What associations come to mind when you think of Scotland? High mountains, endless meadows, the magnificent Sir Sean Connery, Scotch whiskey and, of course, kilt is the same skirt worn by the Scots. Without this very strange, in our opinion, element of the men's wardrobe, Scotland immediately loses all its charm and originality.

So where did the tradition of wearing a kilt come from?

The answer to this very interesting question can be found in the distant Middle Ages. The first documentary mention of the kilt dates back to the 16th century. In those days, Scottish skirts were worn by almost the entire male population of the country. The geographical features of Scotland ensured such widespread popularity of the kilt.

  1. The skirts did not restrict movement when moving through mountainous terrain, did not get wet when walking through swamps, and were very easy to put on and take off. This represented, in essence, a simple piece of dense fabric that was wrapped around the waist and secured with belts and buckles.
  2. On cold nights, the kilt could easily be turned into a blanket.
  3. And when in battle a warrior needed maximum speed and freedom of movement, the kilt could be instantly thrown off and rushed at the astonished enemy in what the mother gave birth.

The kilt is traditionally made from thick woolen fabric with a large checkered pattern. It was thanks to the kilt that this material gained worldwide popularity and was called “tartan”. The absence of pockets gave rise to another tradition - It is customary to wear a kilt together with a special handbag for necessary little things - a sporran.

It remains to clarify one more piquant point.

What do Scottish men wear under their kilts?

It turns out nothing! The tradition of not wearing underwear also dates back to the distant past, when a ban on underpants was introduced in Scottish regiments, and violators of the ban were severely punished. The strange tradition has firmly taken root, so think carefully before you decide to follow a Scotsman in a kilt up the steep stairs.

What is the name of the Scottish skirt, which for some reason is worn by men and not women? Its name comes from the Scottish “kilt” and has meant a knee-length skirt since the 18th century. The modern kilt is woven, woolen, pleated skirt for men from Scotland. Its length is chosen so that it ends at the top of the knees.

The history of clothing goes back at least to the end of the 16th century. Then it first appeared as a plaid around the waist or a “great kilt” - a garment the upper half of which could be used as a cloak, draped over the shoulders, or thrown over the head as a hood. The small or marching kilt (by analogy with the “modern one”) did not exist until the end of the 17th or beginning of the 18th century, and, in fact, it is the lower half of a large garment.

The term "kilt" is used:

According to the Oxford Dictionary English language, the noun comes from the verb to kilt, originally meaning "to wrap (a skirt) around the body", which appears to be of Old Norse origin - from the word kjalta, shortened by 2 letters.

Big kilt

The Breacan Fhéilidh (belted plaid) or Feileadh (large) most likely developed during the 16th century from a woolen plaid worn as a tunic.

With the increasing availability of wool, the cloak grew to such a size that it began to be gathered with a belt. The belted blanket was originally a thick woolen fabric consisting of two sheets ranging from 54 to 60 inches wide, and up to 7 yards (6.4 m) long. The upper half was worn as a cloak, draped over the left shoulder, or covered over the shoulders and head for protection from the weather. Once removed, it could be used as a blanket.

The description from 1746 reads: the robe is certainly very loose, which is suitable for a man to make very fast marches, to go against the weather, to wade through rivers. For battle, it was customary to remove the skirt in advance and put it aside.

The exact age of the great kilt is still debated. Early drawings or illustrations appear before the 16th century, the first written source which certainly describes a belted plaid or large kilt is dated 1594.

History of the small kilt

According to the most popular version, the modern Scottish skirt was invented by an English breeder from Lancashire, Thomas Rawlinson, after 1725. By wearing bulky, large kilts, the Scots were at risk when making steel. Rawlinson separated the lower part of the plaid to create a skirt for men. His colleague, Ian McDonnell, liked the invention, and after that it quickly spread among the highlanders and other inhabitants of the northern lowlands.

However, judging by some coats of arms, the pleated skirt has been worn since 1692. These clothes showed the degree of wealth of the owner. Ordinary people chose monochrome or simple checkered fabrics, while the rich could afford multi-colored squares.

After the defeat of the Scots at the Battle of Culloden, kilts and plaids were banned as an element of Scottish identity in the Disarmament Act, and were not used from 1746 until 1782. This men's skirt has received new life, when the British King George IV visited Scotland in 1822 and wore a skirt to an official reception. The myth of the "Tartan Clan" also emerged during this period.

