How to Sit Down in a Kilt

It's a classic question! There is an art of sitting down while wearing the kilt. In most cases you want to lower your posterior to be about level with the seat surface and then slide backwards. You can also sit down more normally while sweeping the pleats of your kilt with the back of your hand as you do so to make sure they are smoothed out.
The main thing to do after that is to engage in some tactical man spread. Jokes aside, this means spreading your legs enough to allow your man bits some room. While sitting down you will make sure your kilt aprons spread out a bit to swoop downwards between your legs. If the aprons are taut across the front, like a suspension bridge between your knees, the gap between your legs becomes visible. Make sure the aprons fall low between your legs and gracefully "swoop."
The best help here is your sporran. By pressing down on your sporran as you sit, you can encourage the aprons to spread. The sporran itself also helps maintain your privacy.
That's it in a nutshell.
* Tartans in this video:
Rocky: Stewart Old Ancient
www.usakilts.com/gallery/13-1...
Ian: Angel's Share
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Started in 2003, USA Kilts is a team of kilt makers and artisans located in Spring City PA. In 2017, we made it our mission to build community and bring kilts and Celtic culture to the forefront with our YT show: Kilts & Culture.
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[@PHJimY]

A lad went to visit his Grandma to show her his new uniform when he joined the Scottish regiment. His Grandma congratulated him, but said, "Honey, if you want to be a soldier, you're going to have to learn to sit like a lady."

[@captainconway2236]

As someone who wears a full great kilt for 3 days straight every other month there are a few things I have learned. The primary piece of advice I can give is to try and drop the height of your knees somehow. The higher your knees are in relation to your waist, the more under the kilt you can see. Once you realize that its just a matter of finding a comfortable sitting position with the knees dropped a little somehow. Similar to how you can change your seating position on a stool so the kilt drapes down, by sitting at the forward edge of the seat, you can actually drop the height of your knees significantly, therefore reducing the height of the kilt. I recommend either crossing your ankles, and stretching them out in front of you if you are leaning back, or cross them under your seat if you are facing forward, as it is more comfortable and helps the knees drop further. I can also attest to the fact that the Sporran trick is pretty effective if you are sitting with a Sporran. It's easy, low key, and covers you well, and even if you don't have a Sporran you can just push the fabric down yourself and it should stay. Pulling the under apron out a little so it hangs down also really helps too. Also I don't care who may call it "blasphemy" trust me, you don't want to be "that guy" who gets dirty looks because you just flashed everyone, where a damn pair of underwear. If the actual highlanders who originally used the kilt wore pants under it to keep warm in the colder months, then its not blasphemy to put on a pair of underwear to not flash everyone around you. . .

[@samanthafordyce5795]

I attended a Celtic event a while back. There was a group of dancers, both men and women. When the dance became especially 'jumpy' I noticed, not because I was looking for it, that the men were wearing underwear because their kilt flipped up quite high. I thought it was sensible, but I'm not a kilt purist.

[@TadTheTinker]

Always fun to hear Rocky hem and haw around these subjects. Speaking politely about uncomfortable topics to the planet seems to be a skill he has mastered.

[@USAKiltsOfficial]

I don't know about "mastered", but thank you for the kind words!

[@jameslaird4978]

@@USAKiltsOfficial Birthday was the time to be happy Birthday is a wonderful wonderful weekend you are yyyyyhhy

[@dougdraper4892]

Similar situation in a Utilikilt: scoot the butt back in to the chair to spread the back of the kilt across the seat while pressing down on the apron between the knees. One reason there is so much material in the front of a Utilikilt is becuse we usually do not have a sporran to wieght the kilt down in front.

[@robritchie1473]

It was mentioned in the video, about the possibility of wearing underwear, on stage. Rocky said the subject was blown out of proportion... I totally agree. Most athletes at Scottish games today, wear them for the sake of modesty, soooooooooo , what about hygiene?! Traditions be damned, I ALWAYS wear underwear! You can wash underwear daily, not so, with a kilt. If you think those pleats don't contact areas they shouldn't or your kilt doesn't begin to reek after a few wearing's, you're fooling yourself! And besides, whose business is it anyway what you have on or don't?!?!?! If someone is rude enough to ask, there's a lot of comical answers one can give. I saw a whole page of them on the Net.

