Kilt Length - How long should your traditional Scottish kilts be?
With many Scottish Highland Festivals getting into high gear this time of year, it brings to my mind the first time I decided to kilt up and go to my local games. I had never worn a Scottish kilt before and was unsure of how it should look and be worn. I, of course, turned to Google in search of answers. I found several kilt related chat rooms/websites where many people were willing to offer advice. In fact, I put my picture up on those sites with me in my new kilt. From many people I got the same response: You are wearing your kilt too low. I was told that my kilt needed to be above the knee cap.
I HATED IT! I never wore anything above my knee cap. I thought if I had to wear it that high I would also need to be wearing long brown socks and black loafers to complete the old time outfit! I had always worn shorts at lower mid-knee or all the way past my knees. I wanted my kilt to be the same.
Then I realized something. I went to several formal dinners wearing my new kilt along with some other less formal activities. I realized the NO ONE cared about how long or short my kilt was. In fact, no one ever said anything to me about my kilt. We were usually talking about the food.
There is a small group of kilt ‘purists’ out there that think you should follow tradition and wear it exactly how it has been worn in the past. This group tends to be very over-represented on certain kilt related websites, but are a very, very small minority when compared to all of us that wear kilts. You know what I did? Ignored them.
All my kilts come to below my knee. I wear sandals with kilts and t-shirts. I don’t wear kilt hose all the time. I occasionally wear hose flashes. I probably have broken every kilt ‘rule’ out there. But you know what? Who cares? You, I, and everyone else should wear the kilt however we want. Let those small group of purists wear it how they want. And if you like it that high, go for it! But as for me, I am going to wear for comfort. So remember, kilt up, kilt on, and NEVER look back!
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