History of the drawing

The oldest find of tartan fabric dates back to the 3rd century BC. This is a piece of linen created using the wool of light and dark sheep. This coloring was later called “shepherd’s plaid.”

The colors of the cells and stripes depended on the area, or more precisely, on the plants that grew on it. Therefore, the colors helped determine which region a person was from, as well as his clan.

The most common name for this fabric is tartan, but in Russia it is more often called “tartan”. There is even a Scottish Register of Tartans - this catalog contains all existing options fabrics. Many tartans bear the name of a clan. There are neutral patterns that are common to specific regions (such as the Edinburgh tartan) or belong to specific organizations (such as the Royal Scottish Dance Society or the Debian Project tartan).

It used to be that the cloth was reserved for citizens of their respective clans. Indeed, in Scotland people who wear someone else's clan tartan are frowned upon. But there are no legal provisions prohibiting this. Scots who see themselves as members of a clan always wear the right colors. But no one checks whether the buyer has the right to wear this particular look. And as a foreigner, you can choose any one if you wish to purchase a kilt or fabric for it.

What does a kilt look like?

A modern kilt for a typical sized man uses about 6-8 yards of single width (about 26-30 inches), or about 3-4 yards of double width (about 54-60 inches) of fabric. Scottish skirt, as a rule, made without a hem. The exact amount of fabric depends on several factors, including the number of pleats and the size of the person.

For a large kilt, 8 yards of fabric will be used regardless of size and number of pleats. The fold depth will be adjusted according to the size. For a very large waist, 9 yards of tartan may be needed.

If the kilt is sewn correctly, once fastened, it should not fit so loosely that the wearer can easily twist it around his body, but not so tightly that the tartan is wrinkled. The length of the plaid skirt should be about an inch above the knee.

Accessories

The Scottish kilt is usually worn with high wool socks to the knee, often with garters, and leather bag with fur, which hangs on a strap or chain wrapped around the waist. It can be plain or embossed leather, decorated with fur or metal trim.

Other common accessories, depending on the formal context:

  • belt (usually with a raised buckle);
  • jacket (various traditional silhouettes);
  • pin;
  • sgian dubh (from Gaelic - "black knife": a small sheathed knife worn at the top of the belt);
  • shoes (ghillies);
  • the kilt is sometimes worn with a shirt, although this is a relatively modern invention and should not be confused with actual historical clothing.

Wearing a kilt with or without underwear is a matter of personal taste. Due to the thickness of the fabric and the folds, the cold is not a problem for men, but for practical and hygienic reasons, underwear is still recommended.

Kilt today

Nowadays, most people think Scottish kilts evening dress or national clothes. Although there are people who wear kilts during the day, skirts are generally purchased or rented to be worn at weddings or other formal events, regardless of their nationality or background.

Scottish skirts are also used for parades and orchestras. Some regiments/units of the British Army and other Commonwealth armies (including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa) with a Scottish background or heritage still continue to wear kilts as part of their clothing or military uniform, although they have been used in combat since 1940. Ritual kilts were also designed for the US Marine Corps.

The kilt is associated with a sense of Scottish national pride and is often seen when fans watch a football or rugby match. The black knife is sometimes replaced by a wooden or plastic alternative or omitted altogether for safety reasons.

Reasons why Scottish men wear a kilt.

The Scottish kilt consists of a piece of fabric that is not sewn into the shape of a skirt, but is simply wrapped around the waist and secured with a belt. Previously, each Scottish clan had its own traditional color, which were woven into a pattern on the kilt.


By the color of the skirt one could determine whether a person belonged to any clan. Currently, this tradition is almost lost, but the kilt itself is still popular. The only acceptable kilt pattern is checkered.



Scottish men made their choice in favor of a kilt not because of their love for women's toilets, but because of the climate of their country and its topography. Rough terrain, mountains, frequent rains and dampness - in this situation, wet trousers sticking to the legs could hinder movement.



The kilt gave complete freedom when moving, allowing you to climb the most impassable mountainous areas. When wet, this type of clothing dried much faster than, say, trousers, and at night the resourceful Scots used it as a blanket.


Gradually, the benefits of the kilt were appreciated not only by residents of the mountainous regions of Scotland, but also by the rest of the country's population. And in the middle of the 19th century, the kilt gained unexpected popularity among the Scottish nobility - the intelligentsia and nobility, and after that the kilt was accepted by all Scots, even those who lived abroad.





