Evidence that "AI" is still artificial

[IGA]

I don't think it's necessarily true that the AI bot "found" ANYTHING from Pakistan. I've read that such knockoffs exist, of course. My personal experience with AI search bots is extraordinarily limited, but I've read in several places that, when the bot can't discover an answer, it often just makes things up.

(!!)

I think the AI "saw" that HOE produces the cloth AND that they offer both weights and assumed that both must be true simultaneously. And while both CAN be true at the same time for other tartans, I can confidently state that HOE only produces Glen Affric in 13 oz.

I'm now jumping (only slightly) out on a limb here to speculate: it's the colors. They're not standard, so they had to arrange custom dyes to get that tartan done. They only wanted to do that in one weight, not both to limit how much extra cost/time/risk went into developing that tartan. And in general, they lean into 13 oz. tartans and yarn supplies A LOT more. That's a bit of conjecture, but I fell reasonably confidant in it.

[OC Richard]

The bottom line with the number of yards in a kilt is that the two overlapping front aprons remain the same regardless, and as the yards go up the additional yards are all in back, so that the kilt gets more and more back-heavy. The cutting out of the pleats helps offset this to some degree.

There's a modern notion that "proper" kilts must have 8 yards.

For years I've been collecting vintage Highland Dress catalogues from Scottish kilt shops and they tell a different tale: throughout the 1920s up into the 1970s identical-quality gents' kilts are offered in 6, 7, and 8 yards. This of course is prior to the concept of "casual" kilts.

And in the early 19th century it was less than that, for example the 93rd Foot in 1801

Officers: 5 yards
Grenadiers: 3.75 yards
all others: 3.5 yards

From 1850 the yardage gradually increased to 6 yards, and reaching 7 yards by 1894.

So a 5 yard kilt, far from being skimpy, in 1801 was a luxurious Officers' kilt.

For me the ideal kilt is around 6 yards. There's plenty of pleats to swing and the kilt isn't too heavy in back.

My 6-yard 10 ounce boxpleated kilt



My 6-hard knifepleated kilt