Historical Great Kilt

[OC Richard]

Here are Scottish Highlanders wearing the breacan-an-feilidh in 1631, serving as soldiers on the Continent, drawn by a German artist.



I would think that the artist had never seen such clothing, and it's nice that he took care to show the various ways it was worn.

Seems that the artist wasn't quite sure what he was seeing, either that or Highlanders would wrap their plaids around their legs as improvised trousers.

Such confusion about the structure of the breacan-an-feilidh continues to this day! Costumers for various modern films have evidently seen images of both the philamore, and the philabeg worn with separate plaid wrapped around the body. Not realising that they were seeing two distinct forms of dress, the costumers conflated them, devising the goofy garments worn in Rob Roy and Braveheart, essentially a little kilt with attached long plaid that goes diagonally across the body.