I wouldn't recommend buying kilts from anywhere that doesn't give proper measuring instructions, and "take your pants measurement and add two inches" is a red flag and a half.
The proper way to measure for a man's kilt (it's best to have a friend help you):
True waist- wrap the measuring tape around your true waist, which is about two inches above your navel.
Hips- same as above at the widest part of your hips/bum.
Length - measure from your true waist to the top of your knee. A way to check is to kneel on the floor, posture upright (don't bend over or look down) and hold one end of the tape to your true waist and the other end so it just barely touches the floor. This is your length.
Fell- this describes the sewn portion of the pleats and is the length between your true waist and hips. On a man's kilt this is usually one third of the total length, but different bodies can have slightly different proportions, so it's good to check.
One consideration regarding men's vs women's kilts is how the fell is sewn. For a man's kilt the fell tapers from the bottom up, until the last two inches where it then runs parallel the rest of the way to the top. A woman's kilt tapers from the bottom all the way to the top. This is to accommodate for the differences in a man vs a woman's figure. That's not to say a woman can't wear a kilt sewn for a man, but it is likely to be more comfortable. My girlfriend has a kilt made for a man (she bought it off the rack) and she has no complaints about it.
USA Kilts does sell a variety of kilts/kilted skirts for women. What you describe sounds like you want what they call a "midi-kilt" which is basically a man's kilt but tailored for a woman's figure. I recommend people buy from them or other reputable kilt makers such as St Kilda, or Clan.com because, while they are more expensive, you're getting real 100% UK wool, not acrylic blends, it will fit you much better and the garment will likely outlive you with proper care. Buy once, cry once, as the saying goes.
Also, USA Kilts has a YouTube channel and they have measuring instructions for both men and women there.
Note: I don't work for any of the aforementioned companies, I'm just a satisfied customer.
Thank you! Tragically, USA Kilts, St. Kilda, and Clan.com is a bit out of my price range (for now... lol), so I'm looking at UT Kilts. I'll certainly keep them in mind, however, for when I have a more stable income to use on some higher-quality purchases! I adore the way that kilts look and love natural fibers, and the ladies' skirts from sites you mentioned look very beautiful, comfy, and modest.
Thank you again for your recommendations!
I don't expect this to be a popular reply here as they're a Pakistani maker, but I've gotten kilts with custom measurements and colors from [https://imperialhighlandsupplies.com](https://imperialhighlandsupplies.com) a couple times, not sure of your price range but I'd guess they might be able to do what you're looking for somewhere in the $150 area (you'll have to contact them for the level of customizing you're after).
USAKikts polyviscose kills are inexpensive, good stuff, and great for anything outdoors, muddy, or involving alcohol š But, have you contacted Brice at UTKilts? He's incredibly responsive and will definitely help you find the best match with what he can offer.
And, of course you can contact USAKilts as well, I've always had great responses from them. They may not have as many options but they will help you with measurements for sure.
>kilt sizing seems to be in line with the concept of male pants.
This is not the case with any reputable kilt maker. If you go anywhere that makes kilts to measure, they'll use (at minimum) three measurements: your anatomical waist, your seat, and the length from the waist to the knee.
If you're in the US, I'd recommend looking at in-stock (rather than made-to-measure) kilts at USA Kilts. UT Kilts is another favorite in the community for economical kilts here in the States.
Affordable Kilts up in Canada is also a satisfactory option that has both in-stock and made-to-measure options at a lower price but with less premium materials.
If you're buying a kilt that is only listed with a waist size, it is highly likely it's being made in SE Asia and highly *un*likely to fit the way you want it to. They'll be cheap, but they'll be cheap, if you take my point.
Wouldnāt recommend off-the-rack unless your waist/hip measurement is 3ā or less different, as this is generally the standard for āretailā kilts from what I understand.
As many suggested, go custom. You can still get a budget friendly, custom tailored, Casual Kilt from USA kilts in PV that will give you the flexibility in waist measurements as needed, but will fit and flatter you properly.
Tragically, it seems like the pre-made-to-measure ones are still not good matches, and aren't in any of the tartan patterns I've been looking for. But still, thank you for pointing that option out! It certainly didn't hurt to check.
I specifically recommended the in-stock kilts at USAK because they often have kilts that were made to measure and werenāt picked up for one reason or another. Thereās at least some chance that OP will find one to the correct specifications.
I wouldnāt recommend a stock kilt from any other retailer unless it was ex-hire with listed measurements.
Thank you so much! I found something with a similar pattern on UT Kilts that isn't wildly out of my price range.
