Kilts that aren't pleated?

[vipermcgee]

While at Clanjamfrey, I had a gentleman in trousers ask why some kilts are pleated and some are not. After some brief conversation, I finally gained some understanding of his question. It should also be noted that the gentleman had one eye covered with a band-aid and also wore glasses.

I believe he was actually asking why some kilts appear to have bands around them and others show the entire plaid pattern. I explained the types of pleats to him as best I could and even pointed out some examples of each as I could find them.

I am not sure if I answered his question, but he seemed satisfied with my answer at the time. This did stick in my mind and I thought I would ask if anyone knew of any kilts that were not pleated. I am with the understanding that that pleats are part of the definition of kilt, but I have been wrong before!

Robert

[Wild Macrae]

Not that I'm a kilt expert by any means as I'm just getting into this, but I've been doing lots and lots of research trying to decide on my first kilt and I did stumble across a company that makes a slip-on, unpleated "kilt." To me that sounds more like a skirt and shouldn't be classified as a kilt at all. If I can find the site again, I'll post the link.

[Chas]

You are quite right Robert - kilts have pleats. If it hasn't got pleats it could be a skirt or somethimg else.

Follow the links at the Scottish Tartan Museum above or this link for the whole pleating story.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/ads/museumad2.jpg

Regards

Chas

[The Guy in the Kilt at UC]

He may have been confused about what the term pleat meant.

[Galician]

To simplify things, just say that kilts are pleated skirts for men.

[sathor]

Of course, perhaps it just needed pointed out to him that some people just throw tartan around themselves with no prep work or anything and think it a kilt.

[Nighthawk]

At the last Highlands festival I went to, there was a guy there walking around wearing a demin skirt- an honest to Gods skirt, like he borrowed it from his wife. It had the slit in back and everything. It's very possible that the guy genuinely doesn't know what a kilt is. I have seen unpleated men's skirts at festivals- the buys in the band Brother wear them regularly- and although there are some guys who pull them off... I couldn't, and they are deffinately not kilts.

[Urchurdan]

If it doesnt have pleats - or it has pleats all round, its a skirt, and I don't do skirts...

[Old Hippie]

...and then we have the Blaklader kilt. Technically, it's "pleated" but the "pleats" are more to the top, near the fell. At the hem, the "pleats" are completely opened out and stitched that way.

As someone who wears a Blaklader just about every day on the farm, I can say that it's more "airy" feeling underneath than a UK Workman.

Anyway, it's an example of something that may fall in between.

[cessna152towser]

Some leisure kilts in Europe just have two kick pleats at each side and none at the back, so they are more comfortable for sitting. So long as they have overlapping front aprons I think you could accept these as kilts.
Knee length jeans skirts with no pleats and front zipper flies are available in men's sizes and men's waist/hip proportions in England, when I have worn these I have occasionally been complemented on my "modern style kilt", and indeed wearing a jeans skirt in Toronto and in Vancouver several people asked me if I was Scottish. The only person who appeared to know the difference and call it a skirt was a kilt wearer whom I met in an airport. Jeans skirts are definitely not kilts.