Pleats tied to formality?

[Tobus]

My PRIMARY observation was that **the following for sake of clarity** for adults of average size, and assuming that the sett isn't freakishly large or small there is a world of difference between a handmade 'tank' (which tend to have somewhere between 20-30 pleats depending on the sett and wearer) and a low-yardage, lightweight, casually built kilt which might only have 10-12. I also mentioned that this difference would only be obvious to others who have some knowledge of kilts- In a room full of people with no kilt knowledge or experience a kilt is a kilt is a kilt.

- a really well-made traditional kilt will go ANYWHERE. YMMV with less traditionally made kilts.

I concur. When in the company of kilt-conscious people who know the difference between a traditional kilt and a modern "casual" kilt, the higher yardage knife-pleated kilt is perfectly at home in all settings (i.e. all levels of dress). A casual kilt will look oddly out of place in dressy situations.

But the choice of pleating (line/stripe, sett, etc.) really doesn't make any difference.

[creagdhubh]

I concur. When in the company of kilt-conscious people who know the difference between a traditional kilt and a modern "casual" kilt, the higher yardage knife-pleated kilt is perfectly at home in all settings (i.e. all levels of dress). A casual kilt will look oddly out of place in dressy situations.

But the choice of pleating (line/stripe, sett, etc.) really doesn't make any difference.

I couldn't agree more, Tobus.

[figheadair]

I was taught "to the stripe" was first; military. alot of pipe bands do it as a group.
To the sett is harder to pleat than to the stripe or "to the block".

That's a myth that's been around for many years but is a misunderstanding of the historical development of kilt pleating. If one looks at kilts from the c1800-1850 period, civilian or military, they are principally pleated to stripe although the odd early civilian kilt is pleating to nothing in particular. I don't know when pleating to sett started (I'm sure Bob Martin has an approximate date) but think it was late C19th or early C20th. It was pleating to sett that gave rise to the so called traditional 8 yd kilt.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

That's a myth that's been around for many years but is a misunderstanding of the historical development of kilt pleating. If one looks at kilts from the c1800-1850 period, civilian or military, they are principally pleated to stripe although the odd early civilian kilt is pleating to nothing in particular. I don't know when pleating to sett started (I'm sure Bob Martin has an approximate date) but think it was late C19th or early C20th. It was pleating to sett that gave rise to the so called traditional 8 yd kilt.

Yup, right around the turn of the century. The earliest I know of that we find reference to pleating to the sett in writing s 1901 in The Kilt & How To Wear It, and the author there describes it as a new fashion - and he says he does not even know what it is called, but describes it as a manner of pleating which reveals the whole tartan.

I certainly cannot recall seeing any kilts from before that time pleated to the sett.
Matt