Many thanks to Jock and Rex for their replies.

I agree wholeheartedly that good photos are better than words, but where will we find the photos that describe the details of the previous paragraph?
Well, I'm not sure what the answer is. What I think it comes down to (for those of us across the water) is this: if we emulate photos we see from the Highlands, we are often told that we are being costumish or "too traditional" because those photos don't represent the everyday way of wearing a kilt. We are told that we just don't get it. OK, fine, I can understand that. But if that's true, then surely someone, somewhere, has taken photos of less showy (i.e. more "normal-yet-traditional") ways of wearing it. Jock Scot has shown us some examples in the past, and has given us at least a cursory description above.

I think perhaps we need more of that, if we American chaps are to truly understand the fine line that apparently exists between traditional and costumish.