What's the difference?

[cavscout]

The more I think about box pleats being the original method of pleating a kilt, it just makes sense.

In the military, we would pleat the back of our cammies in a very shallow box pleat. This was a very easy thing to do and you are able to place that pleat very accurately where ever you want it. And it's extremely easy if another person does it for you while you are wearing the cammies. You get a very crisp, tailored pleat that fits your body.

The times I've tried to knife pleat a long piece of cloth were a bit frustrating. I'm sure I'd get the hang of it if I did it daily but it's still a lot of effort to make one pleat by tucking it under, then grab the next fold of cloth and place it on top of the first without messing up the first. Do that 25 or more times and you have invested a lot of time to get dressed in the morning.

A box pleat on the other hand allows you to stabilize the first pleat with the knuckles of one hand and form the next pleat with the other hand and both thumbs. Then on to the next. This seems much easier to me.

Also, images of a highlander spreading out 12' x 5' piece of cloth, pleating it, then lying down on it, wrapping up in it, belting it, and then still having to adjust the pleats (if he's that concerned about appearance ) just don't seem logical. That's a lot of tedious work. Not that it doesn't work, it just doesn't seem the way a daily wearer would do it.

What makes more sense to me is, the highlander roughly wraps the cloth around himself over his belt and fastens the belt. At this point the aprons are roughly where they need to be. From there all he needs to do is reach behind himself or have a brother, sister, mother, room mate... quickly box pleat the excess. A few adjustments to the apron and he's good to go.

If you do this with a little kilt the effort is much less as well because you don't have the extra yardage.

I have nothing to base this on and I have not tried this method myself but I don't recall seeing any 17th century images of putting on a kilt by lying on the ground. The only (*old) image I'm aware of is the one I posted above and that highlander is standing up. *not saying that is from the 17th century

Educate me if I'm wrong on any of this but this is just a few quick thoughts.