Box pleats

[Rod Roy]

Hiyas! I look forward to get my new kilt in my family tartan, which has been woven a couple of weeks ago, and I want box pleats for my kilt. Please have a look at the pictures. Which style would you choose? I would like to wear my kilt at 18th century re-enactments, and I also would like to wear it when I enjoy hill walking. I have attached a photo of my tartan with pinned pleats, which I´d call a mix of box pleats and knife pleats (see pic 2), and I really like that style. However, I´m afraid the pleats won´t keep their shape in heavy rain and strong winds. -- Better choose normal box pleats? Please share your thoughts. Thank you in advance.

Yours Aye Rod

[Steve Ashton]

What you have created by experiment are called even or equal leg box pleats
and
unequal leg box pleats which are sometimes called military box pleats.

It was put forth by Matt Newsome that unequal leg box pleats were used to cram more fabric, for better swish, into regular or equal leg box pleats.

Although each pleat is narrower, the unequal or military box pleats, are how the current Royal Regt. of Scotland (RRS) kilts are pleated.

Here are some samples of different ways to fold fabric into pleats.

Narrow or refined knife pleats. This is how an 8 yard kilt is made.



The same refined knife pleats but now pleated "to stripe".



Wide or rugged knife pleats which is how a 5 yard kilt is created.



Kinguisse pleating. Basically a large 'tail' box pleat in the center with knife pleats on each side pointing in opposite directions.



Flop Kinguisse pleats over and you have Reverse Kinguisse pleats. These are what are commonly found on the Utilikilt and its clones.



Regular or equal leg box pleats.



Unequal box pleats or military box pleats.

[Rod Roy]

Many thanks, Steve! That´s very useful in deed. -- In your opinion, which pleat style would be good for both 18th century re-enactment and hill walking?

[figheadair]

The event box pleat style dates to the late 18th century, the misnamed 'military box pleat', which Bob Martin referred to as a box-knife pleat, dates to c1830. Neither is "correct' for period (mid-18th century) re-enactment. Which you choice to wear is a therefore a personal preference; my own is for a 5yd box-knife which a like because it affords the option of a narrower box and slightly more weight in the pleats.

[Steve Ashton]

Well, this will be more personal opinion than the well documented post by Peter.

I have seen a few of the old kilts in museums and from the 1780's up to just before the 1822 Levee, many kilts seem to me to have been box pleated with no eye to matching or aligning the Tartan.

I will defer to Peter on any kilts that may have existed prior to the 1780's-1790's.

A box pleated kilt is today referred to as a 4 yard kilt versus a 5 or 8 yard knife pleated kilt. They are lighter because they use, on average, half the amount of fabric. So for hiking I would go with box pleats. I can't comment on reenacting.

[Father Bill]

A box pleated kilt is today referred to as a 4 yard kilt versus a 5 or 8 yard knife pleated kilt. They are lighter because they use, on average, half the amount of fabric. So for hiking I would go with box pleats. I can't comment on reenacting.

I have one of each, both made by the same kilt-maker. My "4 yard box pleated" kilt seems vaguely lighter to me, but really there's not a lot of difference in the way they feel when I wear them.

[Rod Roy]

In the beginning, when I started the project, I thought it would be lovely to own a box pleat kilt in late 18th century style. I am very much impressed by the 1790 MacDuff kilt which inspired me to create my own tartan. I think I should keep going that way and choose box pleats for my kilt.

In case I should choose plain box pleats, I wonder what part of the sett I should choose for the centre of the pleats. Another impression caught my eye when I saw the Glenaladale tartan, reconstructed and woven by Peter MacDonald, which in my opinion is a beautiful piece of art.

The Glenaladale kilt shares the style of pleats, which can be seen in my second image above, and it has pleats with alternating lines, and that is also a lovely feature. After having received a good advice, I thought it would be best to have the two lines in the centre of the pleats. I still think that the pleats with alternating lines, as used in the pleats of the Glenaladale kilt, just look fantastic, and I would love to adopt that style for my box pleat kilt. Now I wonder if pleats with alternating lines, if used in my tartan, would be deep enough to get a nice kilt. Again, your friendly advice would be much appreciated.

To avoid a misunderstanding, now we´re talking about the centre of the box pleats, so in this case please ignore that the 2nd photo below doesn´t show the plain box pleats -- please just focus the centre of the pleats, and share your thoughts.


Glenaladale tartan
Pleats with alternating lines



Heil Hunting tartan
Pleats with single line



Heil Hunting tartan
Pleats with two lines



Heil Hunting tartan
Pleats with alternating lines #1



Heil Hunting tartan
Pleats with alternating lines #2



Heil Hunting tartan
Kilt apron

[Tarheel]

You caught my eye with "hill walking". Are those hills under 500 meters tall or Alpine heights? I ask because of the air moisture above certain elevations. Concerns I've read among the group is kilt weight. A heavier material will shed moisture quicker and stay warmer longer but you will feel the weight until you get used to it.

I think a box pleat in your material will shed outer water better and dry quicker than the multi-layered box pleat or knife pleat. I also think you will need to press your kilt after each visit to the hills.

I hope some of our bagpipers will jump in to give us observation. They have worn many kilt styles in all sorts of environments.

[kingandrew]

Neither is "correct' for period (mid-18th century) re-enactment. Which you choice to wear is a therefore a personal preference; my own is for a 5yd box-knife which a like because it affords the option of a narrower box and slightly more weight in the pleats.

Peter,

Did you mean "either" as in both are OK or "neither" indicating both are incorrect for the time period?

Since you say it's a personal choice and share your preference, I assumed you meant "either." But I wanted to clarify.

Your knowledge of the surviving examples is very helpful to those seeking historical insight and accuracy.

Thanks,
Andrew

[figheadair]

Peter,

Did you mean "either" as in both are OK or "neither" indicating both are incorrect for the time period?

Since you say it's a personal choice and share your preference, I assumed you meant "either." But I wanted to clarify.

Your knowledge of the surviving examples is very helpful to those seeking historical insight and accuracy.

Thanks,
Andrew

In an historical contact I meant neither , i.e. they did not exist. Therefore, if one chose to wear either it would be a personal choice but neither would be correct for the mid-18th century style of feileadh beag which, as far as we know, was an unsewn garment.