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Some of the more notable changes in the modern tailored kilt involve the amount of fabric used for the finished garment. These alterations were dictated largely by changes in fashion and style preferences.

The first tailored kilts, the military 1790s versions, used just under four yards of cloth. By around 1850, public tastes favored larger tartan patterns and narrower box pleats; these factors increased the amount of cloth required to a full five yards. Fabric requirements continued to grow with the arrival of the knife pleat, introduced to regimental use by the Gordon Highlanders in 1853. Knife pleating - often tailored so that each pleat was arranged to maintain the unbroken pattern of the tartan - demanded unprecedented amounts of cloth, frequently eight yards or more. By comparison, present-day non-military kilts typically contain from four to ten yards of cloth. Why such a wide range? Yardage is determined by a combination of factors, from the dimensions of the wearer to the size of the tartan pattern itself.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Are you seeking additional information on the history of kilts and tartans? The historical reasons behind the phenomenal popularity of tartan fabrics over the centuries are presented in our article entitled All About Tartans.