A kilt can be “big” or “small”. A small kilt is, strictly speaking, what we call a man's skirt, a fabric wrapped around the hips. A large kilt is a much larger cloth in which you can wrap yourself from neck to toe. Traditionally, both types of kilts do not involve wearing panties - when the kilt appeared, there were no panties in the wardrobe yet.

It is generally accepted that the kilt appeared in Scotland around the 7th century. In the village of Nigg there is a stone depicting a man in a kilt, dating from this period. The first written mention of a men's skirt dates back to the 16th century. Bishop Leslie, in his reports to the Pope, wrote: “Their clothing is practical and excellent for battle. Everyone wears the same type of cape.”
If we remember the humid climate of Scotland, it becomes clear that wearing trousers in mountainous areas was impractical, as legs would quickly get wet. And in kilts they quickly crossed the terrain; these clothes dried perfectly and were used as a blanket at night. It is worth noting that at first only residents of the mountainous regions of the country preferred kilts to trousers.

There are two types of kilts: large and small. The first is a large woolen cloth that is draped around the waist, secured with a belt and thrown over the shoulder. A “lighter” version of the kilt, that is, without a top, appeared in the 18th century, when workers in production began to be bothered by an “extra” piece of fabric.
The word “kilt” itself is translated from Old Icelandic as “folded”. It is made from tartan, a woolen fabric with colored intersecting lines that form the famous checkered pattern. Each clan had its own type of pattern on the fabric, which allowed residents to immediately determine where strangers were coming from.

According to tradition, the highlanders went to war in kilts, but if necessary they could take them off. In 1645, during a battle, the Scots threw off their skirts and defeated an enemy twice their size (there was no concept of underwear then). One can only guess why the enemy fell: from the ferocity of the mountaineers or their appearance.

A funny picture about curious ladies and Scots.

Sean Connery is a British actor of Scottish descent.
The kilt is also considered a symbol of freedom. In the 18th century, the English government deprived Scotland of its independence and, among other things, obliged the population to wear trousers. The highlanders, in turn, continued to wear kilts, and carried trousers with them, stretched on sticks. Then the authorities completely passed a law banning the wearing of kilts. For disobedience, residents faced a 6-month prison sentence, and for repeated disobedience, they faced exile in a colony for 7 years. But it was not possible to expel everyone, and the highest circles of the Scottish nobility continued to wear checkered vestments as a sign of protest. Today, the kilt is considered an integral part of Scottish culture, and its inhabitants are proud of this clothing and are outraged when the kilt is called a skirt.

The Scottish skirt for men is called a kilt. Refers exclusively to men's clothing, since it is not in the literal sense of the word a skirt, such as, for example, female version. This is usually a fairly large piece of cloth that is wrapped around a man's waist and secured with a belt and buckles. The fabric for a kilt can be checked or striped, and the check and stripe are harmoniously integrated into the traditional Scottish pattern, which is very popular not only in this country. A bag-purse on a kilt is called a sporran - it is customary for men to carry a small handbag for small things, since there are no pockets in clothes.

Today's Scots skirt can be made of wool, leather, viscose or raincoat fabric, and the clothes are sewn in different ways: for everyday wear, hunting or holidays. By the pattern and color of the fabric you can recognize the clan to which a Scot belongs. However, for residents of other countries, you can only be guided by your taste priorities when choosing a kilt. The tartan skirt for men is still popular in the British Army, as well as in the armies of some other British Commonwealth countries, where it is still part of the military uniform of the population. This clothing is worn in Scotland during musical performances, dances and sports competitions.

The Scottish men's skirt was first mentioned in the chronicles of 1594, where it was described as a speckled garment different colors with a lot of folds, going down to the middle of the calves and secured around the waist with a belt. The name comes from the Old Icelandic word kjilt, meaning “folded, folded.” Previously, these clothes were made only from tartan (checkered kilt fabric) - a material made from wool, colorful lines on which they intersected at certain angles, creating a unique pattern, which made it possible to determine the men’s belonging to a specific clan.

Moreover, if the pattern on the tartan was the same color, this was a sign of a servant. Two colors on a Scotsman's kilt indicated that he was a farmer, a three-color tartan indicated an officer, and a six-color tartan indicated a poet. The most large number there were flowers on the leader's tartan. In this way it was easy to determine the social position of each person. To this day, more than 700 ancient unique patterns have been preserved, although many ornaments have been lost.

