Quote Originally Posted by Chas View Post
3 & 4 - All the ones I have seen tend to splay out (both single and double box). There is a visible gap between the pleats. I make no judgement as to why - made that way, incorrect measurements, added weight, lack of pressing. I don't know, but I can always tell.
You probably have seen a lot of knife pleated kilts with pleats splayed out, as well, but the pleating style makes it less noticeable. If the kilt fits properly, and the pleats are taken care of in terms of proper pressing, there should be no splaying. It should look like this.


Now, if the pleats go to getting a little bit wonky, with a knife pleated kilt a keen observer will surely notice the pleats are not hanging straight, but it's not overly obvious. With a box pleated kilt, because it is constructed so that the facing pleats touch each other, when they don't (leaving a gap between the pleats) it is quite apparent. This "gap" is not an issue with knife pleats, even though the pleats may in fact be splayed just as badly.

I'll also take the opportunity to point out here that the "double box pleated kilt" is an invention of Lady Chrystel and doesn't have an historical precedent. (I'm not saying that as a positive or negative, just a point of fact that you will not find such a pleating style in the historic record).