Dear Kind and Gentle Folk ..

I crave your indulgence for this thread. Whilst it's NOT about kilts .. I DO have a few questions about the arisaid .. which I am told is the traditiional Highland women's garment, worn over leine, kirtle and skirt.

After wandering around for quite a while in various search engine's image sections .. I have come up with some lovely concepts of what an arisaid was and likely would be appropriately morphed into for today's use.

Apparently, an arisaid was laid on the bed with a belt, just as a great kilt. The wearer would lie upon it and fasten the belt to have a section that hung down the back and was then tucked into the skirt, the rest went up to the shoulders and was fastened in front of the neck with a brooch and hung down the back. Often it was looped and tucked into the waistband at the back. It could be pulled around the arms and shoulders to provide a place to nurture a wee one or keep warm.

What I'm wondering .. was the arisaid normally made in the HUSBAND'S tartan .. or in the woman's OWN tartan, ie, her FATHER's? Would it be appropriate to have an arisaid of the woman's family to wear to her wedding .. and would she then change to wearing her husband's tartan after that wedding?

I realize that our concepts of fancy wedding dresses and such were truly not something that the average person was able to enjoy. Garments were made as worn and woven as needed. but I can conceptualize weaving a single width on my loom .. about 22 inches .. about 2 1/2 yards long, then repeat and attach together .. to be used this way. My first thought was to make a long plaide scarf .. about 14 inches wide and 2 1/2 yards long, to wear over the shoulder like a sash .. but the arisaid .. seems to speak to me instead.

While I want to follow the traditional ways and not step upon the opinions or tempers of my fore-mothers .. well .. Scots women were and are NOT meek little creatures. We stood up and fought alongside our men and did what needed to be done. Can anyone clarify for me the whys and wherefores about female descendants wearing the clan tartans, please? (NO! NOT in kilts! {{shock}} I know better than that!)

Your consideration and counsel would be greatly appreciated.

Blessings of the Three upon Ye!

Maggie & Ruby C
... and he says WOOF!