[@rickmoore3730]

I totally agree . I do have cheap kilts I wear around the house that I can wash myself and are softer than wool so underwear is not required ...and very comfortable . Wool is not the nicest material to be swishing back and forth on sensitive areas and as you said I am not going to use my very expensive wool kilts as underwear .

[@robch4414]

100%. There is nothing whatever more "true Scotsman" about going commando.

[@jeannebouwman1970]

as said in the video, you should be the only one to care about your underwear unless people actually see whether you wear it, in which case they would greatly prefer the underwear

[@JesseOwens-nz8mk]

The modesty drape I mentioned in my own post helps with the frontal concern, and I have seen a couple of kilts slip-lined to stop the kilt from sticking to you when you rise from your chair, which also address the other concern somewhat. The liners I've seen were tailor-made (post-purchase) and buttoned in for easy removal/laundering.

[@sewingintrifocals-alisonde7778]

I am not a dude, but if I were, I’d wear some sort of underwear. I *think* the wool would be itchy in the nether regions! A guy at the Big Bear, California Ren Faire proudly showed me his spandex bicycle shorts as he a walked to his car about 20 years ago. I am not certain why he did that-maybe to reassure me, a mom, that he was trying to appear decent.

[@JesseOwens-nz8mk]

All good points made well ... I call it the "Kilt Slide" ... Bend at the knees, sweep the kilt , and scoot-back all in one fluid motion ... Although I do wear black boxers or running shorts under the kilt in public venues, I usually wear a "third apron" behind the inner apron around the farm. I have two or three black terrycloth dishtowels set aside for this purpose, and each one is weighted with a couple of stainless steel washers stitched into the middle of the bottom hem. The top of the drape is doubled-over and friction-held at the waist (I have never lost one). This way, I still have the commando airflow when I'm on my feet, but when I sit in a chair, the "modesty drape" settles-in before the kilt-aprons do.

[@thomasbeauchamp3781]

Some friends were getting married a few years ago and when the bride learned that my friend and I would be wearing kilts, she said, "You WILL be wearing underwear." I turned to John and said, "She didn't say WHERE we have to wear it!"

[@WheresJoseToday-im1gr]

One reason I wear a kilt is to have freedom down there, and not have everything crushed. Even going "commando" in shorts or pants is constricting. One thing I would do is wear a sort of loin cloth: just a flap on the front and rear. This helps with hygiene and also falls over areas that can be revealed when sitting. Can also help with a random kilt-lifter.

[@osiversen]

sew in a few fishing sinkers, bead size, infront, inside and as low as possible - your kilt will drape itself between your legs when you sit down.

[@vmiarmor8342]

So this was my question, and thank you very much for answering it! I am the president of a board I'm on that has monthly meetings. Thank you for all the great info! I will have to check on some other seating options for my next meeting! I do have some control of how things are arranged during these meetings. For large meetings I may just opt for a table cloth hanging off the other end. lol How I didn't think of that previously is beyond me. But for other venues these tips are perfect!

[@ShuichiZero]

My university does this, they put a tablecloth in one of the representative colors and another with the shield of arms, across the center, in the other color. It looks really professional, and the speakers can sit comfortably and even weirdly and no one can tell.

[@danielbeck9191]

And most desks have a "modesty panel" in front to conceal the lower half of the person seated at the desk. Good idea with a table drape!

[@timelordn8987]

I always wear some compression shorts so you still get the breeze while not having blue ribbons tossed at ya

[@nekotsumeparker]

Several years ago, I was at a Scottish Games in Woodland, CA, and I attended a seminar on some subject or other with a few people on a stage. I wish I could say I remember the subject, but honestly, I spent the whole time trying not to see the "twig and berries" of an elderly gentleman who was seated on the stage. He was seated while another person was speaking at a lecturn, and the old guy fell asleep and spread his legs open. I didn't notice at first because I was actually listening to the speaker, but then I started hearing giggles and snickering from others in the crowd. Then sure enough, there was this old guy showing everyone his stuff. Yeesh, that guy could have used this video.

[@Galvars]

I don't know why I'm here and why almighty algorithm propose this to me. But I watched it with attention, gained new knowledge about which I had no idea or even thought about before. Thanks to this, I am a little wiser in the matters of clothing that Scots face and I am grateful for that. It's a strange day...

