Throw awat the iLv system, implement a PvE Rank system.

[Zarzak]

That being said, I don't know of anyone who would conflate iLvl to mean skill.

This is my thought on the matter. You can get ilvl 90 without ever stepping foot in a raid zone. Unless you count the hard modes. So equating ilvl to skill is a bad idea to begin with. Only 2 things I'd take as proof of skill when it comes to "what they person is wearing" would be Ifrit drops (aka bracer or primal weapons) or T5 drops.