Kilts Scottish only??

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Ok, I was reading this post on Mac's blog and was surprised that the kilt appears to traditionally be solely a Scottish garment. I, like others I assume, thought it was a "Celtic" garment worn by many, but that the Scots had made it popular. It is one of the reasons I use when asked why I wear a kilt, if I don't want to explain that I like to and I can!

Anyway, anybody have any historical information to support this? Mac's post seems to be based on some research, but he did not include it on his site. Mac, if you are watching, please chime in!

[Woodsheal]

The kilt as we know it evolved in the Scottish highlands. To read a detailed account,with references, check out this series:

http://www.reconstructinghistory.com...ish/kilts.html

http://www.reconstructinghistory.com...ltedplaid.html

http://www.reconstructinghistory.com...18thckilt.html

[Yaish]

Well, first define 'kilt', then you can start talking origins. If by a kilt you mean the pleated belted plaid, then thats scottish. If you are talking about a knee length mens skirt it goes back much further, and across a whole range of cultures.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Well, first define 'kilt', then you can start talking origins. If by a kilt you mean the pleated belted plaid, then thats scottish. If you are talking about a knee length mens skirt it goes back much further, and across a whole range of cultures.

Yaish, please let's not open up the whole definition of the kilt question again!! :grin::grin:

I can't define it for anyone other than myself. I can share my definition with others, but they don't have to agree, and I don't have to agree with their definitions. In the context of my question, I am referring to the article of male clothing most often associated with the Scottish, as it is the most universally identifiable non-trouser type garment. I guess I am trying to validate or refute some of my own conceptions (gained through a number of venues including TV, movies, Internet, books, "common perceptions", etc.). One of the reasons that I decided to try wearing a kilt is that I thought my family name, Davis, traced back to Welsh origins so I had a cultural and historic reason to wear a kilt. It also was a good answer to the "Why wear a kilt?" or "Are you Scottish?" questions. However Mac's blog seems to point out that there is no historical basis for any "Celtic" group other than the Scottish having worn kilts. If that is the case, I am fine with it, just want to know so that I can give people correct information when they ask me about the kilt.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Ok,

First let's get this out of the way. When we say "kilt" we mean the Scottish garment. Yes, men of many cultures and many time periods wore unbifurcated garments -- tunics, togas, wraps, loincloths, you name it. We aren't talking about those. Though they may have some characteristics in common with the kilt, they are not the same garment and are not of the same origin.

Getting that out of the way, let me again stress that the kilt did indeed originate and evolve in Scotland.

No celtic culture -- including Scotland -- wore anything that can be said to be related to the modern kilt any time in antiquity, up until the early-modern era. Ancient and medieval Irish, Welsh, Cornish, et al, did not wear the kilt. There is simply no credible evidence for this.

As I said above, the kilt was not even worn in Scotland in antiquity or in the Middle Ages. The earliest form of the kilt was the bleted plaid -- a large wrap gathered into folds and belted around the waist. Both the Scots and the Irish Gaels dressed very similarly in the Middle Ages and Rennasaince. Both wore a large woolen wrap. However, it was in Scotland that this wrap first began to be pleated and belted on. The earliest evidence we have of this being done is an Irish document from 1594 (The Life of Red Hugh O'Donnell). It described Hebridean (Scottish) soldiers in Ireland wearing belts on the *outside* of their mantles, and this dress is said to be distinctive from the Irish soldiers. In other words, you could tell the difference between the Scots and Irish from their clothing.

This form of dress was restricted to Scottish Highlanders. The belted plaid (feilidh-mhor) evolved into the feilidh-beag (little wrap) and this evolved into the tailored kilt -- all in Scotland. Scottish soldiers brought the kilt to the four corners of the globe and everywhere it was recognized as being characteristic of the Highland Scots.

Beginning really during the nineteenth century, the kilt began to be adopted by many Lowland Scots, as well, as a symbol of Scottish nationality. Only well after that time did it begin to be worn by non-Scottish celts. In the later nineteenth century some were claiming the kilt was Irish, but these were mostly misguided Scots who were making the claim in an attempt to "prove" the antiquity of the kilt, claiming that the original Irish migrants brought the kilt with them to Scotland in the fifth and sixth centuries!

In the twentieth century, you have the kilt being adopted by Cornish nationalists, Welsh nationalists, etc., as well as many Irish, as a way of identifying themselves as "celtic" (read, non-English), primarily (in my opinion) because the kilt was such an easily recongizable "celtic" form of clothing.

If you want a good history on this, read H. F. McClintock's _Old Irish and Highland Dress_.

Note: I am not saying non-Scots should not wear the kilt. I think anyone should wear the kilt who chooses to do so. I only ask that the history of the garment be respected and that you do not try and make the kilt out to be something that it is not.

Aye,
Matt

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Mac,

Thank you sincerely, as what I was trying to determine is if replying to "Why wear a kilt?" with "I am of Welsh descent" was really false and misleading, regardless fo how many people think it is true. Did you do dedicated research to determine this? I am curious to know how you came to this conclusion, not that I am refuting it. I know that you have done a lot of research on the kilt and kilt wearing.

Thanks!
RJI

[Archangel]

you guys are all being so civil, it's scary. I'm impressed.

[Raphael]

I have always thought that the Kilt is a Scottish garment. I have never heard of Irish/Welsh/Cornish/Manx Kilt until I joined this forum.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Did you do dedicated research to determine this? I am curious to know how you came to this conclusion, not that I am refuting it. I know that you have done a lot of research on the kilt and kilt wearing.

I first began researching the history of the kilt some 12 or 13 years ago due to my involvement in reenacting. I wanted to be as accurate as possible in my kit. I found that many people had a lot of misconceptions about the antiquity of the kilt, and that the actual history painted a different story.

When I was hired by the Scottish Tartans Museum almost 9 years ago, I continued in my research, and had access to many more historical sources.

All the evidence out there show the kilt to be a garment that originated, developed, and evolved in Scotland. That's the long and short of it. No one ever suggested otherwise until modern times, and usually then as a marketing ploy. I've recently read material on-line that both claims the kilt was worn anciently by the Welsh, and by the Austrians, both of them attempts by companies to sell their products.

M

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Mac,

Thanks again. I am going to get a copy of the book you suggested. In doing some more searches last night, I came across a few other sites that also refuted the idea of Irish, Welsh, Manx, etc. wearing kilts. They also echoed your comments that it was being done for marketing more then for historical accuracy.