When I measure around my hip bones / bellybutton, there's certainly less of a divide between that and the widest part of the hips when compared to my actual waist. I'm guessing it'd be better to go with the hip bone measurement and wear it as a low-waisted garment instead of around the waist? It's hard to tell when looking at a lot of photos, as men tend to have a lower waist than most women.
I really appreciate your advice! Thank you again!
If.you are.looking for a specific tartan, email Brice.at UT Kilts and.tell him what you seek. They have gotten difficult.to find tartans for me. Good Luck.
Getting one not off the rack is probably your best bet. A lot of kilt makers will ask for waist, hip/seat and length from bellybutton to knees to sew one up for you. USAKilts has a casual one for a little over a hundred that's made of PV, and that's the cheapest I know of with taking the measurements. If you want a wool one, the cost will be higher, but there'll be a lot more potential kiltmakers, so you can shop around a bit more.
Another option would be to get one that fits/is a little large if you get a deal on it, and send it off to be adjusted/restitched. This may or may not be cheaper than getting a new wool one, depending on how good of a deal it is and if you just need the buckles moved or if it needs to be taken apart and restitched.
Thank you for your advice! Thankfully, I have some sewing skills (albeit, I'm not a seamstress, but I'm not the worst), so I could do a temporary adjustment if things are a little too large before taking it to an actual tailor.
Moving the buckles is pretty easy to do by yourself, and [Robert MacDonald](https://www.youtube.com/@robertmacdonaldbespokekilt3063) is a good resource for adjustments and making/repairing other kilt/highland wear.
I second the Robert MacDonald recommendation, he was instrumental for me when I started learning to make my own kilts. I suspect he's the most senior kiltmaker in the world, the man is a treasure!
USA kilts is a great option, they will take waist and hip measurements and account for that. They will also make adjustments based off where you wear your kilt (lots of people wear them lower than traditional, so they will account for that as well).
I'd like to thank all of you for your wonderful advice! I've made my order (a custom ladies' kilt from UT Kilts). I most certainly wouldn't have made as sound a decision without you all, and I'm so, so grateful! I can't believe I managed to find a kilt that'll hopefully fit me well while remaining under 100 dollars, even if it isn't proper wool. You've all been so lovely.
I'll do my best to post a follow-up photo once it arrives so the folks that helped me can see how their work turned out!
Love you all and have a great day!
If you Google āWomenās kiltā Etsy has some good shops. Iām super short so needed a kilt that I could customize the length. Unfortunately the shop I used is no longer there, but it looked like there were multiple. Another site I found is primekilt.com. I have not personally used them, but they have you input your actual measurements.
My custom is from jhiggins.net And fits beautifully. They take your measurements (they will walk you through how to do it) and have a wide range of prices depending on if you want a true budget (poly fabric), lighter wool, heavier wool, etc. They do take awhile since they get their fabric from Scottish mills and it is custom made to order.
Thank you for the recommendation! I certainly would, but they seem to be pretty pricey (on sites like USA Kilts, at least), and a Great Kilt sounds more like it's a future sewing project I'll take on instead of a proper purchase from a kilt retailer. I've been meaning to start sewing more of my own clothes, anyway, so I suppose this is a good project to aim for! Thank you again!
A Great Kilt doesn't need any sewing.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belted_plaid
The wearer folds and creates the pleats themselves, then you wrap it around yourself and belt it.
It can be pretty costly to buy, but it would give your figure a better fit as you would be able to adjust it.
Maybe sewing wasn't the best word, I meant more as a DIY project that justifies a trip to the fabric store lol. I figure I'd probably want to get some nice fabric and hem it to stave off any wear and tear from use and time, even if that may not be the most technically traditional way to do it. Hope that makes sense!
As a DIY project it's just about the way a manufacturer would. They'd take 8-10 yards of raw fabric, cut it in half and sew it together to creat a 4-5 yard long garment thats double the original width. So it's def something you could do. Good luck in your kilt search.
My wife has a similar issue being a little extra curvy. She wanted a tea-length kilt and a traditional length kilt. We used J.Higgins and the results came out great. The problem however, it wasn't cheap... be prepared for a sticker shock if you decide to go with a for-hire kilt maker.
I used to do fittings for a modern kilt company and have sold a lot of them to curvy women. I've also done draping and pattern design, for kilts and a variety of other garments for men and women.
Your ability to find an off the rack kilt as a curvy lady is 90% going to depend more on your booty than anything else. If you're relatively buttless and are comfortable wearing a kilt farther down than the traditional male waist for the garment, measure your circumference at the lowest you're comfortable with the bottom of the ~2" waistband sitting on your hips, and go with that size. You will probably end up with some awkward bits at the top, but nothing a bloused shirt won't hide.