[@SKSchultz1985]

use black athletic compression shorts. Best of both worlds really.

[@waynen5]

When I sit with a kilt on I do what woman do when they sit with a skirt they press the back with there hand swiping there hand downward .

[@CapitanFantasma1776]

Glad I found you guys!

[@mister-v-3086]

Single Word: CAREFULLY.

[@massimoamedeonociforo1068]

wow !!! very interesting video and also very useful ... thanks for sharing it 👍👍

[@Chanlander]

I work with kids. I just got my first kilt and wore it to work. I just put something under it like compression shorts or athletic shorts.

[@TheatreofPhil]

This is not comfortable for everyone, but putting one leg over the other at the knee can also work in a kilt. Obviously, it's not effective if you're putting one ankle on the other knee and spreading, but if it's comfortable you can put your legs together and cross one over the other.

[@relicpathfinder2800]

I normally wear sports shorts underneath. This day and age, it only takes one innocent incident and you can be logged a sexual predator for life. Unfortunately that's the kind of area I live in.

[@Hammerli280]

One idea I've had is to have an under-flap...a flap of tartan fabric attached to the inner apron, attached at the top but free to drape down between the legs at the bottom. Couple it with dark underwear and it should provide adequate coverage.

[@danielbeck9191]

One MORE good reason to wear a properly-fitted kilt OF PROPER LENGTH.

[@charlescorzine7447]

I always wear underwear if I'm going anywhere with stairs, balconies, small children or any similar situation where "angles" need to be taken into account. It's just simple politeness to others. Commando is overrated and truthfully unhygienic. When I sit, I use both hands. One to sweep my pleats, the other to strategically arrange my sporran. Otherwise it's just as Rocky illustrated.

[@robritchie1473]

Key word in what you said, is "unhygienic". Read what I wrote.

[@erickenney4524]

Or don’t take chances?!? Wear Boxers!!!

[@jock58mill27]

As a 65yro Scotsmen, I do wear a kilt on occasion, but my days of going commando are over though I do miss the wind blowing through my hair so to speak but the sight of a 65yro man's bits are not a good look. 😂

[@athollmoray]

I wear under armor shorts that go almost to the top of my knees… when I sit down I just push my apron down between my legs with my hand… it can be done discreetly… is basically the same way they show in the video just with the hand instead. I then just leave my hand on my lap… if I show a little under armor I don’t care so much. I still try to avoid it.. the thing you don’t want is your knees to slope upward from your hips or bum… like the guys said a downward slope is preferable. So to is underwear

[@dyinggaul8365]

Simple. The sporran is your friend.

[@sweeabn6736]

Ian?? Spoke to you today!!! Hamilton

[@danielmulcahi6327]

Hoot man flash them the family jewels

[@LiqdPT]

My favorite Jelly Belly is the buttered popcorn.

[@bardwinthebard6013]

Now how do we cartwheel?

[@Tipi_Dan]

The perfect opportunity for trewes. I for one want to see more tartans cut on the bias.

[@kevin4840]

What about sitting in a great kilt? Same rules or would you pull it down lower since it’s above mid-knee?

[@RoberttheFox0001]

I used to perform and it took a couple of years before I went to underwear. Between the accidental glimpses and the purposeful ones I was done.

[@davidstancomb5380]

We had an actress sit on a chair on stage and the camera was pointing right up her quite short dress (camera feed was being routed out to 120 inch cinema screens each side of the stage) luckily she was wearing black underwear, and I ran over to my videographer and got him to adjust the camera so it was only showing her from the waist up for the rest of the panel! She spent most of the time with her legs crossed, but there was insufficient parallax from her hem line to crotch to hide anything when her knees weren't together!

[@howlandowlle7953]

. Perfect. Glad to see this one. . My question is, what is the best way to moon your enemy in a kilt?

[@timothycampbell495]

Braveheart, Battle of Stirling scene. Watch it and learn.

[@MessianicJewJitsu]

Bruh, I wore a kilt to work and 90% of women tried to look up it. Sexual harassment doesn't seem to exist for the man in a kilt.

[@DopeSauceBenevolence]

How do you ride a subway in a kilt?

