5 yards kilt on the Big Guys

[Colin]

I have been thinking about ordering a new kilt soon. I had been leaning towards a 4-5 yard casual from some 14oz wool that I already have, but lately I have been leaning more towards just getting the MacKenzie Weathered I have always wanted. During a recent discussion with another member of the forum, the topic of 5 yard or casual kilts came up. Do 5 yard kilts look odd on bigger guys? Now I am not talking about a 4 yard PV kilt as I have had a few of those an know what those look like. I am sure the Sport kilts, or Utilikilts, etc are good kilts, but I am talking about the 5 yard knife pleat wool tartan kilts in 13oz or 16oz wool, or the box pleated 4 yard kilts.

Anyone have any experience with these and some pics? It would be most helpful

[RockyR]

I've done DOZENS of 5 yard wool kilts on bigger guys (our average customer is probably a 44" waist). I don't think it looks bad at all!

2 suggestions...

1. Get 16 oz wool. It hangs better (than 13 oz) in a 5 yarder and gives a little more swing to the kilt.

2. Ask the maker (depending on your size) if you can get a "6 yard wool" kilt. Depending on how big the sett is and how big you are, the extra material gives a little more depth to the pleats.

[thescot]

If you look at my photo at http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...t=22431&page=8 you'll see a fairly "big-boned" fellow in a five-yard kilt. I'm about 6'-3" and the waist is--I hate to say--about 43".

I don't think it looks bad at all. In fact, I like to think I cut a dashing figure.

[Colin]

I don't think it looks bad at all. In fact, I like to think I cut a dashing figure.

Aye, quite the dashing figure indeed. That helped alot, as I am thinking of a weathered tartan. I am about an inch taller and an inch or two wider.

[MacHummel]

Yeah depending on the size of the sett and the size of the persons hips tells you weather you have a 5yrd or 6yrd I personally perfer 8yrds in the PV but when I made wool kilts for those persons 44 and up the amount of fabric increases I just finished a kilt for a customer and this issue came up kilt was completed no problems .
Basically I agree with Rocky maybe I shopuld have said that in the beginning

[MacHummel]

Good Luck Colin

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Colin,

Go for it, you'll look great. Any decent kilt maker will take size into account when making your kilt. For instance, for hips over 46" all my "four yard" box pleated kilts actually have 5 yards or so. And my "five yard" knife pleated kilts will actually have six yards. So size is taken into account. The largest kilt I have made was a "four yard" box pleated kilt made from six yards of cloth for a 68" waist!

The client emailed me after he got the kilt just gushing about how good he looked in it (I think it was his first peice of tailor-made clothing and I'm sure he had a hard time finding a decent fit otherwise).

Anyway, moral of the story is the kilt will look just fine. I do agree with Rocky, though -- go for the heaiver weight.

Aye,
Matt

[Colin]

Thanks guys, I kind of figured as much. I appreciate the comments from the 3 kiltmakers as well. Thanks for sharing your insight guys.

So now, anyone got any pics?

[RockyR]

The guy on the right side has a Graham 5 yarder. The guy on the left has a County Crest Laois 5 yarder


The guy in the Middle (dark kilt) has a 5 yarder


I BELIEVE that this is a 5 (maybe 6) yarder I did for Phil (on XMARKS). I don't remember exactly how many yards he sent me.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

The above are front and back views of a 5 yard ancient MacFarlane I made.


This is our own MacSimoin in the first ever kilt in the FitzSimmons tartan, again a 5 yard knife pleated kilt.



Lastly, here are front and back views of another 5 yard FitzSimmons kilt, this one made from the second run of the cloth from House of Edgar (note the slightly darker colors).