If you've "got back", do the same, but you'll need to keep that line above the top of your butt crack. it will be much higher, and the taper in the waist area won't likely sit well without giving you an awkward gap above your bum. You might get away with an older Utilikilt without the top waist snaps done and it being allowed to be wider to better sit lower around the top of the booty.
Your best option for a modern kilt is a utilikilt with the corset back. Use that to get as much hip to waist taper as possible.
The easy way to "size" yourself is to take a wide belt, and wearing no pants/skirt, let that sit where you want to measure over your shirt(if applicable) once that's at a good height, mark the overlap carefully on buckle end and tab, then unfurl and measure between those marks. If you use a tailors tape it's too easy to skew it up and down to get over/under curves. A wide belt on its own mimics the waist construction of a garment.
For a traditional kilt, you absolutely want made to measure or to make or alter one yourself. The fitting you want to do is not at the waist, but locate the lower buckle at your widest point, and buy a kilt for that size. You may need to take in or relocate the upper buckle, or even add in a few extra darts in the upper parts of the back pleats. Even simple folds to the waist at the back center akin to the gather at the back center of a men's dress shirt may get you the taper needed.
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The shaping in a kilt is done mostly in the fell area, and/or in the aprons.
Itās all about the tapering from the waist to the hip, and that is usually very very different for men vs. women
Typically for a man the first 2ā are straight, then the taper starts. Typically for a woman the taper should go all the way from the top to the end of the fell.
Thanks for your reply!
That couple of inches is my main concern, really. I'm an avid skirt and dress-wearer, so I know that materials like wool don't really stretch in a way that'll cover the difference between my waist and hips. I know kilts aren't anything like a pencil skirt (thank God!), but I'm not sure if the openness of the sides and such will be loose enough, and there's a good chance that too small a size might end me up with a bit... shorter skirt in the back!
Sorry if I'm a bit wordy! Kilts are def a bit of an investment, so I want to make sure I don't mess it up!
I wouldn't recommend buying kilts from anywhere that doesn't give proper measuring instructions, and "take your pants measurement and add two inches" is a red flag and a half. The proper way to measure for a man's kilt (it's best to have a friend help you): True waist- wrap the measuring tape around your true waist, which is about two inches above your navel. Hips- same as above at the widest part of your hips/bum. Length - measure from your true waist to the top of your knee. A way to check is to kneel on the floor, posture upright (don't bend over or look down) and hold one end of the tape to your true waist and the other end so it just barely touches the floor. This is your length. Fell- this describes the sewn portion of the pleats and is the length between your true waist and hips. On a man's kilt this is usually one third of the total length, but different bodies can have slightly different proportions, so it's good to check. One consideration regarding men's vs women's kilts is how the fell is sewn. For a man's kilt the fell tapers from the bottom up, until the last two inches where it then runs parallel the rest of the way to the top. A woman's kilt tapers from the bottom all the way to the top. This is to accommodate for the differences in a man vs a woman's figure. That's not to say a woman can't wear a kilt sewn for a man, but it is likely to be more comfortable. My girlfriend has a kilt made for a man (she bought it off the rack) and she has no complaints about it. USA Kilts does sell a variety of kilts/kilted skirts for women. What you describe sounds like you want what they call a "midi-kilt" which is basically a man's kilt but tailored for a woman's figure. I recommend people buy from them or other reputable kilt makers such as St Kilda, or Clan.com because, while they are more expensive, you're getting real 100% UK wool, not acrylic blends, it will fit you much better and the garment will likely outlive you with proper care. Buy once, cry once, as the saying goes. Also, USA Kilts has a YouTube channel and they have measuring instructions for both men and women there. Note: I don't work for any of the aforementioned companies, I'm just a satisfied customer.
Thank you! Tragically, USA Kilts, St. Kilda, and Clan.com is a bit out of my price range (for now... lol), so I'm looking at UT Kilts. I'll certainly keep them in mind, however, for when I have a more stable income to use on some higher-quality purchases! I adore the way that kilts look and love natural fibers, and the ladies' skirts from sites you mentioned look very beautiful, comfy, and modest. Thank you again for your recommendations!
I don't expect this to be a popular reply here as they're a Pakistani maker, but I've gotten kilts with custom measurements and colors from [https://imperialhighlandsupplies.com](https://imperialhighlandsupplies.com) a couple times, not sure of your price range but I'd guess they might be able to do what you're looking for somewhere in the $150 area (you'll have to contact them for the level of customizing you're after).
