Finally got one !!! But Strange pleat on my new Black watch

[Norbo]

Ok so after half a year of looking i fined a Ex army black watch thats a 34 36 its ace and 2kg and looks better then i could have ever hoped for . turns out its 32 34 so to small . So its up for sale in the for sale section now . I get back on to the MOD and make a fuss so they sort me out a new kilt this is a 36 it fits its not as nice as the one i now have to sell if you look at the tartan its far nicer on the 1^st one with the blue and green standing out better . The new one is all so a lighter sitll nice and coming in at 1.7kg so im still happy with it but it has some funny looking pleats they are not box pleat and they are not what i call normal pleats like the first one and all my others . It starts as a normal pleat but then has a fold at the end .
It has a real nice swing to it i have to say better than the others i think and that’s just trying it on in the house . however it does have some hols in the inner apron so im not sure how to fix them .
Any way her it is next to the 1^st one and some picks of the funny looking pleats .

This is the first one deep thick pleats
This is the new one


I don’t hate it its just a bit like the 2 strap and 3 strap thing its not what im used to so it looks a bit strange to me . it has a real nice swish to it a little better the others i think .

[plaid preacher]

The "funny" pleats are in fact military box pleats and are one of the features that give military pleats their distinctive look, feel, and swing. Memory escapes me at the moment, but as I recall, most highland regiments use the military pleat, but there is one regiment that uses the knife pleat which is more familiar to you. I'm sure someone will chime in with the details I have forgotten.

[Arnot]

Memory escapes me at the moment, but as I recall, most highland regiments use the military pleat, but there is one regiment that uses the knife pleat which is more familiar to you. I'm sure someone will chime in with the details I have forgotten.

You are correct. The knife pleat is the Black Watch. The military box pleat is the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

[Norbo]

They are both supposed to be Blackwatch and both have the same tartan Patten just 1 has more definition but both have the same lines and blocks %100 identical just the shading is different and they came from the MOD

[plaid preacher]

Thanks Arnot, I knew someone would come to my aid!

Norbo, while the tartan in question has become synonymous with one particular regiment, the blackwatch tartan is traditionally known as the Government Sett and has been used by more than just the regiment we know today as the Blackwatch. The Argyll and Sutherlands are another historic regiment that also wears the Government Sett.

[Norbo]

so are you saying they are 1 of the same tartan blackwatch has knife pleats and Sutherlands have the military box pleat. well ill still be calling my blackwatch when im out it sounds a lot cooler LOL

[WillowEstate]

You are correct. The knife pleat is the Black Watch. The military box pleat is the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

My military Mackenzie Seaforth is also knife pleated.

[freddie]

The Seaforth Highlanders did wear the Mackenzie tartan but in box pleats. The Highland Light Infantry wore the Mackenzie as knife pleats.

[Ron Abbott]

I thought it was Govenrment No. 1 sett for the Black Watch and Government No. 2 sett (often referred to as 1A sett) for the Argylls? The latter being a slightly lighter shade.

The Pipe Major's kilt and those of commissioned officers was also a slightly lighter shade than those of the rank and file.

And as for the current Royal Regiment of Scotland, I gather the kilts are based on 1A but have the tartan has been slightly changed to show of the pattern/sett better......or something like that! All rather confusing.

By the way, does anyone know whether the Argylls....or 5 Scots....or Balaklava Comapny.....still have their Pipes & Drums?

[Arnot]

The Seaforth Highlanders did wear the Mackenzie tartan but in box pleats. The Highland Light Infantry wore the Mackenzie as knife pleats.

That's right. My Seaforth kilt has box pleats. Another difference is that the kilt apron is centered on the red line for the Seaforths and The Highland light Infantry is as shown below. I have also included a shot of the pleats.