I found the videos from Robert Macdonald on adding elastic to a military kilt, and on basting pleats on a knife pleat, but couldn't find anything on basting a military box pleat. I don't want to wear this kilt in public until the pleats are fixed, but I'm still a bit stuck on how to make sure everything is aligned properly with the box. A few of the pleats have the stripes not centered, so it looks to me like someone in the past has repressed this kilt without basting first.
As for length, when I wear it the top straps are well locked into my natural waist and the selvedge lies a bit above mid knee. It seems like all the military kilts are about the same length, so how did shorter soldiers get the bottom of the kilt up? Did they use the belt to hold it higher?