early kilts with pleats in front?

[timemeddler]

Came across this image today, an it does look like there was some sort of pleating in the front of this 1750 ish painting which is the first I heard of anyone outside of the original utility kilt doing this. So I did a quick internet search and didn't find much on the subject. I know this is definitely not how kilts are now, but in an historical context, was this actually a thing? clan.com mentions one of the changes between great kilts and the small kilt is the pleats were moved back, but this doesn't look like a great kilt to me.
https://clan.com/help/kilts-origins-...21st-centuries

[Mex5150]

Notable lack of sporran as well, could the two be connected?

[figheadair]

The Clan.com article makes some rather strange claims, not least that the pleats were moved from the front to the back, and that the early feileadh Beag had less material (in the lower section )than the belted plaid. There is absolutely no evidence to support either. Similarly, the idea that the late 16th century kilt was made from a clan tartan is wholly without foundation.

In terms of pleats at the front, think of this as pleats all the way around rather than at the front. There are several 18th century portraits that show this feature. It was most likely achieved by using a drawstring - think curtain drapes. The pleats were gathered and not sewn as they are in a modern kilt.

Three examples of all-round-pleating.

Kenneth Sutherland, 3rd Lord Duffus, c.1712


Lord George Murray, 1745


James Francis Edward Moray, Yr of Abercairney, 1756

[Pleater]

I make all sorts of different garments, I made English smocks long before I started sewing kilts.

The design of smocks, doublets and other old types of garments had folds, pleats or cartridge style gathers both front and back. It is the modern kilt with pleats only in the back which is the oddity or perhaps innovation is a kinder description.

Fleas and lice used to find those arrangements convenient places to hide, even able to survive washing, particularly in the folds of oiled work smocks.

I remember being told of the way girls would be required to assist in doing the laundry by taking a darning needle and going over garments squashing or dislodging such pests. My grandmothers were Victorians.

Being able to release a cord, brush off the offending beasties and then gather it up again would have saved an awful lot of botheration.

Anne the Pleater

[timemeddler]

The Clan.com article makes some rather strange claims, not least that the pleats were moved from the front to the back, and that the early feileadh Beag had less material (in the lower section )than the belted plaid. There is absolutely no evidence to support either. Similarly, the idea that the late 16th century kilt was made from a clan tartan is wholly without foundation.

In terms of pleats at the front, think of this as pleats all the way around rather than at the front. There are several 18th century portraits that show this feature. It was most likely achieved by using a drawstring - think curtain drapes. The pleats were gathered and not sewn as they are in a modern kilt.

Three examples of all-round-pleating.

Kenneth Sutherland, 3rd Lord Duffus, c.1712


Lord George Murray, 1745


James Francis Edward Moray, Yr of Abercairney, 1756

that makes sense, all the way around at first, with a flat face being a latter standard.

[timemeddler]

Notable lack of sporran as well, could the two be connected?

you think it might be a "stealth sporran"? like a big pocket in front using the same fabric?

[figheadair]

you think it might be a "stealth sporran"? like a big pocket in front using the same fabric?

There is absolutely no evidence to support this idea. Sporrans were often smaller at the time of the painting and so it may be hidden in the folds. Note the size of his servant's sporran. Alternatively, as a gentleman depicted in his finery he may have chosen to be shown without a sporran.