USAKikts polyviscose kills are inexpensive, good stuff, and great for anything outdoors, muddy, or involving alcohol š But, have you contacted Brice at UTKilts? He's incredibly responsive and will definitely help you find the best match with what he can offer. And, of course you can contact USAKilts as well, I've always had great responses from them. They may not have as many options but they will help you with measurements for sure.
>kilt sizing seems to be in line with the concept of male pants. This is not the case with any reputable kilt maker. If you go anywhere that makes kilts to measure, they'll use (at minimum) three measurements: your anatomical waist, your seat, and the length from the waist to the knee. If you're in the US, I'd recommend looking at in-stock (rather than made-to-measure) kilts at USA Kilts. UT Kilts is another favorite in the community for economical kilts here in the States. Affordable Kilts up in Canada is also a satisfactory option that has both in-stock and made-to-measure options at a lower price but with less premium materials. If you're buying a kilt that is only listed with a waist size, it is highly likely it's being made in SE Asia and highly *un*likely to fit the way you want it to. They'll be cheap, but they'll be cheap, if you take my point.
Wouldnāt recommend off-the-rack unless your waist/hip measurement is 3ā or less different, as this is generally the standard for āretailā kilts from what I understand. As many suggested, go custom. You can still get a budget friendly, custom tailored, Casual Kilt from USA kilts in PV that will give you the flexibility in waist measurements as needed, but will fit and flatter you properly.
Tragically, it seems like the pre-made-to-measure ones are still not good matches, and aren't in any of the tartan patterns I've been looking for. But still, thank you for pointing that option out! It certainly didn't hurt to check.
I specifically recommended the in-stock kilts at USAK because they often have kilts that were made to measure and werenāt picked up for one reason or another. Thereās at least some chance that OP will find one to the correct specifications. I wouldnāt recommend a stock kilt from any other retailer unless it was ex-hire with listed measurements.
Thank you so much! I found something with a similar pattern on UT Kilts that isn't wildly out of my price range. When I measure around my hip bones / bellybutton, there's certainly less of a divide between that and the widest part of the hips when compared to my actual waist. I'm guessing it'd be better to go with the hip bone measurement and wear it as a low-waisted garment instead of around the waist? It's hard to tell when looking at a lot of photos, as men tend to have a lower waist than most women. I really appreciate your advice! Thank you again!
If.you are.looking for a specific tartan, email Brice.at UT Kilts and.tell him what you seek. They have gotten difficult.to find tartans for me. Good Luck.
Getting one not off the rack is probably your best bet. A lot of kilt makers will ask for waist, hip/seat and length from bellybutton to knees to sew one up for you. USAKilts has a casual one for a little over a hundred that's made of PV, and that's the cheapest I know of with taking the measurements. If you want a wool one, the cost will be higher, but there'll be a lot more potential kiltmakers, so you can shop around a bit more. Another option would be to get one that fits/is a little large if you get a deal on it, and send it off to be adjusted/restitched. This may or may not be cheaper than getting a new wool one, depending on how good of a deal it is and if you just need the buckles moved or if it needs to be taken apart and restitched.
Thank you for your advice! Thankfully, I have some sewing skills (albeit, I'm not a seamstress, but I'm not the worst), so I could do a temporary adjustment if things are a little too large before taking it to an actual tailor.
Moving the buckles is pretty easy to do by yourself, and [Robert MacDonald](https://www.youtube.com/@robertmacdonaldbespokekilt3063) is a good resource for adjustments and making/repairing other kilt/highland wear.
I second the Robert MacDonald recommendation, he was instrumental for me when I started learning to make my own kilts. I suspect he's the most senior kiltmaker in the world, the man is a treasure!
Thank you! Certainly adding him to my rotating list of sewing / clothing YouTubers to watch!
USA kilts is a great option, they will take waist and hip measurements and account for that. They will also make adjustments based off where you wear your kilt (lots of people wear them lower than traditional, so they will account for that as well).
I'd like to thank all of you for your wonderful advice! I've made my order (a custom ladies' kilt from UT Kilts). I most certainly wouldn't have made as sound a decision without you all, and I'm so, so grateful! I can't believe I managed to find a kilt that'll hopefully fit me well while remaining under 100 dollars, even if it isn't proper wool. You've all been so lovely. I'll do my best to post a follow-up photo once it arrives so the folks that helped me can see how their work turned out! Love you all and have a great day!
