4 Yard Kilt - Can it be formal?

[James MacMillan]

Yea I have to keep reminding myself.

There are no kilt police!!!


If you feel good in it, wear it!!!!!

[Bryan]

Murray of Atholl pleated to the stripe.

Ooooo, I like that. I've been looking everywhere for a picture of a Murray kilt.

[ardchoille]

Yea I have to keep reminding myself.

There are no kilt police!!!


If you feel good in it, wear it!!!!!

I'm slowly learning this myself. I went to a wedding recently where everyone was in t-shirts and flip-flops.. even the pastor. My grandfather used to always ask me, "who makes the rules by which ye live?". We are wearing articles of clothing that are centuries old. Did they have a strict set of rules for this clothing back then?

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Set or stripe... It USED to be that military kilts were pleated to the stripe, civilian to the sett.
But over the years many civilians or ex military folk have decided that they preferred to the stripe.
Remember, way back in the day kilts weren't pleated to any pattern at all!

Actually, Arlen is only partially correct. If one goes back to the beginning of the tailored kilts (late 1700s), military kilts were originally pleated to the stripe, and civilian kilts pleated to no pattern at all. Then, by around 1815-1820 or so, it became the fashion for civilian kilts to also be pleated to the stripe. Remember, these would have been 4 yard box pleated kilts.

So military and civilian kilts would have been routinely pleated to the stripe. The practice of pleating to the sett began sometime in the late nineteenth century, and was used only in civilian kilts (though civilian kilts certainly could also be pleated to the stripe).

Today, pleating to the sett is probably the most common form of pleating on civilian kilts, but many still choose pleating to the stripe as an attractive option.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

To answer the original question about whether a 4 yard kilt can be worn formally, the answer really depends on the kilt. If it is a nice kilt, then yes.

I say this because a lot of 4 yard and 5 yard kilts that are offered on the broader kilt market are made specifically to be worn as "casual kilts." They may be made to be worn at the hip, or they may be top stitched with a machine, or they may be made of a non-woolen material. In other words, the kilt just may not be suited for formal highland attire.

However, if one assumes that the kilt is made from good quality kilting cloth, and is well made by a skilled kilt maker, there is no reason you cannot wear a 4 yard box pleated kilt, or a knife pleated kilt made from 4 or 5 or 6 yards of cloth to a formal event.

To some the more pleats of an 8 yard kilt looks "more formal" but this is just a matter of taste. In my mind, the mark of a good kilt is that it can be worn both formally and casually with ease, depending upon the accessories worn.

I'll include a shot of myself at a Robert Burns dinner last year. I'm wearing a four yard box pleated kilt in the Carolina tartan, made from 16 oz worsted wool, with an Argyle jacket & vest, and mask sporran.


I wore a four yard box pleated kilt to my wedding seven years ago. I wore it with a black Argyle (didn't favor the Prince Charlies), tux shirt, black bow tie, and seal skin Prince Charlie sporran.


And it works great in semi-formal attire, as well. Here I am at my brother-in-law's wedding. (My wife was a bridesmaid). Same kilt as the above photo, but worn with a matching tartan vest and coordinating tie, sans jacket, adn different sporran.


So, the short answer again is, yes, a four yard kilt can certainly be worn formally, given quality in both cloth and construction is sufficient.

Aye,
Matt

[Bryan]

Then I guess my next question is, if it doesn't go against the forum rules, can anyone recommend a good quality, but reasonably priced, kiltmaker? I am very impressed with Rocky's customer service at USA Kilts and his work looks excellent. I also like the idea, and I've been toying with it, of having a box-pleat from Mr. Newsome. Can anyone give any personal experience with the 5-yard wool from USA Kilts (in 13 or 16oz, does it feel like an 8-yard?) or a box-pleat from Mr. Newsome? Thanks again.

[Arlen]

Actually, Arlen is only partially correct. If one goes back to the beginning of the tailored kilts (late 1700s)...

Thank you, Matt.
Always nice to learn a little more.

I'm glad we've got someone as savvy as you on the board.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Then I guess my next question is, if it doesn't go against the forum rules, can anyone recommend a good quality, but reasonably priced, kiltmaker? I am very impressed with Rocky's customer service at USA Kilts and his work looks excellent. I also like the idea, and I've been toying with it, of having a box-pleat from Mr. Newsome. Can anyone give any personal experience with the 5-yard wool from USA Kilts (in 13 or 16oz, does it feel like an 8-yard?) or a box-pleat from Mr. Newsome? Thanks again.

I've worn quite a few of Mr. Newsome's kilts, but then again I may not have the most unbiased opinion. :-)

Seriously, though, there are lots of reviews of both my kilts and USA kilts on this forum, if you do some searches. My kilts and Rocky's kilts are different animals, so it will be kind of hard to compare. I think the only way to resolve this difficult situation would be to buy at least one of each. What do you say, Rocky? :-)

M

[Kiltman]

Welcome from Eastern Washington State.

[Bryan]

Welcome from Eastern Washington State.

Thank you.