History of the Kilt

[dan]

Hello Can anyone on the board help to clarify something?

I've been told that the kilt is a very modern invention and that highland dress was invented by Queen Victoria's Court as a kind of fancy dress for use during their Scottish holidays, also Scotland is often referred to as the land of "institutionalised transvestism" - can any body clarify what this means?

Thanks

Dan

[Alaskan Celt]

[Blu (Ontario)]

...also Scotland is often referred to as the land of "institutionalised transvestism" - can any body clarify what this means?...Dan

Good grief! What simpleton dreamed that up! That is pure fabricated rubbish that can only have been uttered by a <U>very</u>sexually insecure individual trying to justify his purely subjective and totally un-informed opinions. This is an insult to a nation and a people.

[Graham]

I agree Blu, whatever idiot made that comment has a serious problem.

[Blu (Ontario)]

I agree Blu, whatever idiot made that comment has a serious problem.

Graham, Unfortunately this is just the sort of krap that encourages the sniggers, derisive remarks, and other ignorrant behavior. It's often easier to believe the lies than to understand the truth.

:x %#@!$#

[Doc Hudson]

I've often seen the same thing Dan. I'm not sure where this nonsense started, perhaps someone more familiar with English history can help out.

The dates just don't seem to work out. Victorian era was roughly from 1876-1901. Over 100 years prior to that the tartan and kilts had been banned in Scotland.

I beg your pardon, but Queen Victoria's reign began in 1837. True, the real stuffy, staid, (some would say false) morality that typifies the term "Victorian" was not firmly intrenched in society until the 1860's or there about. Even so, The strict morality of Victoria and Albert cast quite a pall over the licentious behavior common under the reign of her Uncle, William IV, and during the Regency and reign of George IV. After all, Victoria and Albert's idea of a rousing good time involved discussing sermons or strolling over the moors at Balmoral, a far cry from the debauches of the Prince Regent's day. However, but 1876, the Queen's self-imposed isolation (following Albert's death in 1860) had already lead to her being called "The Widow of Windsor."

As for the time of origin of the kilt, it depends on what sort you are talking about. The Great Kilt originated hundreds or even thousands of years ago. The modern Little Kilt was allegedly invented by the English manager of a Scottish iron works in the 1780's.

I totally agree with your comment about early Scots settlers in the American Colonies. In fact, in some areas of Appalachia, you will find some vestiges of Scots accent and language still in use, though widespead TV broadcasting is fast killing it off.

[bubba]

[The modern Little Kilt was allegedly invented by the English manager of a Scottish iron works in the 1780's.

The idea that an Englishman was responsible for the little kilt doesn't ring true to me. I suspect that, if the factory manager story has any truth to it it was that he adopted something that was already being done by the Scots themselves for practical reasons.
Tartans, before the Victorian period, had no Clan or family associations. Patterns and colors were whatever the local dyers and weavers were doing at any given time. The closest stretch that can be made is district or regional colors based on the types of dyes in different areas.

[g koch]

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kissyfurr/history3.html

This is a page from a good little history of the kilt from a very nice site.

[bubba]

The Rawlinson story has it's adherents but there is, and always will be, dispute on it. I'm inclined to think that Rawlinson saw some Scots already wearing a type of halfkilt and adapted the idea to his own purposes.

[phil h]

there is a difference between the great kilt and the small kilt,it's true that queen victoria did make it more popular(the small kilt), in England as well as in Scotland.
most scots don't like the rawlinson story and say it's crap, truth is noone knows for sure,noone bothered to write a book about it at the time it was evolving.English people have been wearing kilts for a long time, see photo's of kings and princes.
the black watch was a highland regiment, formed by the british army.
also a lots of people born in scotland would not ever be seen dead in a kilt,it's more of a highlander thing, something for the poor people.
not the city folk.
the kilt is not just a scottish thing, and the fact is, it does not matter, just enjoy wearing it, weather it be a trad 16oz 8 yrd kilt, or a more modern utilikilt.