* Don't base your KILT size off your typical pants sizes, It will not fit. Measure your waist where you plan to wear your kilt, with an actual measuring tape. If you like 'em riding high, measure around your belly button. If you prefer to sag, measure where your jeans usually rest. The history of the kilt stretches back to at least the end of the 16th century. The kilt first appeared as the belted plaid or great kilt, a full length garment whose upper half could be worn as a cloak draped over the shoulder, or brought up over the head as a hood.