Trews. Under a kilt? What The!

[chrisupyonder]

When I picked up my last kilt from the kilt maker in Inverness in 1997, lo and behold there was a wee(un-asked for) package, waiting along side the main one, containing a pair just as you describe.

Interesting though I would not even hint at the merest inkling of asking THE question.

[Jock Scot]

Interesting though I would not even hint at the merest inkling of asking THE question.

My dear chap, I have no idea what you are talking about.

[Highlander31]

I sent a second email to the gentleman, explaining I was in error in my first email regarding the kilt being worn with a short under trews in modern times.

I find it interesting that a young man in Poland with an interest in English speaking countries unknowingly sparked a discussion on a bit of obscure kilt history.

[Jock Scot]

Herein lies a lesson. Whilst trews in the more "normal" sense give us, in our minds-eye, a pair of some sort of long tartan trousers, EXCEPT on occasion, as in this case, most of us would be wrong! I am not sure if it happens in the rest of the English speaking world often, but we really do need to be aware of this trap, particularly in Scotland I think, where one tailors "deer stalker" hat is another tailors "fore and aft" hat and the same goes for various named styles of Kilt jacket too.

Now in the case of jackets those of you who pursue old kilt attire pictures to illustrate a particular point fall foul of this phenomenon on occasion. This is further complicated by the bespoke tailoring that still exists here , where the customer may pick the best(from his point of view) features from two or three different styles to make "HIS" perfect kilt jacket. Added to which, we have the handmedown situation where the home seamstress would make a passable jacket out of not a lot which is undoubtedly a kilt jacket,but could well be a very individual style.

To quote "Jock's Law", a weighty tome, page 20067, section 6056/subsection 24C, clause 112, paragraph 5 which wisely and clearly states:-

"Be careful when one pontificates, nine times out of ten you may be right, but egg awaits to fall on the head the tenth time!"

[Mike_Oettle]

Until now I had never heard of trews (in the sense of tartan trousers) being worn with the kilt, although the earlier form of trews (tartan cloth fitted on the bias to the legs) was on occasion worn with the kilt, and even when not worn with the kilt was almost invariably worn with a sporran.
Unlike Jock, who served in the Grenadier Guards, I wore a kilt in the army, and we were quite bluntly told that underwear was not acceptable.
The one exception allowed was that one could tie one’s “bits” up in a tobacco bag.
But anything that went around the middle below the kilt was not permitted, and on occasion a public example was made of offenders.
And we have seen pictures on X Marks of at least one British Highland regiment that kept a mirror in a doorway that would betray the wearers of underpants!
Regards,
Mike

[Jock Scot]

Mike I have no first hand experience of what the men of the Highland Regiments wear under their kilts and frankly I am not really that interested.

Perhaps I may have been unclear and I could have also misunderstood your last post, but just to be clear. The "trews"that MoR and I are talking about are civilian wear and are more like boxer shorts(they are boxer shorts!)that are made (still?) by some kilt makers and delivered with the new bespoke kilt.

From my own experiance these under "trews" were a little touch that were supplied free and gratis by the kilt maker and un asked for by the client. Again to be clear, we are not talking of long Tartan trousers more commonly known as "trews" being worn under the kilt.

Are these under "trews" ever worn? That I could not possibly comment on.

[Mike_Oettle]

Perhaps I was also unclear, Jock. I did grasp that the extra package contained shorts.
But I was referring back to the odd claim made by the Polish blogger.
Regards,
Mike

[Jock Scot]

Oh well, we are ALL clear now then!

[davedove]

"And knowing is half the battle."

G I Joe!!!!!!

(Sorry I couldn't resist. Signed Major Boo Boo)

[Harold Cannon]

Can anybody get a picture of a set of these that are made of tartan? Im talking about the tartan boxers that a kilt maker would make.