I think i'm turning into a kilt snob...

[Jock Scot]

I am not sure I like the title of snob.I think I prefer the title of" kilt watcher".I have done it most of my life--60 plus years.The trick is to see all and say nothing,not one word ---unless asked by the wearer.It is the Highland way.We admire a well worn kilt and smile inwardly and we cringe inwardly when a kilt nightmare goes by.Be warned,visitors, most of Scotland are kilt watchers, the trouble is, that often some of us don't really know anything about the kilt.

[Alan H]

I would think that it's better to give them the link here. I can't imagine being the guy that is told that kilts don't have pleats all the way around, or that my basting stiches are still in. What would make it worse is still having to wear it for the rest of the day knowing that others will likely notice the mistake. Better to let them enjoy the day and learn the error later on than to make the kilt a traumatic thing that they won't touch again.

The first time I wore my Stillwater black Watch I left the basting stitches in! My logic was finding out whether it fit or not, before taking them out and committing myself to owning that one!

I'm a tad bit better educated, now!

[Woodsheal]

BTW, 16th -18th century belted plaids (and even the earliest philabegs) WERE pleated all the way around! Don't apply modern standards to historic highland dress. Very few of them apply!

Another mistake is to look for authenticity at SCA and RenFaire events. The pirates, witches, elves, etc. should tip you off to that fact...!

[BoldHighlander]

BTW, 16th -18th century belted plaids (and even the earliest philabegs) WERE pleated all the way around! Don't apply modern standards to historic highland dress. Very few of them apply!

Another mistake is to look for authenticity at SCA and RenFaire events. The pirates, witches, elves, etc. should tip you off to that fact...!

Ha!ha! So true Brian

For my part, when I mention pleats all the way around, I'm talking about at Highland Games, not SCA/RenFaires & mostly those in modern kilts.

[Woodsheal]

Depiction of belted plaid from the 1742 "Cloathing Book" of the British Army:



Philabeg ca. 1750:



Philabeg ca. 1775:



In all cases note that the pleats are obviously in the front part of the kilt! In the last example, rather crisp box pleats....

[Woodsheal]

Finally, one of the clearest examples of all-round pleating - Lord George Murray painted around the time of the `45 Rebellion:

[Keys MacQuarrie]

...I'll let you critique my "wearing of the tartan" this Saturday at the Phx games...

[Howard Clark]

As a good friend of mine says, "better to be happy than right". I might try to discreetly point it out if it were being worn backwards, but I am not sure that I would say much unless asked. I don't solicit the opinion of others much, and don't offer mine very often unless asked. But, don't ask me unless you want to know what I think, for I will tell you.

[BoldHighlander]

Finally, one of the clearest examples of all-round pleating - Lord George Murray painted around the time of the `45 Rebellion:

Brian, in looking at many period examples of belted plaids (such as you've provided, etc), I think it's the nature of the beast (so to speak) that they end up pleated all the way around.

I wonder when tailored kilts took on the apron in front?
Late 18th century? Certainly by the Victorian era they were the norm.

[Woodsheal]

Brian, in looking at many period examples of belted plaids (such as you've provided, etc), I think it's the nature of the beast (so to speak) that they end up pleated all the way around.

I wonder when tailored kilts took on the apron in front?
Late 18th century? Certainly by the Victorian era they were the norm.

By the 1780's-90's the flat aprons were evident in portraiture and surviving kilts. If the earlier plaids and philabegs were utilizing drawstrings, as many now postulate, the all-round pleating makes sense, as you say, as one would be scrunching 3-4 yards of fabric along the cord around your waist....