Are Extra Long Kilts Still Kilts?

[@Piper-Dave]

I've heard the reason kilts stopped at or above the knee is because of the various plants and brush in the highlands that would cling to fabrics making it difficult to walk through them. By having the kilt stop above the knee, it allows for greater freedom of movement through the various vegetation of the highlands. With this in mind, not even the belted plaid (great kilt) would have been worn below the knee. Some might argue Highlanders wore it lower in the wintertime to keep warm, however, records suggest in wintertime they would have worn trews. It's possible some may have worn a kilt below the knee for various reasons, but they would be the exception.

[@Piper-Dave]

@JOSEF BORG Indeed. The Tartan Authority has some good articles about the Great Kilt and its evolution. www.tartansauthority.com/highland-dress/ancient/

[@adamwiggins9865]

David Perkins fucking fairy tales.... kilts are comfortable, but rarely practical.... why does nobody rock military trews with a cutaway or doublet and sporran, waist-belt and spats? Some badass looking drum majors in those 1800’s military painting prints.

[@mister-v-3086]

Our Scottish living history group used to...and still may...do "kilt demonstrations" (Great Kilt, of course). We heard this once and passed it on for Years. "There are three lengths to the kilt. Above the knee, you're free and available - girls take note! Middle of the knee, you're Took! The Mrs. will not put up with poaching! Below the knee---you're braggin'." Always got a good laugh and never a bit of argument.

[@pipsheppard6747]

Yes, it does morph into something else, and it no longer remains a kilt. Both of you hit the nail on the head. Where's my scissors!

[@harrypeacefulwarrior]

I love kilts, still breathlessly awaiting my first "Bespoke", kilt. I watch some vids here on KZbin of "Great Kilt", or "Great Plaid", a giant tartan rectangle, folded into pleats on the floor on top of the Great Belt. I prefer the ones you and I know so well, but this seems to be an older, possibly ancient or medieval tradition, until the English banned them. Your thoughts? I'm new.

[@timothycook337]

No one really cares for the historical accuracy, unless you were at a reenacting event of some kind.

[@Possumcods]

You guys remind me of Statler and Waldorf. The two old cantankerous guys from the early muppet show.

[@straycat1674]

My personal opinion when it comes to certain aspects of fashion certain items, they are defined by very strict parameters. If you move out of those parameters they are no longer that type of garment but region to parameters of other types. If you are wearing a kilt but it is too short it is now a mini skirt. If you are wearing a kilt that is too long it is now a skirt or a dress. The garment itself is defined by where on a man they fall.

[@1bguyl]

Off topic, but I can't figure out where to ask, so here is as good as anywhere. When are we going to get all the tartan's on the bookshelf ID'd? Maybe even a link with a tartan map would be nice. Could be a start for many to be able to ID several of the more common tartans by sight.

[@reohorse42]

I have one that hangs just at the bottom of the knee and another just at the top. The lower one is nice on cooler days. And not always comfortable with the higher one that one I just where around the house.

[@kiltymacbagpipe]

I remember reading and interview with the Piper on this tour and he wasn’t impressed with the kilt length but he was on tour with Madonna so he was okay with it.

[@RodFleming-World]

If the kilt is too long it slaps on the back of your legs when walking, which is a royal PITA, especially if it's wet.

[@david.leikam]

I prefer 23" drop, top of the knee style.

[@skippit15]

How would I find out what tartans you guys are wearing in your videos?

[@RodFleming-World]

Interestingly, when the last residents of St Kilda were evacuated in 1930, they were allegedly shocked by how short the standard mainland kilt was worn. However, since the St Kildans normally wore trews this might be an invention.

[@BillyReed68]

Now, great kilts were "sometimes" worn a bit long, depending on the weather. If the wind she is a blowin' that day, then maybe it might not be such a bad idea. But I'm with Rocky on this one as far as a modern kilt goes.

[@ralph3711]

Interestingly the Masai warriors are wearing their robes to the top of the knee (mostly), some wear solid red, some rob roy like patterns or other gridular designs. The women on the other hand seem to wear longer garments.

[@WretchedElect]

If it wraps the wrong way, is it still a kilt??

[@timothycook337]

No sporran, past the knee, these are dresses. Plaid dresses.

[@kirkbest3238]

Bhutan has a kilt

[@TalmidAndy]

No... Absolutely not. If seen wearing a kilt of that length in Scotland you will be either politely corrected or violently ridiculed. Just below knee, on the patela tendon, to just above mid knee is correct, even for a great kilt. There are way too many random bits of cloth being sold as kilts which are not kilts in any sense that we real (born and breed) Scots recognise or accept.

[@TegukiSix]

Yeah; I'm Scottish, and I wear my great kilt just below the knee, as you describe. I don't mind if it some people think it looks a little feminine. That said, if someone wanted to wear it extra long, especially with the outer apron up to form a robe (like an earasaid), for walking around in the cold, I wouldn't say that's wrong. If I bring my inner apron a couple of inches up to the mid-knee, and don't tie the outer back or make pockets with it, my outer apron hangs pretty low. Traditions can evolve a little.

[@Nicklas_Danielsson]

Boxcut?

[@terrykeever9422]

Come on guys. You've shown lots of pics of paintings of kilted men wearing them several inches above the knee - not 1". Two inches above the knee was common.

[@thomasbeckett1245]

If it gets too big … it’s a blanket

[@larrym.johnson9219]

The Great Kilt is/was used in that manner. 🤟

[@chiefakecheta2645]

I would say yes I have very long legs

[@adamwiggins9865]

Dude if the material isn’t milled at the Lochcarron mill in Scotland and have 8 yards of a decent weight wool it’s not a real kilt.... don’t cheap out.. just seek out a piper who lost interest and buy his stuff at a discount... and fluff that family tartans fairytale as I think most poor scot wore whatever colour they could afford.... and if you stand on your knees straight then the edge of yer kilt should just graze the floor.

[@demon13doc]

What about DC Dalgleish? They still use the traditional looms and weaving techniques. Or am I talking out my ass?

[@gazpal]

@@demon13doc he's full of shite lol

[@ewertonmsg]

I like my balls, i use kilt.... #boiled_eggs_never_more

[@tylerhibler5267]

Yeah, sometimes my great kilt is a bit on the long side

[@veganwinter2090]

Gnostic explanation of the spiritual Garment " even the Eternal Youth has to take off Its old clothes and stomp them down", "the garment is mind is light and as a mind scroll it is to be not too short and not too long" also "when the old mind scroll is like old Scrolls broken and brittle ,bury it", esoteric stomp down the number signs symbols letters of this world they are also on Heavenly father's chest we do Stomp Them Down on the inner Within oh yeah😊

[@procall28remedy]

Longer than the knee is a dress

[@KortovElphame]

Still a skirt ..a dress is a one piece outfit

[@mrwhite1073]

No their not its a dress

[@bobpickett3788]

I think the word is “Trollop”

[@aggro0o886]

It's a skirt. Congrats you're now a trans