Royal Regiment of Scotland

[Jock Scot]

Just a couple of points.

1) Historically, the male kilt has been made from an average of four yards, single width. The first tailored kilt that survives for us, c. 1794, was a military kilt, for the Gordon Highlanders, and contained just a bit over three yards of cloth. The idea that only eight yard kilts are "real kilts" is just not accurate, and frankly a bit insulting to those who make and wear kilts with less yardage.

2) Even today, I would hazard a guess that most military kilts contain less than eight yards. A lot of military kilts I have personally examined have actually had closer to six yards of cloth. There is no magic rule that says a kilt must have a certain amount of material in it.

You are of course quite correct, Matt. However, I suspect that NJ may well have had his tongue placed firmly in his cheek when he made that statement. Also I suspect if you asked a Scot what a real kilt was, he would reply that it would have to be tartan and would have to contain 8 yards of wool cloth.Not an inch less. On a historical note, I doubt that many Scots have ever heard of box pleats and would regard anything other than knife pleats as some modern, new fangled idea that some one from Timbuktu has just thought up!Ho hum!