Truibhs – Friend Or Foe ?

[Lachlan09]

I’m not sure if this is a post or a blog ! I mean it as a thread and a question.

What is your opinion on truibhs / trews ? Okay, they’ve been used and abused, with everyone from golfers to Sid Vicious wearing them. They’ve also been written off as Lowland wear not worthy of Highlanders, but I submit:-

a) Their antiquity is Highland. They were worn by Highland gentlemen at least as far back as the 17th Century for use when riding Highland ponies (they were not at all like Braveheart - bare-cheeked on his horse ! stupid)
b) 17th Century engravings of MacKay mercenaries at Stettin show one wearing baggy trews.
c) Pre-Culloden portraits of chieftains such as Fraser of Castle Leather show him in trews with sporran and dirk, plus broadsword. Also a 17th Century portrait of “Slippery John” Campbell of Breadalbane show his tacksman holding a pony, wearing trews. MacIain Abrach (MacDonald of Glencoe) reputedly wore red/white trews.
d) A warrior in the forefront of Morier’s Culloden painting is wearing trews.
e) In all these cases in c) and d), the trews are tight, footed garments like baby trousers cut on the cross to give more stretch.
f) 18th Century portraits of Niel Gow (as in my avatar), the Highland trews are tartan knee breeches with matching stockings.
g) A late 18th Century portrait of Sinclair of Ulbster shows him in the uniform of the Caithness Fencibles, dressed in tight un-footed trews with yellow trim around seams and ankles.
h) The 91st (Argyllshire) Regt had its kilts re-tailored into trews for the 1809 Walcheren Expedition. These were straight cut with vertical/horizontal pattern.
i) The 93rd (Sutherland) Regt had its kilts re-tailored into trews for the 1814/15 New Orleans Expedition. These were straight cut with vertical/horizontal pattern.
j) The 72nd Highlanders (later called Duke of Albany’s) adopted trews of the newly-created Prince Charles Edward Stuart tartan in 1822.
k) The 71st Highland Light Infantry adopted trews of their original wide MacKenzie tartan in 1835
l) The 74th Highlanders adopted trews of Lamont tartan in 1845.
m) The 91st Argyllshire Highlanders adopted trews of Campbell of Cawdor tartan in 1864.
n) During this early Victorian era, Highland officers also wore trews for lesser duties. A famous photo of the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders at Scutari in 1854 shows an officer in peaked diced cap, shell jacket and trews.

Until that point, trews are undeniably Highland dress.

In 1881, the Childers amalgamations combined the old numbered regiments into new county ones. All Highland regiments reverted to kilts, except for the new Highland Light Infantry 71st/74th which stayed with their trews. All Highland regiments were issued trews for off duty wear.

To jump on the tartan bandwagon, in 1881/2 the Lowland regiments (some objecting) traded in their English uniforms for styles very similar to the HLI uniform. From that moment, the HLI had years of arguing that they were a Highland regiment. They were designated as a Lowland regiment despite protests until 1948, when the powers that be agree they were a Highland regiment all along and to prevent further confusion, awarded them the kilt in original 71st’s wide MacKenzie tartan.

From the moment that Lowland regiments copied trews and Highland doublets from Highland regiments, that was the start of the misconception that kilt = Highland and trews = Lowland.

That perception has crept into the popular civilian imagination ever since. It was magnified even further during the First World War, when Lowland troops wore khaki trousers and Highland troops wore kilts and aprons, even though many soldiers in the Highland regiments were actually Lowlanders.

So most of the 20th Century has been taken up with civilians thinking the kilt is Highland and trews are Lowland. Now that the kilt has been adopted as Scotland’s national dress and trews have been sidelined to secondary wear by the new Royal Regiment of Scotland (previous Lowland regiments now wear the kilt), I suspect trews will fade into the distance.

