The Saffron Kilt

**TatterDel** · 8th April 08, 07:47 AM

I will have to track down where I saw that it wasn't worn by the ladies... It was when I was looking for kilts for our Venturing Crew. I know I looked at every link to the businesses on here and a few that popped up during a a google search.
This is going to drive me nuts.

**TatterDel** · 8th April 08, 08:08 AM

Originally Posted by TatterDel

I will have to track down where I saw that it wasn't worn by the ladies... It was when I was looking for kilts for our Venturing Crew. I know I looked at every link to the businesses on here and a few that popped up during a a google search.
This is going to drive me nuts.

This may have been one of the sites:
It is a UK scouting site:
http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/...2006/index.htm
POR: Chapter 10: Uniform, Badges and Emblems
Rule 10.18: The Kilt and Pleated Tartan Skirts"

I know I saw it on a site that sells them though. I know that ladies in pipe bands dress to match the gents and so they wear a kilt... but I am not talking about that... I'm talking about the use of Saffron in ladies wear.

**TatterDel** · 8th April 08, 08:12 AM

http://clipart.usscouts.org/ScoutDoc...t/Scotland.doc.
I guess it wasn't on a shop site... it was a scout site.

**The Kilted Reverend** · 12th May 08, 03:55 AM

So I have a question, is Saffron close to say the duck brown on a carhart coat. All the pics I have see it looks close.

**RedBeard** · 12th May 08, 04:35 AM

**RedBeard** · 12th May 08, 04:36 AM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25890248@N04/2432111526/

**KeithM** · 7th July 08, 10:48 AM

If I am reading the historical accounts correctly, the original saffron was a little lighter in color than what we have now. Not quite yellow, almost a gold.

**O'Callaghan** · 30th July 08, 07:21 PM

The leine was made of linen, which is hard to dye. I think they used saffron because nothing else would take, out of what was available in ancient Ireland, and by all accounts it came out pale yellow, no doubt for the same reason. Other fabrics dyed with saffron come out in a sort of orange/brown, ergo the saffron kilt is not the same hue as the saffron leine. Whether those who first adopted the saffron kilt actually knew this I'm not sure.

Not all leinte (pl. of leine) were dyed, some were natural linen colour, and some had borders sewn on or used contrasting thread. I don't think they were necessarily all pleated (kilted) and the neckline and the sleeves changed over time. Like now, not everyone would have worn the same style.

Even now, Irish linen jackets are often undyed, although that's more tradition than necessity, given modern dyes and blended fabric.