Buying your first kilt is something quite unusual. Most likely you shall buy it online, and often it shall be custom made. Most likely this is the first time in your life where you have to take or have taken measures with the purpose of having something sewn to really fit you. It is not difficult, however, and with a kilt there is some give and take; in contrary to trousers.

The measures

When ordering a kilt your are asked for up to five measures. They are:

Waist size
Hip size
Fell length
Kilt length
Your height

If you order a ready-made kilt, you only have to inform about your waist size, the length being with 95% probability 24 inches or 61 cm. But then of course, you still have to find out, whether this length shall fit you, but let's take the measurements step by step.

1. WAIST SIZE

A traditional kilt is supposed to sit about navel (your “natural” waist), i.e. higher than most trousers. A casual kilt can be worn lower, however.
Take your measure where you want your kilt to sit.


A kilt being fastened by means of straps and buckles means that there is some flexibility, like plus 2/minus 1 inch. On off-the-peg kilts the flexibility might be even bigger, like for example 34”-38” = 10 cm. But if might not be enough. Therefore, MEASURE.

2. HIP OR SEAT SIZE

It is where you are at the broadest. Take a lose measurement.

When buying a readymade kilt you are never asked. Then the seat size is based upon the waist size.

3. FELL LENGTH

Like mentioned earlier the fell on a kilt is the part where the pleats are sewn down = From top of the kilt till where you are at the broadest = where your hip or seat size are. In fact, you are only asked about it when ordering a made-to-measure kilt in Pakistan, and if a kiltmaker is taking your measures.

Rule of thumb
If your kilt is to sit at your natural waist and it shall reach to the md of your knees, the fell length shall be about 1/3 of the kilt length.

I.e., if a kilt is 24" long, the fell should be about 8". This is what it is on most of my kilts, sewn in Scotland. Pakistani kiltmakers have 6" as standard. The fell measure being optional, this is what you get, unless you select another lenghth between 3" and 10". Better a little too short than too long, to my opinion. If you want your kilt to sit low, for example at jeans waist, 6" instead of 8" is what to go for.

4. KILT LENGTH

The kilt should at the longest end at the middle of your knee cap. By no means should it cover your knees – even if that not uncommon. At the very shortest it should be one inch above the knee. That means a give and take of about five cm or two inches.

A few examples:

A kilt is a most flexible garment. Below are six different kilts, ranging from 24" down to 20", meaning a difference of no less than 10 centimeters, and five of them can be worn according to rules.

Taking the measure

I have never been able to use the "kneeling" method" often referred to.

My advice: 
Use a camera or your smartphone, a towel and a belt. The phone or camera should be placed in a vertical position, meaning parallel to the wall and in knee height.

With the belt at navel – or where you should like to fasten your kilt – adjust the towel to the 24” standard length.
With you standing upright (like with your back against the wall) take the picture with the self-timer. If not satisfied adjust the length of the towel until it looks right on the photo and take the measure.
You might also use the smartphone on a selfie stick. Just NEVER lean forward when taking the picture!
Another way is to have your wife or girlfriend assist you.

Be aware that a custom made kilt cannot be returned, just because it does not fit you! A ready-made 24" long kilt can, even if it might have become more complicated to return a kilt from an EU-country to Scotland or wherever it has come from.

Placed at navel a 24” kilt goes to the middle of my knee cap. In my case this length is the absolute maximum. A 21” kilt resting on my hips comes to about one inch above my knee cap, thereby still just acceptable. Fastened at navel it should look more like a mini kilt, however. The perfect kilt length is for me 22.5"-23”. This just to indicate that there is some flexibility – and come in mind we are talking casual kilt wearing, not national dress. I’m 176 cm tall.
For me, better too short than too long.

Rule-of-thumb
If you are of average build, you can expect a kilt being around a third of your height to fit.

Being 176 cm = 69", a third is 23". 23" is for me the perfect length = mid/upper knee cap. To be sure my kilts are at the top of my knees, I order them 22.5" or 22", if half-inch increments are not a possibility.

5. YOUR HEIGHT

Not all vendors will ask. You are supposed to give your height in feet and inches. It is just to give an impression, whether the length you have ordered seems correct. Varying by 2.54 cm it is not a very precise indicator, but if you order your kilt 20” (51 cm) short and your height is 6’9” (206 cm) you might be asked whether you really want it to be a micro mini kilt?

1 foot = 30.5 cm.

My 176 cm equal 5' = 152.5 cm plus 9" = 22.9 cm (plus 0.6 cm), meaning I am 5'9" high.