Why, or how, did the kilt come about?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

MacMillan of Rathdown:

Thanks---so far yours is far and away the most reasoned response, although the "jealous husband" line probably beats it for romance.

I had also wondered if the little ice age had played any role, but I'm no climatologist.

Well, yes it did. Starting about 1550 and lasting until 1700 the climate across all of Europe became very, very much colder. In Scotland this resulted in three disastrous crop failures; one in 1563, another in 1565, and again in 1567. Another truly dismal harvest happens in 1572-- all of which impact most dramatically on the poorest section of Scotland, the Highlands. Bad harvests mean less fodder for animals. Fewer animals mean reduced livestock sales, hence no cash income. Without cash the Highlanders can't purchase finished goods, like linen. Without linen it is impossible to continue to make trousers. Likewise, in the Highlands, there was no abundance of sheep. They are not indigenous to the Highlands and very few Highlanders kept sheep. This meant that wool, the natural by-product of sheep, was also a scarce commodity "North of the Highland Line."

The bubonic plague epidemic of 1584 was also a contributing factor, as was the "civil war" that marked much of Queen Mary's reign.

In 1587 the export of "foodstuffs" is prohibited because of shortages. By 1592 things in Scotland had become so dire that the Scots Parliament enacted laws banning the export of sheep and cows due to critical food shortages throughout the kingdom.

It is my contention that it was against this backdrop of climatic, economic, agricultural, and political disaster that the kilt was born of absolute necessity-- the need to wrap oneself in rags and huddle near a fire to keep from freezing to death whilst slowly starving.

[Kid Cossack]

BEEDEE:

Aye, before even daring to post this, I'd gone over Matt's articles, and not just once! However, I never found anything speaking to the whys and hows of the adoption of the great kilt.

Sigh. Maybe I'm simply not meant to know.

EDIT: And MacMillan of Rathdown lends credence to my theory! Maybe I am meant to know (or at least to make reasonable surmise, which is not the same thing, of course). Thank you, sir, for the information.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

BEEDEE:

Aye, before even daring to post this, I'd gone over Matt's articles, and not just once! However, I never found anything speaking to the whys and hows of the adoption of the great kilt.

Sigh. Maybe I'm simply not meant to know.

EDIT: And MacMillan of Rathdown lends credence to my theory! Maybe I am meant to know (or at least to make reasonable surmise, which is not the same thing, of course). Thank you, sir, for the information.

Please remember that what I have posted is merely what I have surmised from a number of historical facts. The equivalent of an "Op-Ed" piece in your local newspaper. I believe it to be the most reasonable, or perhaps plausible, explanation for the emergence of the kilt, but I would stop short of suggesting that it is any sort of gospel truth.

In reality, as you, yourself, have stated, all we can do is make a reasonable surmise; that, and stand ready to alter our opinions in the event more research uncovers facts today not in evidence.

[HarborSpringsPiper]

It is my contention that it was against this backdrop of climatic, economic, agricultural, and political disaster that the kilt was born of absolute necessity-- the need to wrap oneself in rags and huddle near a fire to keep from freezing to death whilst slowly starving.

FWIW, this makes much more sense to me than the firearm/warrior aspect you described earlier. I could be completely wrong but believe its development had much more to do with the common, everyday man and his condition than grander aspects of that civilization.

[NewEnglander]

MoR-
Can you give us a resource or two to check out? I'd like to start doing some historical reading of my own.
many thanks,
-eric-

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Gosh, how to distill half a century's worth of reading into a few books? As a writer one of the indispensable research tools on my desk is a good historical time line. So, if you are interested in any facet of Scottish history you should have a copy of Chronology of Scottish History by David Ross; Geddes & Grosset, 2002. For a general overview I'd recommend The Lion in the North by John Prebble, [my copy] Coward, McCann & Geoghagan (New York), 1971, and A Concise History of Scotland by Sir Fitzroy Maclean; [my copy] Thames and Hudson, Ltd. (London), 1970. Both of these books should still be in print, but probably with different publishers. Check with Amazon for the latest details. You might also want to get a copy of the latest catalog from James Thin, Booksellers, in Edinburgh-- but I have to warn you books on Scottish history, once you really get into it, are almost as addictive as heroin, and a far more expensive habit! Pre-1960 encyclopedias are another good source of specific information as you can (usually) look up a specific person or event, which saves tedious hours trolling through stacks of references.

If you are looking for specific resources then you'd probably be ahead asking our resident history professor, CAJUNSCOT, for his recommendations as he is light years ahead of me in this area.

Hope that helps,

Scott

[Panache]

...the Celts in the Scottish Highlands had to deal with wet, boggy, steep terrain and bare legs are easier to dry than trousered legs, and who wants to wear wet trousers 24/7? ....

Would this explain why the Highlanders are so often depicted as shoeless?

This has always struck me as odd being that Scotland (especially with the cold weather of a few centuries past) with its rough terrain would be a place where going barefoot would flourish

Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

[KFCarter]

It is my contention that it was against this backdrop of climatic, economic, agricultural, and political disaster that the kilt was born of absolute necessity-- the need to wrap oneself in rags and huddle near a fire to keep from freezing to death whilst slowly starving.

Of course one can never be certain, but IMHO this is a very well-reasoned line of thought.

...Chronology of Scottish History by David Ross; Geddes & Grosset, 2002. For a general overview I'd recommend The Lion in the North by John Prebble, [my copy] Coward, McCann & Geoghagan (New York), 1971, and A Concise History of Scotland by Sir Fitzroy Maclean; [my copy] Thames and Hudson, Ltd. (London), 1970. ...You might also want to get a copy of the latest catalog from James Thin, Booksellers, in Edinburgh-- but I have to warn you books on Scottish history, once you really get into it, are almost as addictive as heroin, and a far more expensive habit!

You are certainly right about the last statement...and so the reading list grows! Thank you.

[NewEnglander]

Gosh, how to distill half a century's worth of reading into a few books?

Thanks much for the suggestions. My local library has a copy of Maclean so I'll start there.

[kiltedsawyer]

I always thought the kilt came about because it looked silly with the pleats in the front.