Yet it’s a great shame, trews are very attractive too, in different designs and tailoring/ fitting styles and can be worn with a variety of accessories. They have a place in the Highland and overall Scottish wardrobe and they must not disappear. They also provide a fine alternative if you’re saving for that next kilt and want to have something less expensive in the meantime. You can still wear the rest of your Highland outfit with it. Tailored close-fitting made to measure trews having inside seams and side openings with matching shoulder plaid and brooch or even wrap-around plaid would look pretty good too.

What is your opinion ?

[MacLowlife]

I believe the first complaint you will get is "This is a KILT site, not a Scottish wear or tartan site." Meaning, many of the people here care nought for tartan at all. It is Kilts they care about. And for them, the name of trews made from the fabric of their kilts can be Blue Jeans or Chinos.

Yes, I know, there is a special pattern by which trews are tailored, with fewer seams, etc., but let's face it, in the eyes of many "Trews" simply means Tartan Trousers.

I believe you are right- one CAN acquire ex-military regimental trews for a lot less than a kilt ( provided one is the lucky size) , but then one runs afoul of the "That's not YOUR regiment" crowd.

Call me crezzy, but I think most people wade in to their kilt outfits by purchasing the kilt first. A jacket that also works with trews, or even a plaid, usually comes much later.

Of course, "Much Later" is about the time many kilt wearers realize their kilt has shrunk in the closet. They may decide then to opt for trews instead of kilt rebuilding or purchase of a new one to cover their expanded holdings, but I am not so sure.

Who is your man, the SNP guy? He wears tartan trousers, apparently because he is waiting for Independence to put on a kilt. From my recollection, though, "close fitting" is probably not what his tailor would recommend.

[Chas]

"This is a KILT site, not a Scottish wear or tartan site."

I know of a couple who have one wall of their living room covered in Stewart Royal tartan fabric - like wallpaper. But as MacLowlife has said, this is a kilt forum and as nice as trews are, they are unimportant. Sorry.

Regards

Chas

[Bugbear]

Trews are an established topic on XMTS. The issue, I think is that trews are generally best suited for a certain body shape, devilishly so... However, the kilt will work well on just about any shape and build, if properly made.

I believe the phrase used for trews on the wrong body shape was... "tartan egg holder."

[KFCarter]

I believe the phrase used for trews on the wrong body shape was... "tartan egg holder."

Interesting post, Lachlan09. Yes, this is a kilt forum, but we do regularly discuss related "off-topic" subjects.

This post has certainly piqued my interest in trews although I'm afraid I'm awfully close to qualifying for Ted's description above!

[Bugbear]

Just to make sure it's not taken wrongly, I did not come up with that description. I am sure that I saw that phrase used here on XMTS to describe a problem or issue with trues. Unfortunatly "egg" is a three letter word, and doesn't come up on a forum search.

It was just a complaint I read about them.

I'm standing by my statement that they look "devilish" on some body types and shapes.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The phrase, "tartan egg cup" was, I believe, coined by Jock Scot. While this is a kilt site, it is called X MARKS THE SCOT, and this forum is all about TRADITIONAL HIGHLAND DRESS, which (like it or lump it) encompasses trews. That said, trews wearers seem to be in the distinct-- albeit dashing-- minority when it comes to formal Highland attire.

[macwilkin]

I know of a couple who have one wall of their living room covered in Stewart Royal tartan fabric - like wallpaper. But as MacLowlife has said, this is a kilt forum and as nice as trews are, they are unimportant. Sorry.

Regards

Chas

In your opinion only, Chas. Many of us here appreciate & respect the long history & tradition of trews, especially among the Scottish regiments.

Todd

[macwilkin]

The phrase, "tartan egg cup" was, I believe, coined by Jock Scot. While this is a kilt site, it is called X MARKS THE SCOT, and this forum is all about TRADITIONAL HIGHLAND DRESS, which (like it or lump it) encompasses trews. That said, trews wearers seem to be in the distinct-- albeit dashing-- minority when it comes to formal Highland attire.

Well said, Rathdown!

T.

[cessna152towser]

Tartan trews aren't my style but they are very popular as dressy menswear in the south of Scotland. Wear them if you feel comfortable, though my personal preference is the kilt.