating and how much.

Matt, I'm still going to get that FitZSimmons kilt some day but I do want to try to lose a bit more before doing it. Maybe I could just go ahead and have custom, foot-long straps attached so I can fluctuate!

[Blu (Ontario)]

If you don't mind cheating a bit, you could add longer straps. This will mean that the center stripes front and back will no longer be centered. You can shift the front around a bit, but the back will be off center. Not the best solution, by any means, but if it means wearing it or bannishing the poor kilt to the back of the closet, I'd take the former.

[Barb T]

If you've grown, the simplest thing to do for starters is to move the apron buckle(s) and the underapron strap over. If the underapron shows much, however (and that will depend on where the kiltmaker put the buckles and straps to begin with), you'll need to have the kilt let out, as Matt says. 2" can be accommodated easily, and the kilt will look essentially the same after the alteration.

If you're losing weight, I'd definitely move the buckles and strap rather than doing any major alteration until you're sure where your weight will settle. It's something you can do yourself, and it really isn't noticeable. One of our pipers lost 70 pounds, and I've moved the buckles and straps on her kilt over 5" on each side. Yes, the apron goes farther around the kilt than it should, and the center back stripe isn't in the center back any more, but you really have to look to notice it.

Just remember that you move only the apron buckles. Moving the buckle near the buttonhole doesn't do anything. Instead of moving that buckle, you move the underapron strap closer to the edge if you need more room or toward the center if you want the kilt tighter.

Let me know if you need details!

Barb

[Robin]

Kilt extension strap

[Barry]

Many thanks guys and gals. One way or another my kilts will fit

[auld argonian]

Ah...Robin beat me to it! I saw those extension straps on that website a while ago...tres amusement! I assume that they will be a temporary solution and that come the spring and summer we will all be trimming down.

Best

AA

[Raphael]

DIet and Exercise. Watch your fat intake and empty calories. I am trying to stay my size so that I don't have to buy new kilts.