I found that a fabric thick enough to make a kilt respectable looking and behaving, with sewn down box pleats from a minimum amount of cloth caused me to overheat around the middle even in the coldest February weather we can expect here on the South Coast of England.

I would say that a stiffish cotton fabric might be an option, being cooler and it would resist being blown about, but 5 yards would look less skimped than 4, unless for someone rather skinny.

Another option might be to make the 4 yard box pleated kilt and cut out the back of the fell so as to make just two, or even one layer and line it with cotton to avoid any danger of spontaneous combustion.