US Army Tartan box pleat- how many buckles ?

[Tartan Tess]

I'm making a box pleat at kilt camp next week in New York.
US Army tartan from D.C. Dalgliesh.I am going to pleat to the stripe.
my question is.....two or three buckles ?

[Colin MacBean]

1,2,3 buckles it is a personal preference. So my question is why not one?

[Tartan Tess]

I guess I am thinking of the kilt as a military kilt because of pleating to the stripe and the tartan itself. So what is more military style ?

[Hothir Ethelnor]

3 is more military.

[cavscout]

I say 2 buckles.

The 3 buckle system was necessary when soldiers wore the kilt touching or on the rib cage. Maybe 26" + long overall. You'd have the 2 buckles at the top and the third down around the true waist region.

Most kilts today are not worn anywhere near that long and so the 3rd buckle is not necessary and many (myself included) are opting to do way with it. Maybe for a person who is very tall it might still be needed but for the average lad, it's just more labor and expense for little to no benefit (IMHO).

[thescot]

I'm in agreement with CanScout. The third buckle on the right hand side is superfluous on modern kilts. I just got my new Tewksbury with only two buckles.

Also, I should point out that if you gain a pound of ten, the third buckle will make the kilt front pull across the front. Not a pretty site on gentlemen of substance.

[Tartan Tess]

Thanks, you guys.
To be honest, I will try and make it lower and that is a good point about how it would look. I will probably try and make it about two inches lower (the waist) than a true tank.
I have only made knife pleat kilts and only used two buckles on them.

[denmcdough]

My tank was made by Wally Catanch, of Waterfall Kilts. Wally only puts two buckles on his kilts, and I've had no problem with mine. To each is own, though.

[scotchmaster]

I own many tartan tanks with both 2 and 3 buckles, I prefer 3 but 2 work just fine...

[wildrover]

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