Traditional Solid Color Kilts and Definitions

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I think Steve's definition is helpful if one is speaking strictly of modern-day kilts. However, as a kilt historian, I feel I should point out that a lot of what he mentions as characterstic of "traditional" kilts are fairly modern construction techniques and would not be present on kilts from one or two centuries ago. This, in my mind, does not in any way make these historic kilts any less traditional.

For example, there is no cloth cut away in the pleats of a four yard box pleated kilt. This is because there is not enough overlap of the pleats to justify removing the excess material. In an 8 yard kilt, on the other hand, if one did not cut away the cloth inside the pleats, it would feel like one had a cusion strapped to your back.

Not cutting away this material means you will see a very different looking arrangement when were you to peel back the lining of a four yard kilt. And guess what? The original tailored kilts did not have ANY stabilizing cloth or lining of any kind. There was nothing to them but the tartan itself and some thread. :-) I could make a kilt just this way today, and when it was being worn you'd never know it was any different from all the other box pleated kilts I have made.

In my mind, as someone who has approached the question from the perspective of a kilt historian, a kilt maker, and a kilt wearer, these are the things that I would look for in a traditional kilt.
1) be made from traditional kilting material; by which I mean either worsted or tweed wool of a suitable weight.
2) be made with pleats in the rear and overlapping aprons in the front, with the waist being split approximately 50/50 between pleats and apron.
3) be made to wear at the natural waist (not low on the hips).
4) be made to fall at or about the knees.

And that's about as strict as I would feel comfortable being with my definition. Note whether the kilt is tartan or solid does not even enter into the equation, nor does the style of pleating. And I didn't even mention "hand sewn," because, though that is the preferred norm in a traditional kilt, I see no reason why a kilt that is otherwise made in the traditional style cannot be machine sewn by someone who knew what they were doing. The machine sewn USA kilts are good examples. (Historically, the kilts worn by the 79th NY Cameron Highlanders were machine sewn).