Starch and cotton kilts

[Pleater]

I have been wearing light cotton kilts recently in the heat wave over the UK, and some of the materials I have used are rather too light for a really smart kilt - however, I would like to pass on a tip which will help to keep light kilts looking good.

Spray starch.

It should be available in most supermarkets and many smaller shops.

Do as it says in the instructions and shake the can before each spray and you will get a lovely smooth 'this is not really a tablecloth' look.

It seems to help with both the totally casual unsewn down, unpressed pleats as well as the military to the line style.

Spray and iron on the back of the material from the selvage/hem up towards the waist as far as practical to achieve an uncrumpled look first, then do any pressing. I use a piece of thick cardboard to lay out each pleat for pressing - that way you do not get imprints of the edges of the pleats underneath. Even with 'soft' pleats you need to iron the folds at the waist on the outside after washing.

I hope that it will not be necessary to wash a kilt after just one day's wear for long periods - but the absorbant qualities and cool feel of all cotton are ideal when the roads start to melt in the sun.

[kilted in kleaveland]

Thanks for the post. I've been wondering about spray starch with my cotton kilt. While it is one of my lightest weight kilts and perfect for the heat, it is also my least favorite because of the constant maintenance needed from the wrinkles. I will give this a try!