Are kilts just for "Townies?"

[Scott Gilmore]

Consider the terrain/vegetation dealt with by the historic Highlanders who developed the kilt: open, boggy, heather-covered hillsides and moorland, rocky mountain terrain, and old-growth forests (no underbrush!). Quite a bit different than 21st century N. America, where the kilt often doesn't work well outdoors - especially in our second-growth woodland with all its thick, prickly undergrowth...!

Yes, I was thinking the same as I read through this thread. I read something about this just yesterday on Robert MacDonald's very informative Web site. To quote Mr. MacDonald:

"I believe ... the use of the kilt in Scotland was a case of convergent evolution.

There were no roads in the Highlands to speak of until the Industrial Revolution. The few roads that existed before then were the few military roads constructed by General George Wade in the early 1700s to connect the British Army’s garrisons. Any travel therefore was by pony or on foot.

Wading through the damp bracken quickly soaks your trousers and without a regular means of drying your clothes your health quickly suffers. In the worst-case scenario, a cold leads to pneumonia leads to death. If this happens before you breed the next generation, it’s called ‘eugenics’ and academic puff-buttocks write papers about you."

This makes perfect sense to me - the kilt as a practical garment.

If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, do yourself a favor, set aside an hour or so and check out Robert MacDonald's Web site.

Regards,
Scott Gilmore

[MacWage]

I've never actually thought about doing farm work kilted. I can't imagine riding horses in one, although I'm sure there's a trick to it.

There was . . . TREWS!

They were tailored and fitting, used on horseback, and worn by the wealthy (who could afford tailoring and riding horses-rather than smaller "work" breeds). There are even famous portraits of trews and belted plaids worn together.


On another thought, Scottish farmers generally wore BELTED PLAIDS (quite practical, especially in herding and cattle droving on foot) and only later wore kilts (actually box-pleat 4 yarders-> see Scottish Tartan Museum collection in Franklin, NC, as well as ones in Scotland.

[macwilkin]

There was . . . TREWS!

They were tailored and fitting, used on horseback, and worn by the wealthy (who could afford tailoring and riding horses-rather than smaller "work" breeds). There are even famous portraits of trews and belted plaids worn together.


On another thought, Scottish farmers generally wore BELTED PLAIDS (quite practical, especially in herding and cattle droving on foot) and only later wore kilts (actually box-pleat 4 yarders-> see Scottish Tartan Museum collection in Franklin, NC, as well as ones in Scotland.

On a similar note as MacWage's, Matt has a great article on his blog discussing the kilt is a "working man's garment" in the 19th century:

http://blog.albanach.org/2005/12/ret...h-century.html

And btw, MacWage is spot on about trews being the garment of the gentry. I have even seen a pair of riding trousers, or jodhpurs, in Government Sett, worn by a Canadian Army Officer in the First World War!

Cheers,

Todd

[Riverkilt]

Fortunately, in my part of the wilderness all I have to deal with is scrub sage which is low and spread out. No tractors. No woods. The Navajo name for this area is "The Land Where Trees Don't Grow."

As wonderful as kilts are, don't think it serves a purpose to ignore common sense when dressing for some conditions.

Ron

[KiltedKnight]

I am sure that if the Selkirk settlers can do it, most of us can. Many of the Selkirk Settlers ended up in Manitoba (the town of Selkirk is about 30 minutes outside of Winnipeg) and let me tell you from experiences, those mosquitos are the size of small birds and the winters are harsh to say the least.

Not to change the subject but I just wanted to vouch for what Colin is saying about the size of those Canadian mosquitos.

Growing up in northern Minnesota we would watch as the Canadian mosquitos would on occasion come too far south and our Minnesota mosquitos would snatch the Canadian mosquitos right out of the air and swallow them in one fluid movement.

Chris.

[Moosehead]

And btw, MacWage is spot on about trews being the garment of the gentry. I have even seen a pair of riding trousers, or jodhpurs, in Government Sett, worn by a Canadian Army Officer in the First World War!

Us Canucks are known as trendsetters...eh!?

Colin, I doubt any of Selkirk's folks wore any type of kilt. His previous settlers here in PEI certainly didn't. They did ALL speak Gaelic though.

KiltedKnight...yer Minnesota mossies are pussies compared to ours, admit it. Here in PEI we have "seagrass" mossies. Immune to any attempts to kill 'em. Last well into December (0degC). They scare the crap outta the bats we've set houses for.

For the actual thread, you have to be realistic. If there is the possibility, regardless of the reason, that the kilt could maim or kill you, put on pants.