18th century reenactment

[Richard_D]

Hello to everybody

Been a while since my last post but hey better now than never.
I would be looking for information on the following subject:

I practise 18th century reenactment and I have become bored to the american long hunter style that I have been doing for quite a sometime now and would like to turn scottish man of 18th century for the summer happenings to come.

My question is , since I am a lowbudget guy, at the website www.kilts-n-stuff.com I found many decent looking great kilts but then again they had something called "Ancient kilts" that looked allmost the same but not quite.
If I practice 18th century which one would be more historically accurate?

More or less they are both wrong (I guess) but which one is less ?

Thank you for your time

Richard_D

[sharpdressedscot]

Ancient kilts are inspired by the movie "Braveheart" they aren't necesarily accurate, but they kinda look like great kilts. Mind you they're single width not double width like the great kilt.

[Nick the DSM]

great kilt would be more accurate but so are the phillabegs.

[sharpdressedscot]

Yeah, but the phillabegs are good if you're a Regular, not a militia.

[Woodsheal]

Are you thinking of a military, i.e. Highland regiment (F&I War or Rev War) impression, or perhaps 1745 Jacobite?

BTW, the "ancient kilts" are not even close to anything historical....

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

As everyone seems to do 18th century military or Jacobite rising, I'd be inclined to go with late 18th century civilian-- the look and style of a highland laird would be an awesome thing to recreate.

[Woodsheal]

As everyone seems to do 18th century military or Jacobite rising, I'd be inclined to go with late 18th century civilian-- the look and style of a highland laird would be an awesome thing to recreate.

Awesome, yes, but what would be the context? Portraying a late 18th C. civilian in Scotland would be a lonely endeavour (no one else does it), and there would be no events or venues in N. America where one would "fit in."

There ARE 1745 events in N. America (2 or 3 per year), and of course numerous French & Indian War and Rev War events and sites to participate in....

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Actually, you'll no doubt be surprised to learn that there is a group in Edinburgh who do celebrate the Enlightenment of the 18th century by re-enacting the 18th century as civilians. In the USA there is a pretty active Regency dance network (the Los Angeles group meets weekly, and dresses the part monthly). I've no idea where Richard_D lives, but if it's "out west" he's apt to find more Cowboy Action Shoots than French-Indian Wars re-enactments.

Re-enacting is, ultimately, all about fun. So, if a context is needed I'd say that context is: JUST HAVING FUN.

[Woodsheal]

I looked at Richard's old posts, and he lives in ....... Finland! (I certainly fell victim to the old "assume" truism, eh?)

Richard, why aren't you portraying a Viking ....

[Richard_D]

I looked at Richard's old posts, and he lives in ....... Finland! (I certainly fell victim to the old "assume" truism, eh?)

Richard, why aren't you portraying a Viking ....

Hmm a viking? That sounds...too... Swedish... OR Norwegian.
Anyone back to the point.
The fact that I would be the only one reenacting a scotssman in our small hobbiest community doesn´t bother me. We allready have a small Scottish thing going on since there is a small group of men reenacting Rogers Ranger ( french-indian war era). The basic thought in why scottish is that I want to do it since I am fasinated by their history and it gives the small circle of hobbyist in here another aspect of what to do. Not all of us have to be hunters, british soldiers, french mariners or indians. A new possibility I might say.

I have scrolled many books and sites about the kilt and I am kinda convinced that the Great kilt would be my pick. If said that the "Ancient kilt" is inspired by the movie "Braveheart" I will leave it and just go with the Great one.
Especially the site www.scotwars.com convinced me since they seem to be quite hardcore hobbyist.

What I am going to act is a Jacobite´s rebel time militia / civilian. Just a commoner to be exat. I was planning at first doing the Scottish regiment under English flag but that died out since I hate red coats of theirs.

So this is the sitsuation. Should I just go for the Great kilt then?