top band of kilt

[figheadair]

As Steve says, there is a lot of information about tartans and kilts presented as fact. The true is often far more nuanced.

Modern kilts have a waistband to enclose the raw edge which would otherwise fray and look untidy. Historically all kilts before c1840, military or civilian, were made from the full width of the material, which was narrower than today’s cloth, 22-25 inches. There is the odd surviving example that includes a waistband which was always added to allow for a longer length/to raise the waist height.

The earliest waistband on a military kilt I’ve seen is on the pleated section only of a surviving Crimea era Black Watch kilt, probably because the pleats were cut at the waist. That waistband, if that is what one would call it, is made from ticking (white based striped cloth). The use of bais tape on military kilts dates from the second half of the 19th century, probably quite late. Green was the most common colour but red was used on some red based tartans, Royal Stewart etc., and both seem to have been a feature of OR’s kilts. Officer’s kilts and plain kilts (London Scottish, Irish Guards etc.,) had a finer tape that was usual black or brown,

A good modern civilian kilt will usually have the tartan match to the front apron. In the past it was not uncommon for a kiltmaker to use a completely different tartan for the band, a feature that can look quite effective.