Questions on the Newsome 4yrd Box Pleat or 8yrd Knife Pleat?

[M. A. C. Newsome]

To those that want box pleats then go ahead, there are undoubted advantages with them, but in my humble opinion looks are not one of them! Do not expect kilt makers in Scotland to make a kilt with them(they might,but I doubt it) either and don't expect Box pleats to impress in the land where the knife pleated kilt is king. Regardless of what the historical evidence quite correctly says.

Thanks for your input, Jock. You've stated several times in the past that box pleated kilts are not the recognized norm in Scotland, and I believe that everyone recognizes that fact. They are not the recognized norm in America, either.

Safe to say, across the globe, when most people think "kilt" what they have in mind is knife pleated and made of a nominal eight yards of cloth. It's the standard.

What the original poster is asking is for those who have worn both styles, what differences they may have noticed.

For the record, I've shipped several of my four yard box pleated kilts across to the UK (both Scotland and England), so someone over there must like the style!

[Jock Scot]

Thanks for your input, Jock. You've stated several times in the past that box pleated kilts are not the recognized norm in Scotland, and I believe that everyone recognizes that fact. They are not the recognized norm in America, either.

Safe to say, across the globe, when most people think "kilt" what they have in mind is knife pleated and made of a nominal eight yards of cloth. It's the standard.

What the original poster is asking is for those who have worn both styles, what differences they may have noticed.

For the record, I've shipped several of my four yard box pleated kilts across to the UK (both Scotland and England), so someone over there must like the style!

I know that I might sound like a stuck record Matt, but what needs to be made clear to those considering the box pleated kilt is that they are not usual over here and the apparent shock to some that they(box pleated kilt) are not common in the UK, is so very obvious(to me anyway) on occasion.The OP is not an old hand here, so I thought pointing out this fact to him and perhaps others, might be helpful with his decision making. I don't doubt for a second that there are box pleated kilts in the UK, but very few and far between.That is all I was trying to point out, apart from the "school girl skirt syndrome" that we seem to recognise over here.

[seanachie]

I know that I might sound like a stuck record Matt, but what needs to be made clear to those considering the box pleated kilt is that they are not usual over here and the apparent shock to some that they(box pleated kilt) are not common in the UK, is so very obvious(to me anyway) on occasion.The OP is not an old hand here, so I thought pointing out this fact to him and perhaps others, might be helpful with his decision making. I don't doubt for a second that there are box pleated kilts in the UK, but very few and far between.That is all I was trying to point out, apart from the "school girl skirt syndrome" that we seem to recognise over here.

I don't mean to hijack the thread, and I am asking this in the interogative,
is it not a little sad that something with verifiable historical accuracy would be denigrated as a school girls skirt? I enjoy learning the history and tradition on this board and it seems disheartening that this part of one's heritage would be essentially disowned.

[Jock Scot]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, and I am asking this in the interogative,
is it not a little sad that something with verifiable historical accuracy would be denigrated as a school girls skirt? I enjoy learning the history and tradition on this board and it seems disheartening that this part of one's heritage would be essentially disowned.

In many ways you are so right, but the truth is that the civilian box pleated kilt is almost unknown by most Scots of today. Why that is I suppose, is just an accident of history that no one can really explain. Now in the 1940/50/60/70 and maybe even to this day at some schools(I doubt it!) the box pleated skirt was standard issue for school girls and their school uniforms. Yes in those days all school children had to wear a school uniform and the girls wore box pleated skirts. That is why to many(those that are aware) of us over here think that the box pleated kilt looks like a skirt and it really does. That is a part of "our" history that perhaps you chaps outside the UK have not understood.

[Cygnus]

In many ways you are so right, but the truth is that the civilian box pleated kilt is almost unknown by most Scots of today. Why that is I suppose, is just an accident of history that no one can really explain. Now in the 1940/50/60/70 and maybe even to this day at some schools(I doubt it!) the box pleated skirt was standard issue for school girls and their school uniforms. Yes in those days all school children had to wear a school uniform and the girls wore box pleated skirts. That is why to many(those that are aware) of us over here think that the box pleated kilt looks like a skirt and it really does. That is a part of "our" history that perhaps you chaps outside the UK have not understood.

I quite like the look of the box-pleated kilt but the "iconic" school-girl skirt has, mostly through film, made its way to our shores; and I will admit that I had made the mental comparison upon first seeing Matt's kilts.

Given where I live, however, it is still a style that I am considering; though I will take Jock's advice and think twice about wearing one if ever I make the journey to my ancestral homeland! And if that second thought still has me proudly wearing a Matt Newsome box-pleat kilt, I'll be prepared with historical facts for the quizzical looks and verbally expressed questions I might encounter.

[seanachie]

Given where I live, however, it is still a style that I am considering; though I will take Jock's advice and think twice about wearing one if ever I make the journey to my ancestral homeland! And if that second thought still has me proudly wearing a Matt Newsome box-pleat kilt, I'll be prepared with historical facts for the quizzical looks and verbally expressed questions I might encounter.

Quizzical looks and verbally expressed questions, are definitely something I can handle. I actually am waiting for my first wool kilt, 16 oz Jura in Saffron, box pleated from John Hart (Keltoi). I have had enough strange reactions in wearing the kilt that I don't let it bother me. I have read the history of the box pleated kilt presented so well here, I know what a fine kilt maker John is from all his reviews, and the 4 yard box pleat put a wool kilt within my budget. I appreciate what you are saying about pulling this off in Scotland, but in my normal course of kilting if some has an issue with my kilt, the problem is theirs not mine. I have never been a lemming and don't propose to start, and part of why I like the kilted rabble.

[CMcG]

In many ways you are so right, but the truth is that the civilian box pleated kilt is almost unknown by most Scots of today. Why that is I suppose, is just an accident of history that no one can really explain. Now in the 1940/50/60/70 and maybe even to this day at some schools(I doubt it!) the box pleated skirt was standard issue for school girls and their school uniforms. Yes in those days all school children had to wear a school uniform and the girls wore box pleated skirts. That is why to many(those that are aware) of us over here think that the box pleated kilt looks like a skirt and it really does. That is a part of "our" history that perhaps you chaps outside the UK have not understood.

In Toronto, Canada the standard pleating style for a schoolgirl's uniform is the knife pleat. My lass was quite excited when I bought her a box-pleated kilt-skirt because it didn't remind her of her old uniform!

That being said, many schools over the last few years have been phasing out the kilt-skirt. A terrible shame in my opinion.

Back to the topic of the OP. I don't own a box-pleated kilt but I would like to.

[David White]

I own three box-pleats, two made by Matt (and they are both of fantastic quality). They look sharp and have history! Also they are very comfortable, even in the very hot and very humid Virginia summers-also warm in the winter. I highly recommend them. And I'm wearing one now.

The only comment I have recieved about the box-pleat looking like a girls skirt was here on this forum, very early on. I honestly believe I had one of the first here.

Here is a link to a closed thread showing a bunch of box-pleats-
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...d-kilts-25030/