Kilts???

[graham_s]

working with experimental archaeologist occasionally, I found out an interesting little snippet of info.
natural dyes. the colours can change depending on where the plant/lichen was harvested. a dye made from the same plant can be a totally different shade depending on where you got it.
The origin may well be that as cloth was woven and dyed locally, you could tell where someone was from by the colour their cloth was.
Some of the colours that can be obtained are quite vivid. I've seen a vivid electric purple produced which is remarkably colourfast.

[GMan]

Great bunch of information you have been given.

[Woodsheal]

I would dispute that. While widely accepted by Irish groups, there's historical evidence that it was used widely by Celts on the continent, before migration to the British Isles.

Sorry, but this is simply incorrect. Bare-legged kilt wearing developed uniquely in the highlands of Scotland due to geographic and terrain considerations. All other northern-Europeans (including the large and diverse mass of Celts) were trouser wearers...!

[TheKiltedWonder]

working with experimental archaeologist occasionally, I found out an interesting little snippet of info.
natural dyes. the colours can change depending on where the plant/lichen was harvested. a dye made from the same plant can be a totally different shade depending on where you got it.
The origin may well be that as cloth was woven and dyed locally, you could tell where someone was from by the colour their cloth was.
Some of the colours that can be obtained are quite vivid. I've seen a vivid electric purple produced which is remarkably colourfast.

I don't suppose you're talking about a pokeberry? At least it always dyed my fingers a brilliant purple...

As for color differences, mordants also play a big role in what the final color of a dyed item will be. Differences in available dye sources, different origins, different mordants and different weavers would all have contributed in regional variability in all dyed goods, including tartan, even if these differences didn't have clan associations.

[Graywolf]

So the Scots kilt vs. Celts pants raises its ugly head again. If I remember my history of the kilt correctly, the Irish, which included the original Scots wore the leine, made from linen. The Scots brought that to Pictland with their migration. The vikings, at least some of them, at times wore something akin to a kilt. This influenced the Scots in the islands and Highlands, and when wool became inexpensive, the belted plaid was born. This eventually evolved into the modern kilt.

[macwilkin]

So the Scots kilt vs. Celts pants raises its ugly head again. If I remember my history of the kilt correctly, the Irish, which included the original Scots wore the leine, made from linen. The Scots brought that to Pictland with their migration. The vikings, at least some of them, at times wore something akin to a kilt. This influenced the Scots in the islands and Highlands, and when wool became inexpensive, the belted plaid was born. This eventually evolved into the modern kilt.

Best to consult Matt's article on the early history of the kilt:

http://albanach.org/kilt.html

T.

[davedove]

I suspect that originally, colors used were the colors available. This would mean that wealthier individuals may have had access to more expensive colors. However, I don't think that the different colors had any significance historically.

Nowadays, when people design their own tartan, they may choose certain colors to represent different things, but it is by no means universal, and the same color may signify different things to different people.

[Daaaaang]

I can't believe nobody has said this yet:

Be it tartan or solid colour, wear what you like! If it looks really good, put it on!

I mean, if it's a tartan, you would do well to look into the history, because tartans do associate themselves with many things, and wearing the tartan supports whatever it associates with. Make sure you're okay with that and that you know what you're wearing.

But with solid colours, you can make up whatever significance you like. For example, I plan on getting a saffron kilt because I am a Buddhist, and I would say saffron is the only colour that really unites Buddhists.

Summary: Wear what you like! To quote the Hon. Stuart Ruaidri Erskine:

"The Highland dress is essentially a 'free' dress — that is to say, a man's taste and circumstances must alone be permitted to decide when and where and how he should wear it… I presume to dictate to no man what he shall eat or drink or wherewithal he shall be clothed."

[seanboy]

Yes and no. A solid green kilt often (but not necessarily) connotes an Irishman; a saffron one always does.

I disagree with this, saffron coloured kilts are mainly worn by loyalist ulster scots who would never refer to themselves as irish.

[Galician]

Please, by all means; dispute away. Please cite even one reputable reference for a saffron kilt (or any Irish kilt for that matter) prior to the 1880's, and your "historical evidence that it (the kilt) was used widely by Celts on the continent, before migration to the British Isles".

Sorry, but this is simply incorrect. Bare-legged kilt wearing developed uniquely in the highlands of Scotland due to geographic and terrain considerations. All other northern-Europeans (including the large and diverse mass of Celts) were trouser wearers...!

You both missed the point I was disputing, viz., that the use of of SAFFRON for garments was unique to the Irish. Julius Caesar made note in his writings of the use of this color among the Celtic tribes he observed-and fought. I have no argument with the development of the kilt itself as a Scottish contribution.