Why do Scots wear skirts?

What is called a kilt today was in ancient times part of a large blanket, or rather its lower part, with which one could cover oneself in bad weather, or throw it over one’s shoulder if the fabric was not needed. Large plaids were worn mainly by residents of the highlands, where such clothing was simply necessary, given the terrain and rainy climate. The large blanket dried quickly and gave freedom of movement, which was important, given the warlike nature of the mountaineers and the constant conflicts in which they participated. During the battles, the highlanders threw off the blanket and fought without clothes, and after the battle they slept, covered with a warm piece of fabric like a blanket.

British authorities in the 18th century tried to ban Scots from wearing kilts and demanded that they be replaced with trousers. However, the stubborn and proud mountaineers began to wear trousers on a stick, continuing to walk in their national clothes. Since then, the Scottish skirt has become a symbol of courage, inflexibility, stubbornness and love of freedom of the Scots, turning into a national symbol.

Small kilt

Previously, dyes for skirts were used only of plant origin. For example, black color was obtained from alder bark, blue- from blueberries. Green paint was taken from cornflower, red paint was collected from lichen from rocks. Yellow received from different types fern, and brown was extracted from seaweed. Thus, the color of the fabric was associated with the flora of the area where the tartan was produced, which influenced the variety of its colors.

Putting on a large blanket is quite simple: first, lay the belt, then put the material perpendicular to it, which needs to be gathered at the back. Then you need to lie down and wrap yourself on both sides with pieces of the remaining material, then fasten your belt, and top part throw the fabric over the shoulder and tuck it under the belt.
Nowadays, this is not always and not everyone is comfortable, so now they wear short kilts with already stitched ones, called “small”, or Feileadh Beg. This clothing is only the lower part of a large blanket, the length of which reaches the knee. The material is wrapped around the hips and secured with ordinary straps with buckles, and not with a belt, as before. To prevent clothing hemlines from flying apart, a special pin is attached to them at the bottom to weigh down the fabric.

There is an assumption that Feileadh Beg first appeared in 1725. It was introduced into use by the English manager of a metallurgical plant, Rawlinson, who proposed cutting off the material touching the floor when squatting. Nowadays, Feileadh Beg has become popular not only among the Scots, but also among the English themselves. For example, there are numerous photographs showing Prince Charles in a short kilt with friends who are dressed in kilts of different colors, plain jackets and knee socks. Made from thick, heavy wool, small kilts practically do not wrinkle and can serve their owners for many years.

Types of men's skirts

Not only kilts are popular among men, but different cultures There are clothes that look like a skirt. In Southeast Asia, men still wear a sarong, in India - a dhoti, unlike trousers, a skirt is much more comfortable, does not restrict movement and is made from one piece of fabric. There are also Pteruges, Fustanella, Hakama and Shuka.

Sarong

The sarong as a piece of clothing is common in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, India, Indonesia, and Polynesia.

Different nations have their own ways of tying a sarong, but in all cases it performs the same function - it protects the skin from the sun and provides the body with ventilation from below in a hot tropical climate.

You can watch the video on how to tie a sarong:

Dhoti

Dhoti - traditional look men's clothing, common in India. It is a rectangular strip of fabric 2 - 5 m long, wrapped around the legs and hips with one end passing between the legs.

Typically, white or one-color fabric is used, sometimes decorated with ornaments along the edges. When worn, it resembles tight shorts or short bloomers.

How to wear a dhoti is shown in the video:

Pteruges

Spartan thick leather was part of the legionnaires' armor and protected the legs of the warriors.

Fustanella

The pleated men's skirt is a traditional costume of the Balkans, worn with a long white shirt and wide trousers.

Hakama

Traditional Japanese long wide pleated pants, similar to a skirt, bloomers or cassock, were originally worn only by men. In the Middle Ages, only kuge, samurai and priests were allowed to wear them daily. Today, hakama is often worn by girls at graduation ceremonies.

Shuka

Bright, practical Maasai clothing attracts attention at first glance; the outfits themselves seem to hint at the true purpose of the male gender to protect families, hunt, get food, and protect the home.

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic African indigenous people living on the savanna of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The Maasai are one of the most famous tribes in East Africa.