Why do The Scottish Men Wear Kilts

To say that men’s clothing — pants is impossible. Let’s remember the story. The ancient Greeks wore tunics, which is, in fact, draped dresses, and the Romans wore armor over a short tunic and trousers considered barbaric indecent clothing. At the same time, he thought that no one, and there is no question of his masculinity!

And these days men wear kilts, not just in Scotland. For example, in Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka — Men’s clothing is the waist of the draped sarong kilt. The same clothes worn by Polynesian men. An important part of the Japanese samurai costume — draped hakama actually culottes. One of the variants of the Chinese men’s suit — a long dress with a smell, belted with a wide belt. In hot countries, Arab men wear long white or colored toe shirts, which is called in different regions in different ways: Jellabiya, Thawb. They are also common in North and Central Africa.

Why do Europeans prefer pants, unknown. Maybe just cold. There is no definitive answer to the question why Scot’s wear skirts. Its origins is in the depths of the centuries. However, the basic version is still there — convenience. First of all, he wore a kilt, not all Scots, but only mountaineers. It was a large piece of woolen tartan fabric, which is made and the skirt, and the top of the garment. This was the so-called great skirt. Such garments were perfect for rainy weather and mountainous terrain, thus heated, well dried, to provide freedom of movement during the day and become a warm blanket at night. Later, roughly in the eighteenth century, when it was no longer necessary to be wrapped against time, there was a small quilt, which is the one we know today. However, to say that the reason was the weather is impossible. Suffice it to remember the ancient Greeks and Romans, who lived entirely in a different environment.

However, we know the history of kilt ornament. In the manufacture of these garments, they have traditionally used a special fabric — tartan, woven from natural wool. Translated from its Celtic name it means “crisscrossed” or “colored areas”. The tartan color and pattern could determine which Scottish clan exactly it refers to and where it comes from. There is a version that tartan patterns evolved from tribal tattoos.

In 1745, when the British suppressed the rebellion of the Jacobite, who wanted to sit on the throne of the representatives of the Stuarts, the kilt was banned. Because of this, when the end of the 18th century, the ban was lifted, many paintings were forgotten. Some of them were rebuilt from old paintings and books, and eventually there are many new cell variants. Now there are more than 6,000.

Types of Kilt

Depending on the wealth of the wearer, the earliest forms of this historic Scottish clothing were colored, in various plaid tartan designs, or plain wool. There are several styles of kilt, and the term ‘kilt’ can be applied to a variety of garments:

· As a traditional garment, in historical and modern adaptation commonly found in Scotland.

· The Irish kilt worn by Irish pipe bands, based on the traditional kilt, but in a single (solid) color.

· Various school uniforms for girls.

· Variants of the Scottish kilt were developed in other Celtic nations, such as the Welsh kilt and the Cornish Kilt.

If you are asked to mention things that symbolize Scotland, one of them is most likely the tartan or the kilt. Everyone knows that our men wear skirts, but the kilt is much more than an article of clothing. It is a historical document that has survived the passage of time.

Today even fashion designers use tartan in their collections, and it can be found in any store and even in household items. But it all started in Scotland hundreds of years ago.

Tartan

· It is a fabric made with vertical and horizontal stripes in different shades on a colored background.

· The interwoven stripes are known by the name of sett.

· The origin of this fabric is in the Highlands region.

· The word tartan was first mentioned in Scotland in 1538.

· Originally, clan people used local plants, moss, and berries to dye their wool.

The Kilt Is Made with Tartan Fabric

The kilt is a tartan fabric garment that is worn tied around the waist. However, a “real” kilt is usually accompanied by:

A sporran, a small bag worn around the waist over the kilt. Sporran is the word for purse in Gaelic.

A kilt pin, which joins the two parts of the skirt at the front.

A sgian dubh, a small dagger that is kept in the socks.

7 Facts About the Kilts

· The kilt also originates from the Highland region.

· It was originally a 5-meter-long piece of cloth without a shape.

· It was known in Gaelic as the “great kilt.”

· It was worn around the waist, much like a current kilt, but the rest of the fabric was draped over the shoulder and fastened with a pin.

· This upper part could be adjusted according to the weather conditions, the temperature and the necessary freedom of movement.

· Its popularity grew when the Highland regiments serving with the British Army chose it as their official dress.

· It soon became a highly regarded garment across the border, among members of the British aristocracy who regarded everything Scottish as a fashion item. Today it appears frequently in Vivienne Westwood’s designs.

It is Frequent to Wear Kilt

Weddings, both the groom and the best man as well as the guests.

At Highland games, both athletes and spectators.

In the ceilidhs, the dancers and the band members.

Other Ways to Wear the Tartan

· A traditional tartan fabric over a one-tone garment

· A tartan dress or skirt

· A tartan tie and bow tie

· The tartan bow

· Tartan shoes

· Tartan bags

· Tartan pants

And much more. I hope this posts really helped you to know about the kilt fashion. All types of kilt including tartan, Denim kilt, hybrid kilt or Scottish kilt give you a super cool look and style.