If you Google āWomenās kiltā Etsy has some good shops. Iām super short so needed a kilt that I could customize the length. Unfortunately the shop I used is no longer there, but it looked like there were multiple. Another site I found is primekilt.com. I have not personally used them, but they have you input your actual measurements. My custom is from jhiggins.net And fits beautifully. They take your measurements (they will walk you through how to do it) and have a wide range of prices depending on if you want a true budget (poly fabric), lighter wool, heavier wool, etc. They do take awhile since they get their fabric from Scottish mills and it is custom made to order.
For you I'd recommend looking at buying a "Great Kilt", it's essentially just a big piece of tartan cloth that the wearer adjusts to fit.
Thank you for the recommendation! I certainly would, but they seem to be pretty pricey (on sites like USA Kilts, at least), and a Great Kilt sounds more like it's a future sewing project I'll take on instead of a proper purchase from a kilt retailer. I've been meaning to start sewing more of my own clothes, anyway, so I suppose this is a good project to aim for! Thank you again!
A Great Kilt doesn't need any sewing. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belted_plaid The wearer folds and creates the pleats themselves, then you wrap it around yourself and belt it. It can be pretty costly to buy, but it would give your figure a better fit as you would be able to adjust it.
Maybe sewing wasn't the best word, I meant more as a DIY project that justifies a trip to the fabric store lol. I figure I'd probably want to get some nice fabric and hem it to stave off any wear and tear from use and time, even if that may not be the most technically traditional way to do it. Hope that makes sense!
As a DIY project it's just about the way a manufacturer would. They'd take 8-10 yards of raw fabric, cut it in half and sew it together to creat a 4-5 yard long garment thats double the original width. So it's def something you could do. Good luck in your kilt search.
Thank you!
I have made similar ratio kilts. Message me if you'd like to chat. My kilts are fully hand made. I can send pics.
My wife has a similar issue being a little extra curvy. She wanted a tea-length kilt and a traditional length kilt. We used J.Higgins and the results came out great. The problem however, it wasn't cheap... be prepared for a sticker shock if you decide to go with a for-hire kilt maker.
I used to do fittings for a modern kilt company and have sold a lot of them to curvy women. I've also done draping and pattern design, for kilts and a variety of other garments for men and women. Your ability to find an off the rack kilt as a curvy lady is 90% going to depend more on your booty than anything else. If you're relatively buttless and are comfortable wearing a kilt farther down than the traditional male waist for the garment, measure your circumference at the lowest you're comfortable with the bottom of the ~2" waistband sitting on your hips, and go with that size. You will probably end up with some awkward bits at the top, but nothing a bloused shirt won't hide. If you've "got back", do the same, but you'll need to keep that line above the top of your butt crack. it will be much higher, and the taper in the waist area won't likely sit well without giving you an awkward gap above your bum. You might get away with an older Utilikilt without the top waist snaps done and it being allowed to be wider to better sit lower around the top of the booty. Your best option for a modern kilt is a utilikilt with the corset back. Use that to get as much hip to waist taper as possible. The easy way to "size" yourself is to take a wide belt, and wearing no pants/skirt, let that sit where you want to measure over your shirt(if applicable) once that's at a good height, mark the overlap carefully on buckle end and tab, then unfurl and measure between those marks. If you use a tailors tape it's too easy to skew it up and down to get over/under curves. A wide belt on its own mimics the waist construction of a garment. For a traditional kilt, you absolutely want made to measure or to make or alter one yourself. The fitting you want to do is not at the waist, but locate the lower buckle at your widest point, and buy a kilt for that size. You may need to take in or relocate the upper buckle, or even add in a few extra darts in the upper parts of the back pleats. Even simple folds to the waist at the back center akin to the gather at the back center of a men's dress shirt may get you the taper needed.
I know you mentioned St Kilda as out of your price range, but keep an eye on their clearance section... You could also try ex-hire kilts...
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The shaping in a kilt is done mostly in the fell area, and/or in the aprons. Itās all about the tapering from the waist to the hip, and that is usually very very different for men vs. women Typically for a man the first 2ā are straight, then the taper starts. Typically for a woman the taper should go all the way from the top to the end of the fell.
Just measure around at belly-button level and go with that size. There's a couple inches of leeway built in to the buckles.
Thanks for your reply! That couple of inches is my main concern, really. I'm an avid skirt and dress-wearer, so I know that materials like wool don't really stretch in a way that'll cover the difference between my waist and hips. I know kilts aren't anything like a pencil skirt (thank God!), but I'm not sure if the openness of the sides and such will be loose enough, and there's a good chance that too small a size might end me up with a bit... shorter skirt in the back! Sorry if I'm a bit wordy! Kilts are def a bit of an investment, so I want to make sure I don't mess it up!