I think as feelings of people toward the wearing of the kilt evolved into greater and greater acceptance that it naturally followed that the look of the kilt would be called on to evolve as well. For a very long time, and to some extent still now, the kilt has had a very defined look i.e the "tank" but as more people felt the urge to wear the kilt they also felt the urge to change the kilt in a way that better suited thier own personal style, flair, or personality. This led naturally to the creation of the modern kilt. And that of course precipitated the growing schism between traditionalists and modernists but that's an entirely new thread!

Now that I have been making kilts for a while I have learned that many people love the look of a "tank" but also love the fact that it can be "modernised" with pockets etc. An equal number of people want to wear the kilt and love the fact that they can pick and choose colours and fabrics that they feel really expresses a little bit more of who they are as a kilt wearer.

I think it is fantastic that what started out as a bit of a maveric idea has now grown into a realm of enterprising designers who have taken the kilt in so many new directions. Some that look fantastic, and some not so much. But then again beauty and function is always in the eye of the beholder, or in this case the wearer.