Wrapping the Braveheart kilt

[Calgacus]

It just makes no sense to me that someone would think it more practical to use more yardage of modern kilt fabric when a single blanket works so well.

The example we have of two lengths of single width fabric joined together are fairly recent. Even Peter who wrote the articles says that they are products of the post proscription revival era.

So if you don't mind I am going to continue to promote the matchcoat as the most practical and most historically documented example. At least until someone finds documentable proof of what a Great Kilt really was.

Promote what you like, but the evidence suggests otherwise. The Dunollie plaid dates from c.1730 which is Jacobite, not revival. It was originally 6 yards long, and made from two single widths stitched together. It is made from cloth akin to modern kilt material, not 'blanket' type cloth. The Nethybridge plaid, to quote Peter, "would probably have been approximately 4 yards in length x55 inches wide", and is again made of hard tartan akin to modern kilt material. It dates from 1730-1770, so Jacobite or just after proscription ended, but pre-revival however you look at it.

Matchcoats may work just great and may be far more sensible than a 6 yard feileadh mòr, but there's solid evidence for the latter and zero for the former in 18th century Scotland.