Sporrans and 'real' sporrans.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The idea of traditional is an illusion. The "traditional" kilt is a great example of this. Many consider the "8" yard knife pleated kilt to be traditional, when in fact that came about in the past 100 to 150 years.

While I can't speak as to the length of the yardage in a kilt dating from, say, 1745 I can say with some certainty that the "little kilt" certainly wasn't unknown in the mid 18th century. And, if contemporary portraits are anything to go by (as well as the written records left by travelers visiting Scotland in the 16th-17th centuries) then I would have to say that the historic great kilt probably only existed for a period of not more than about 100 years. While it is true that the act of proscription in 1746 did much to discourage the wearing of the kilt, it did not extinguish it as a mode of dress throughout the Highlands. Again there are ample illustrations of the "little" kilt being worn by all classes of Highlanders during this period, until 1782 when the act is repealed. So what we see, if we look at 200 years of kilt wearing from 1582 until 1782 is that the kilt is evolving. That evolution seems to slow down until sometime immediately after the visit of George IV to Scotland in 1822, and by 1842, the time of Queen Victoria's first visit to Scotland, and on down to the present day, the kilt will undergo very few changes. Nothing illusory here.

Now, why bother with this chronology of the kilt? Well, because it helps to illustrate three periods in the evolution of the kilt: the historical kilt of the 16th and 17th centuries, the changing kilt of the 18th and early 19th centuries, and the traditional kilt which dates from more or less the mid-19th century and, for all intents and purposes unchanged, is still worn today.

Eight yards of material is not practical for hunting, farming or any other highland activity.

I have no idea how practical-- or impractical-- an eight yard kilt may be when plowing a field, or fishing in a stream, or sitting at a loom weaving cloth in a Highland cottage. I do know that the yardage in a kilt will vary with the build of the wearer, and that an eight yard kilt is going to be warmer than a four yard kilt. All things considered, I would image that there is no such thing as the oft referred to eight yard kilt, although I would suspect that on average most kilts made for adults would probably run pretty close to this length of yardage.

In short the "traditional" kilt is in fact modern and what is referred to as the modern "casual" kilt may in actuality be traditional. Be practical and comfortable, then you will be in the same spirit of the original kilt wearers.

I think I would agree with the second half of your statement, and I might buy into the first part if by "modern" you mean a product of the 19th century rather than something created in, say, the last ten or twenty years. I would certainly agree that the kilt can be comfortable when made and worn as intended, although kilt wearing traditionalist that I am, I think calling a kilt practical in the 21st century is a bit of a romantic stretch.

All of that said, I am greatly impressed with the skills and abilities you have obviously acquired as a kilt maker, and would urge other X-markers to check out the photos on your profile page. Tailoring, like playing the bag pipes, is a talent which I simply do not possess, and I admire greatly in others.