Shortening a military box pleat from the top?

[BruceBC]

Someone in my pipe band would like their kilt shortened from the top by 3/4 of an inch. This seems like a daunting task and would throw off the taper and flare. The kilt owner finds the bottom of the kilt too low on the knee. Would simply moving the straps a touch lower allow the kilt to be snugged into the lower back, giving a slightly higher ride? Any thoughts? Would this kilt be a complete redo?

Thanks

B

[Father Bill]

3/4" is hardly worth it. Why wouldn't he just hike it up an inch?

[The Wizard of BC]

If you remember from Kilt Kamp there are a few other factors to think about with this type of job.

First - Is the person wearing the kilt where it was designed to be worn or are they choosing to wear it lower?
Some things to look at to tell if the kilt is being worn where it was designed to be worn - Is the bottom of the Fell at the crest of the hips?If, because the kilt is being worn lower, the Fell is now too low, shortening from the top is your only option.

Is the kilt built with flare above the top strap? If not then the top of the kilt and not the top strap will fit into the smallest part of the body. You may be able to add flare which would raise the kilt about 1 -2 inches.

Remember the strap hole. Any alteration like this will usually require you to sew the original strap hole closed and create a new one.

Remember that if you change where the kilt fits it may require changing the size of the kilt. Do you have spare fabric to add to the waist banding?

[Panache]

Bruce,

Is a jacket or doublet part of your pipe band's uniform?

If so, the answer for your friend is as simple as a pair of suspenders / braces. This is a simple way to get your kilt to ride at the exact right height if it is a little long or large. As long as the braces are covered by a jacket, waistcoat, or doublet they are an easy way to get your kilt in the right position and keep it there.


Cheers

Jamie

[Arnot]

Disregard. Already covered before I finished my post.

[BruceBC]

Thank you for the collected wisdom. These are pretty much the thoughts I shared with the kilt owner. Not sure if they had complete faith in what I told them about the complex nature of kilt design. I can now hand back the kilt and let them know that this alteration will be major undertaking and that I have also consulted experts in the field . This should help them decide if it is worth the money and effort for a minor change in length. To my eye the length of the kilt seems fine, but everyone has their own take on this when it comes to their kilt. Steve do you mind if I refer him to you, if he wants to move forward on this?

cheers

B.