Quote Originally Posted by Sean_the_Kilted View Post
I've seen the diagrams of what makes a Military box pleat, but what makes it so special? They seem like they would be a lot heavier.
In reality they are no heavier than a traditional knife pleated kilt; the pleat depths are shallower and the pleats more intricate, but they are still pleated to the stripe and one pleat per sett. What makes them so special, IMHO, is the way the pleats swing (or, shall I say, they swing both ways ). Even though the knife-pleated kilt is an asymmetric garment, the small box on top of the pleat gives it a much more symmetrical appearance during low activity. In the regiments, a band of elastic is tacked in the inside loosely across the pleats, probably to help keep the intricate pleats from unfolding too much and not refolding correctly.

But I did see an ex-MOD Seaforth Highlander in MacKenzie tartan on an athlete at the Livermore Games a couple weeks ago. I believe his was minus the elastic, judging from his twirl during the weight tosses. The kilt is no heavier, just maybe a bit warmer in the pleats because of the layering.

Kathy Lare and others make them, What Price Glory does a reproduction mil-box, and auctions regularly turn up ex-MOD mil-boxes. If you like kilts (is that an oxymoron on this forum?), you'll love military box pleats.

w2f