A History of Scottish
Kilts
Scottish
kilts are known as “The National Dress of Scotland” and are a
highly recognized form of dress throughout the world. Kilts
have deep cultural and historical roots in the country of
Scotland and are a sacred symbol of patriotism and honor for a
true Scotsman. The word "kilt" is a derivation of the ancient
Norse word, kjilt, which means pleated, and refers to clothing
that is tucked up and around the body.
Scottish
kilts originate back to the 16th century, when they were
traditionally worn as full length garments by Gaelic-speaking
male Highlanders of northern Scotland. They were referred to
as a léine, Gaelic for “shirt” and typically, the garments
were draped over the shoulder or pulled over the head as
cloaks. The wearing of Scottish kilts was common during the
1720s, when the British military used them as their formal
uniforms. The knee-length kilt, similar to the modern kilt of
today, did not develop until the late 17th or early 18th
century.
Early
Scottish kilts were made using self-colored garments, which
were white or dull brown, green or black as opposed to the
multicolored plaids or tartan designs recognized today. As
dyeing and weaving techniques improved during the late 1800s,
tartan patterns were developed, and these plaid designs became
native to Scotland using tartan cloth.
The “great
kilt” and belted plaid evolved from the tartan wrap, when
woolen wraps and plaids began to emerge as a highly desirable
form of fashion and a sign of cultural affluence. In time, the
garments were worn gathered at the waist in what became the
belted plaid. It was called in Gaelic feileadh-mór, meaning
“great wrap” or breacan-an-feileadh, meaning “tartan wrap.”
The belted plaid became a popular dress among Highland men
during the 17th century and as late as 1822, when they were
worn largely for ceremonial purposes as opposed to being a
part of everyday dress. The female version was referred to as
the arisaid, which was worn down to the ankles and generally
made from white tartan cloth with a wide-spaced
pattern.
During the
mid to late 17th century, the “small kilt,” phillabeg or
feileadh-beag, in Gaelic, or “little wrap” developed. The
pleated “small kilt” or “walking kilt” is basically the bottom
half of the great kilt from the 16th century Scottish
Highlands, which was belted plaid using untailored cloth. The
garment was loosely gathered into folds and belted at the
waist, falling to just above the knee, with a few inches of
cloth overlapping the top of the belt. Typically, a separate
length of cloth was worn over the shoulders for protection and
warmth.
The
phillabeg was prevalent during the first half of the 17th
century throughout central Scotland and the Highlands.
However, in an effort to repress Highland culture, King George
II imposed the Dress Act of 1746, which made it illegal for
the Highland regiments to wear garments resembling any form of
Highland dress, as well as the tartan kilt. King George II’s
opponents were threatening to replace him using Jacobite
armies. In a panic, he intended to use the act’s provisions to
ban the kilt from Highland armies so that he could easily
determine those who were supporting the Jacobite position and
eliminate them.
However,
the phillabeg kilt continued to be worn as a fashionable
garment by the Scottish romantics and became a form of protest
against the oppression from the English government. The ban
was lifted in 1782, at which time the kilt became an enduring
symbol of Scottish identity throughout Scotland and the
traditional kilt gave way to the creation of kilt garments
using tartan patterns, which represented particular clans,
families, regions or countries. Generally, when a buyer
ordered a kilt, they requested a specific tartan, of which
today, there are more than 3,500. When making a kilt, the
tartan’s pattern must remain unbroken throughout the garment,
therefore, it takes approximately 20 to 25 hours since nearly
all the work is still done by hand.
Beginning
in the 1790s, the phillabeg style of kilt was replaced by the
tailored kilt, becoming the modern Scottish kilt of today. The
difference between the phillabeg and the tailored kilt is that
the pleats of the kilt are sewn down, as opposed to being
gathered, folded and belted. Initially the tailored kilt was
worn by the military during the 1790s when they were
box-pleated, but there was no tapering. Civilian tailored
kilts were made sometime after, although they weren’t pleated
until approximately 1820, when they were pleated to the bottom
hem line. The Gordon Highlanders became the first military
regiment to begin using the knife pleat (1853), and by the
1900s, it was accepted in civilian kilt designs. As fashions
transformed, designs of the tailored kilt progressed to
linings, waistbands, buckles and straps. Generally, modern-day
Scottish kilts have 29 pleats and are made using approximately
8 yards of tartan fabric.
During the
19th century, Scottish kilts were a form of ceremonial dress
and worn only for special occasions and primarily to formal
events, such as weddings, sporting events, Highland games and
holiday celebrations. However, through a global cultural
process of recognizing Scottish identity in America,
reinventing traditions and building the Scottish-American
Heritage, the Scottish kilt is increasingly being recognized
as an acceptable form of dress at informal parties, as casual
wear or everyday attire and returning to its cultural roots.
The Scottish kilt has become a required uniform for Scotland’s
Tartan Army soccer team and encouraged for the team’s
fans.
