HELP How do you get in a car?

[hector]

I steer the car the continental way and apply the method described by Chas. I use a long winter scarf as tool. It works very well too.

[tripleblessed]

Orionson and Father Bill have all the necessary moves covered. I usually only need the final arched back sweep when wearing one of my cheap acrylic kilts, the wool seems to manage much better. I can only agree that traveling in a kilt is definitely the way to go, the occasional extra sweep is a small price to pay for not having to continually extricate trousers from where they are least comfortable, particularly if, like me, you have a protuberant bum.

While I don't think of mine as protuberant , the differential between waist and seat is enough (8-9 inches) to have Rocky call
me to double check before cutting fabric _ "Is there some reason you have such a big a$$?". No, just, for a guy, a small waist.
As a result, kilts seem to hang differently. Similar to Chas, and on advice garnered here, I keep a towel in the car. Standing facing away from the seat, I stretch the towel across behind me, sit and swivel. I typically do not attempt to extricate the towel,as it
sits flat beneath, and would disturb pleats on the way out. Feels a bit silly, but functions well.

[1oldsarge]

I read about the beach towel on here some time back, and it works fine.

[RockyR]

While I don't think of mine as protuberant , the differential between waist and seat is enough (8-9 inches) to have Rocky call
me to double check before cutting fabric _ "Is there some reason you have such a big a$$?".

For those who haven't figured it out, he's taking a bit of liberty with his paraphrasing.

To the OP: If it's a big issue for you, try taking a bath towel and wrapping it around your waist OVER the kilt and hold it snug as you sit down in the car and swivel your feet in. The towel will hold the pleats in place and keep them looking neat. Then when you exit the car, leave the towel on the front seat for your return.

[HippieLee]

...Also many fabric carseats don't allow for a swivel as they seem to grip cloth...

And this is why my next car will have leather seats.


(I was planning on getting them anyway before I even thought of the kilt applications - but it's a nice bonus!)

[creagdhubh]

I'm fairly sure this dilemma has been discussed here before, and I bow to the experts before adding my tuppence...

After 50 years of regular kilt wearing this is how I address the matter. I begin by standing with my back to the open car door and the backs of my calves touching door sill. I sweep the pleats down from bum to knee on both sides simultaneously whilst lowering said bum down onto the seat. Once down I pivot and swing my legs up into the car. The pleats usually hold their flattened position under said bum during this maneuver. Settle and adjust, as necessary once a comfortable forward position is achieved.

I have always found the kilt to be an exceptionally comfortable garment to drive in. Especially on hot summer days with the AC on full blast and directed to it's most advantageous location.

Well said, John!

[Phillip1114]

I'm fairly sure this dilemma has been discussed here before, and I bow to the experts before adding my tuppence...

After 50 years of regular kilt wearing this is how I address the matter. I begin by standing with my back to the open car door and the backs of my calves touching door sill. I sweep the pleats down from bum to knee on both sides simultaneously whilst lowering said bum down onto the seat. Once down I pivot and swing my legs up into the car. The pleats usually hold their flattened position under said bum during this maneuver. Settle and adjust, as necessary once a comfortable forward position is achieved.

I have always found the kilt to be an exceptionally comfortable garment to drive in. Especially on hot summer days with the AC on full blast and directed to it's most advantageous location.

Well it looks like I have been doing it right all along, I've wondered if there was a special way to do it.

[Creag]

I drive a mid-size SUV and I'm short, so the seat more or less lines up with my bum in a standing position rather than being lower so that I could sit down into it. I haven't found any difficulty getting the kilt situated. I climb in as normal, lift my bum after I'm seated, and straighten the pleats. I also have leather seats and I'm pretty sure that helps. I've noticed that even jeans will bunch uncomfortably if I'm driving a car with cloth seats for any distance.

[tpa]

I also have leather seats and I'm pretty sure that helps.

Sure does.

[MacGumerait]

Douggie M , I agree with all the responses , good information .

I have also noticed that it depends on the type of kilt one is wearing , some require a little more attention when taking a seat in the car .

If I am wearing a full 8 yd 16 oz wool kilt , then a simple sweep of the pleats as I turn and set generally works just fine . An 8 yd kilt with knife pleats in a 16 oz fabric works quite well , smaller pleats are easy to sweep and the weight of the fabric helps . Usually no problem , although I'm only speaking for myself .

On the other hand , if I am wearing a lighter weight PV or an acrylic fabric kilt with a lot less yardage and larger pleats , then it becomes a bit more fussy as the fabric does tend to crease and the pleats are a bit more unruly when trying to set in a vehicle due to the size pleats and the lighter weight of the fabric . In this case , I use the sweep and towel in the seat method .

I'm not criticizing one type of kilt over the other ( I own all three types ) , just saying that I use different methods depending on what I'm wearing .

Cheers , Mike