Long Shirts with a kilt?

[Pleater]

The old fashioned 'grandad' shirts my dad had - probably inherited - were the ones with the yoke which had buttons, but below that were solid - that is they did not unbutton all the way down the front, they had to be pulled on over the head. They had separate collars, held on by studs, but he used them for casual wear and very rarely put a collar onto one of them, but if he was wearing one and someone called at the house he would quickly put on a collar and tie.

The cut was far looser than modern shirts, I think they had small pleats at the yoke both front and back. He wore them with high waisted trousers which were quite loose at the waist, held up by braces. Over that he would wear a pullover, and over that a jacket. The shirt might have bloused - but it would not be seen.

People used to wear far more layers of clothing - even in warm weather.

Anne the Pleater

[Bugbear]

The old fashioned 'grandad' shirts my dad had - probably inherited - were the ones with the yoke which had buttons, but below that were solid - that is they did not unbutton all the way down the front, they had to be pulled on over the head. They had separate collars, held on by studs, but he used them for casual wear and very rarely put a collar onto one of them, but if he was wearing one and someone called at the house he would quickly put on a collar and tie.

The cut was far looser than modern shirts, I think they had small pleats at the yoke both front and back. He wore them with high waisted trousers which were quite loose at the waist, held up by braces. Over that he would wear a pullover, and over that a jacket. The shirt might have bloused - but it would not be seen.

People used to wear far more layers of clothing - even in warm weather.

Anne the Pleater

All depending on which area and time period being discussed, of course.


I guess I could look into what various people commonly wore in this area going back across time periods; it wouldn't have been kilts... I suspect there have been many, many tunics worn by people in this area, going back a good while, and perhaps shirts like you are talking about, Pleater. I live in a desert climate that would be a bit more like some areas in the Middle East.

[Pleater]

In England, way back, there was the smock - sometimes the only garment worn - lots of fabric controlled by smocking - being gathered evenly into tiny folds like cartridge pleats, then sewn in various patterns which had less or more elasticity and spread.

It was a very economical way of making a garment - using up all of a suitable rectangular piece except a small piece kept for patching.

Once machinery was involved however the smock had to go, it was too easy to get it caught up on a gear or spindle, though in Yorkshire they modified them by sewing on a waistband and cutting off the lower part making them more like a modern shirt.

In the wet climate of Northern England the smocks were waterproofed using linseed oil, and the folds channelled the rain off.

I have a couple of garments which are possibly from the Middle East or were intended to be sold there - bought in my hippy days.

They are simple shapes with no excess material.

It seems that the further North the heavier the traditional clothing becomes, either through folding or just thickness.

Anne the Pleater

[Bugbear]

Yes, the idea is to have space and air flow between your body and your garment; not to say there couldn't be layers to block the direct heat of the sun. A tunic-like garment or a low yardage kilt could do that.

I have not worn any sort of Middle Eastern garment; some people in this area do, though, and there are probably all sorts.

I have, however, worn a poncho, also a wearing blanket.

[Mr.Charles Anthony]

Bugbear Et All
Indeed wear a long shirt with the kilt(to just above the knees)if you have a problem with the shirt riding up because you are 'rotund' have your tailor put two gussets at the base of the shirt, to give you some movement. The problem with circa 2011 shirts is they are tailored too close to the body, to make agood fit under a kilt when you sit in them. That is just one reason why circa 2011 shirts are BVD lenght.
(No pictures of this writer in BVD"s included (LOL) )