Military Box-Pleats: some questions for the rabble.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

"Other terms", i.e. "military box pleated" have already been applied and are commonly understood to mean a certain style quite distinct from "box-pleated".

I think we need to be very careful here to keep in mind that what may be "commonly understood" by active members of this forum may not, in fact, be "commonly understood" by the kilt wearing and kilt making world at large.

This is a very perfect and clear example. On this forum, when one says "box pleated kilt" one immediately imagines a four yard variety, whereas one must say "military box pleated kilt" if one means the eight yard variety.

However, if one were to approach just about any classically trained kiltmaker in Scotland and ask about a "box pleated kilt" they will immediately assume you mean the modern-day military style kilt. Most will never have heard of a "four yard box pleated kilt."

Really, though, my only point in all of this is that there are but two basic forms of pleating: knife pleats and box pleats. Any other styles of pleating we may imagine are simply variations of these made with differing amounts of material or some combination of the two (such as the Kingussie style which combines one central box pleat with flanking knife pleats). "Military box pleat" does not constitute a third, distinct form of pleating, it is simply one possible form of box pleat.