The Origin of the Kilt - The Great Kilt

The origins of the ‘Kilt’ as we come to know it, can be traced to the later half of the 16th century where the ‘Kilt’ was known as either the ‘Great Plaid’ or the ‘Great Kilt’.

The ‘Great Kilt’ (also known as ‘feileadh mór’ in Gaelic) more closely resembled a cloak than the vision of a traditional Scottish ‘Kilt’.The cloak was a much larger size due to an increase in woollen production which meant it began to be gathered up and belted. The ‘Great Kilt’ was originally a length of thick woollen cloth made up from widths sewn together to give a total width of 140 to 150 cm, and up to 6.4 m in length. This was then gathered into pleats and secured with a belt.

The ‘Great Kilt’ was made up of two sections. The upper half was more like the cloak the ‘Great Kilt’ is described as and was often used as an early protectant of the infamous Scottish weather as it could be worn over the head. The ‘cloak’ half could also be worn over the left shoulder and would hang to the belt as well as being gathered up at the front. The lower half of the ‘Great Kilt’ was much more reminiscent of the modern day kilt as this is where it stemmed from.

The Origin of the Kilt - The Small Kilt

From as early as 1624, the inclusion of Kilts in battle was recognised. The Independent Highland Company, for example, chose to dress in kilts while working as government troops. However, when wearing the ‘Great Kilt’, Scots would take off their tartan before battle and then would set it aside. This can only be seen as highly impractical for the Highlander Warriors who would still wear knee-length shirts of pleated leather.

So, sometime between the 17th and the 18th century, the ‘Small Kilt’ or the ‘Fèlieadh Beag’ was born.

Comprising a singular width of cloth hanging down below the belt, the ‘Small Kilt', was clearly evolved from the bottom half of the ‘Great Kilt’. The ‘Small Kilt’ was easier to fight with in battle than the ‘Great Kilt’.

The Banning of Kilts

Pretence

Prior to the later half of the 17th century, Britain was ruled by the Stuart dynasty. Rightful heirs to the British throne, but Scottish by blood. Following the death of the Stuart King and his two childless daughters the Protestant British Parliament needed a monarch.

They chose to overlook the deceased King’s son from his second marriage due to his Catholic faith. So, instead, they took the throne from the Stuarts and chose to place the German family, Hanoverian, upon it.

The Jacobite Rebellion

The denial of Charles Stuart to the throne sparked an outage. This outrage stemmed not just from the passing over of ‘their’ King, but the continuous oppression the Scottish people were facing from the English government which was beginning to get too much to handle.

The Scottish felt so strongly in the idea that their identity, their Scottish Pride, their land, was being overtaken by the English that they began to rise up. With Charles Stuart becoming the ‘face’ of the uprising with his claim to the English throne, many Scottish clans supported him by joining what was known as the Jacobite Rebellion. This was to try and wrench back their rightful land from the iron grip of the English.

They failed.

The 1746 Highland Dress Act

To punish Scotland for their treachery to the crown, the English parliament issued the 1746 Highland Dress Act.

Viewing the Scottish as vicious savages, with nothing but bloodlust for the English, the parliament formed the Dress Act to destroy Scottish identity, devolve the Scottish clans and crush the economic structure of Scotland.

New laws tore Scottish family estates from their hands and placed them into the English’s hands instead, restricted weapon owning, abolished the traditional language of Gaelic and banned the wearing of all tartans and Kilts for the average Scottish individual.

This complete abolishment of Scottish identity was a forced attempt to make Scots assimilate to the apparently more ‘civillised’ English, and this Act remained into place until 1782.

But, unfortunately, by 1782 the Dress Act had worked and traditional Scottish Highland dress was no longer ordinary Scottish wear.

Traditional Tartan

Historically, tartans were formed of few colours. These colours were formed from dyes made up of natural ingredients (plants, berries, trees etc) of ingredients specific to local regions and were then worn by people from these regions. These became traditional clan tartans.

The Re-popularity of Highlandwear

The revival of tartan and highlandwear initially came in 1822 when King George IV visited Edinburgh wearing full traditional Highland dress. He proceeded to suggest that people should wear their respective tartans to special occasions.

However, due to the fact that the weaving of traditional tartans had fallen away due to the Dress Act of 1746, tailors in the 1800s had to almost ‘reinvent’ clan tartans. From this, clan tartans became much more colourful and saturated due to the invention of more potent industrial dyes.

This then kickstarted the tradition of many Scots wearing traditional tartan kilts to formal events like weddings, galas, ceilidhs etc.

What Are Kilts Made Of?

The Kilt is made up of wool, specifically ‘worsted’ wool which is a high quality type of woollen yarn. As well as being made with wool, kilts have something called a ‘twil’ structure.

This twil structure creates a diagonal pattern within the weaving. Here altering colours cross in a diagonal lining pattern which creates; tartan!

Modern Styling of Highlandwear

In a modern day, the styling of the kilt greatly reflects the current fashion trends that sweep the media. Where the very traditional styling of tartan was quite structural in its formality, currently, tartan is popping up in more casually accessible ways - this ensures that tartan is taking the casual world by force as well as the formal. This is not to say, however, that formal kilts are falling in their popularity.

Within Scottish culture, the kilt is still celebrated as an image of formal attire, Scottish Pride and true sophistication.

The formal kilt incorporates key fashion trends within the tartan as well as incorporating other aspects within the other pieces of the formal wear.

Soft Colours

Softer tones of colours are currently very in trend and contemporary highlandwear reflects this. Softer hues of strong, rich colours run throughout some tartans and which allows for all the corresponding shades to thrive together within the patterns – no colour is too overpowering, no shade is taken away from. The colours all blend together beautifully as well as being able to stand out within their own rights. The delicate colours step away from an oversaturation of colour and chooses to, instead, embrace tones more similar to the beautiful Scottish highlands.

A key example of this can be found within McCalls Highlandwear 2023 ‘Weathered Pride’ tartan. This tartan features beautifully soothing shades of green, brown and light cyan blue to play upon the natural tones of the stunning Scottish landscapes.

Earthy Tones

Rich and fragrant earth tones can be found within the softer shades. Oakwood browns, delicate natural greens and deep oceanic blues are a few of the many shades that can be played upon in trending tartans. These pigments are versatile and draw from Scotland’s authentic beauty.

Texture

Texture within menswear is very in trend as a whole but it comes forth brilliantly within Highlandwear. Texture oft presents itself in the current trends within tweed.Tweed jackets allow for a standout piece as they include a point of difference within the ensemble. They can also break up the, sometimes, monochromatic styling that can be found within plain jackets alongside matching kilts.

Tweed jackets also fit within the now popular, natural tones that can be seen in contemporary tartan. Found often in light greens and browns, these jackets greatly mimic a walk through the Scottish countryside. Tweed jackets can also be on the plain side which can bring out the shades within the tartan and can amplify the once softer colours in a positive way and let them pop.

Muted

While these colours and earthy shades may not be as exaggerated as some of the tartans presented within the last fashion seasons, these natural tartans often allow for accessorisation to shine. With delicate colouring, you can pick a show stopping sporren, or a unique kilt pin or even an eye catching belt buckle.