[@cameronsmith6755]

I am always on the lookout for boxers that wil approximate the colors of the kilt I'm wearing so they will "blend in" with the kilt fabric. Have you gentlemen ever considered offering such a thing as an accessory when a kilt is ordered? It could make for a good merchandising add-on!

[@STho205]

Luckily a Fruit of the Loom Pkg had one pair of Hunting Stewart plaid in the set. Nearly perfect match. If a breeze pops up... they'll just think it is the tartan

[@ronkelley5348]

For everyday wear purposes, the underwear thing is mostly mythology and references a time period when wearing such things was uncommon anyway... Just because something might not have been done several centuries ago is no reason to continue it now for the sake of some sort of puritanical 'authenticity'

[@travis9458]

couldnt i cross my legsif i dont have a private bag

[@jmatt56]

Going regimental while curling isn't a good idea either. Put on a matching pair gitch/gocie or learn to tuck the apron. BTW they do stick to the ice.

[@disabledvet420]

i use underwear. im not gonna get an indecent exposure charge lmao. id forget and bam oops. OH YA........ i got my first kilt the other day. utility type.... wore it out finally yesterday. was fun.

[@charlesmugleston6144]

Scotlands Stories Now - Ed Int Book Fest Sat Aug 20 X

[@axspike]

I'm more than happy to 'basic instinct' people! 😂

[@user-ro1oi1vb6o]

Wear matching tartan bike shorts. it will confuse them, and they will think they see something they don't.

[@user-qj3bf8kc1h]

Hey isn’t that graham mctavish

[@EtzEchad]

You can also wear shorts. Now body will know what you are wearing under there unless it is a situation where they would've seen a lot more embarrassing things (or thing.)

[@susanbickersteth2526]

Oh! That's what the sporn is for. I like it. Wear dark undies for sure. The wool can be scratchy.

[@CharlesHarpolek4vud]

. I videotape an interview with two men with only kilts on, so I lined up pictures of their delicate parts covered by flowers in the foreground, flowers sitting on the table but lined up correctly work wonders good.

[@CharlesHarpolek4vud]

I do the same for ladies with skirts.

[@paulcunningham2859]

Being cold would be my concern

[@robertmenteer3462]

In ballroom dancing the women wear dance pants for their modesty. Is there anything similar?

[@timeastwoodbagpiper]

I was with a (female) friend who chastised their (female) friends thus: Dunnae complain about seeing his (my) bits; ya shouldnae be looking up his kilt! Obviously that's all in good faith, if I was flashing myself around she'd have rightfully give me a good kicking.

[@roxismith6122]

"put my hand on my sporran" is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?

[@autumninvirginia1229]

Crude and unnecessary. Do you walk up to strange men in kilts and ask them what they wear under their kilts too?

[@roxismith6122]

@@autumninvirginia1229 maybe you should save up so you can buy yourself a sense of humor. It was a bloody joke. Get over it and move on.

[@chrisbeckstrom6182]

So now we can refer to our sporrans as a junk shovel?

[@thomasbeckett1245]

Obviously matching plaid shorts 🩳 are the perfect way to maintain staged presence without embarrassment! I Canada’s we tend to like to pin a large maple 🍁 leaf 🍁 on in front! Lol 🎊 🎉 white bloomers probably not a idea, 😂, personally I prefer black boxers.

[@McCamerCoach]

Dark underwear. Even for no other reason than hygienic purposes. Don’t want to dry clean the kilt all the time Military do what they want to. They have earned the right. Do the leg spread and sporran press down myself. People are looking. I’m not even discreet about it Let em know I am covering whatever they think they will see. Lol

[@McCamerCoach]

Enjoy your shows

[@la_old_salt2241]

The military are regimental because it's in their uniform regulations. Originated in World War 1 chemical warfare. Before that, the individual man could do as he pleased.

[@noniesundstrom119]

How silly. I’ve been in pipe bands and can tell you they don’t like the idea of having to pay for cleaning their kilts, and so sensibly they use underwear. My brother has been in bands 50 years, with underwear. Can you imagine athletes and highland dancers not covering up? A few years ago I remember an exhibitionist at a Scottish country dance being reprimanded for flashing the dance band. He was made to go cover up or not return. He chose to change his ways. lol

[@maryanncrody4867]

Now you know a little like what women in skirts care up again

[@garymi2]

I don’t understand the need to be regimental/commando. When in a situation where your “goods” might be exposed…for goodness sake wear something under your kilt….problem solved.

