Quote Originally Posted by jordanjm View Post
Nice article.

Qustion...

In my many wanderings I have encountered clothing referred to as the lein, which I take to be a long tunic type shirt with big sleeves possibly. I have also read about the brat. Is this where the confusion comes from? From what I have read the brat was a big blanket, like the belted plaid. I have read that these were worn by both the Irish and Highland Scots. Is this true? Did the belted plaid evolve out of the said garment?

Yes, and yes! The brat became the belted plaid by wearing a belt over it. And the tunic is the leine, plural leinte. The style of sleeves varied over time, big sleeves being a late development, so the leinte worn by the Scotii that emigrated from Ireland to the Scottish Highlands would not have had the big sleeves.