[@PipingPringle]

Finally someone talking sense. Sometimes you know you will be in situations where you can be mindful of your kilt and can go commando - but don't make it a rule, sometimes you don't know what you will be getting into and will be more comfortable not minding your clothes constantly to make sure you're not flashing someone. Practicality over pride , come on! For me it is a shorts versus underwear decision, but I make similar decisions all the time. Do I wear a low cut top when doing work that will require me to bend over and pick up things constantly? Of course not- i can't be fussing with my clothes constantly, it would be infuriating.

[@Nembula]

Underwear?

[@lanes58]

You don’t.

[@paulcunningham2859]

Ladies must enjoys this topic

[@PipingPringle]

Not really.. makes me think of the skeevy old tourisrs that would ask pipers and drummers in the kids band I was in (girls and boys) what they were wearing under the kilt :/

[@winglo1697]

A skirt, red shirt and a girly hair do wow, what a girly figure.

[@randyross5630]

Complete Hog Wash! All the Clansmen who Want to be Chief Spread their Kilt Wide Open, and the One with the Biggest Balls gets to Be Chief! Don't Let this Cosplayer Trick You any other Way! Spem Successus Alit

[@maxwellfan55]

Ask a woman. Answer = keep your knees together. Always. Yes, guys can do this too.

[@danielrickel8807]

Sorry but it’s painful for a man to hold his knees together.

[@ShuichiZero]

We also wear underwear plus biker shorts. Personally, I hate skirts, but the biker shorts made them more comfortable, somewhat bearable and more pervert-proof.

[@maxwellfan55]

@@danielrickel8807 No need to apologise, big boy. Soldiers do it in regimental photos, so can you. Don't be a wussy.

[@samanthafordyce5795]

@@ShuichiZero briefs-style underwear (think of something like a Speedo brief) would do as well. It would leave more of the leg bare for routine walking and sitting; no one would know it's there.

[@skjaldulfr]

@@maxwellfan55 Standing, not sitting. There's a difference.

[@abramzacharias1]

I strongly disagree with anyone can where a kilt. I'm a cowboy & cowboys don't wear kilts. I like em on ladies but it's an awful shame to see a guy in a kilt.

[@erichansen3144]

I never wear underwear with a kilt. If you are going to wear underwear with a kilt than just wear jeans. If you wear a kilt with underwear or shorts then you aren't wearing a kilt at all. You are wearing a pair of shorts with a decorative piece of cloth like a scarf. It is no longer a kilt. BTW my grandmother died in 1982.

[@PipingPringle]

I've been a piper since I was a kid. Everyone wears shorts or underwear underneath. Can you imagine a gust of wind blowing in the middle of a tune and the whole band flashes the kids on the sidewalk watching the parade? I've also heard horror stories of handsy drunk tourists lifting the kilts of both men and women band members to make sure they're "doing things right". People think that pipers are akin to the British guards that don't move for some reason. I've long ago stopped worrying about how people perceive me and I will go about my business in full uniform if I am performing later on - I don't care if wearing a uniform to the grocery store is odd and I certainly don't care if someone thinks it is wrong to wear a pair of compression shorts under my kilt haha. Also- i do NOT need the thigh chaffing that comes with marching in a sweaty parade with nothing between these chonkers that I call legs . Nooooo thank you, I will pass.

[@archibaldmccutcheon5884]

If you don't feel immediately comfortable in a kilt and don't know how to sit in a kilt please dont own one. Underwear is for babies who shouldn't be in a kilt. Been wearing a kilt from a very young age and never flashed anyone unless I was asked!🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@PipingPringle]

I guess I'm a lil ' ol baby baby then. I would never put my uniform on without shorts or underwear. When playing the pipes you have your hands full and cannot go grabbing your kilt if a mishap happens or if a tourist gets handsy with you and wants to check what you wear under the kilt. Food for thought: Although the wind seldomly blows up ones kilt, those frequenting the pub or beer tent often end up upside down and the kilt will very much follow gravity. Added point: marching in sweaty old parades with just underwear on has taught me the value of shorts and how they might save ones legs from very painful chaffing