Up In Arms in 1957

**Lady Grey** · 27th August 19, 01:16 PM

On another thread I was asking for help identifying a tartan.

While researching the kilt maker I found this delightful article from 1957

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...&searchLimits=

Somethings never change. I’ve seen the same questions and comments here on Xmarks in the 21st century.

If anyone knows how to screenshot the article and post it that would be great, it’s beyond my technical skills.

**Steve Ashton** · 27th August 19, 01:35 PM

Notice please the last paragraph:

"Note to Sassenachs, curious about what is worn under the kilt, this same Scotswoman says. "Little black briefs or Tartan under pants. The Highlander always wears them."

**Tarheel** · 27th August 19, 01:58 PM

I was only able to get the illustration. The entire article was too large for me to capture. I see your point after reading the news text.

**Steve Ashton** · 27th August 19, 02:19 PM

**Lady Grey** · 27th August 19, 03:08 PM

The lower right picture amuses me.
Bondi in summer is not the place for a kilt, jacket, shirt and tie the heatstroke would be swift.
And Bondi fashions 50+ yrs later are very very different!

**OC Richard** · 27th August 19, 05:50 PM

That article made me get out Barnes, to see what he says about Australian Scottish units.

He was writing a tad earlier, in the early 1950s.

Here is his list of Australian units with Scottish connexions:

5th Battalion The Victorian Scottish Regiment (raised 1898)

16th Battalion The Cameron Highlanders Of Western Australia (raised 1899)

27th Battalion The South Australian Scottish Regiment

30th Battalion The New South Wales Scottish Regiment (traces origin to 1855)

41st Battalion The Byron Regiment

The article says that kilts have been worn in the Australian military since the NSW Scottish was formed in 1866. Barnes says 1855. Hmmm....

The website of the unit itself, the NSW Scottish, says

"The first NSW Military Unit with a Scottish Association was The Duke of Edinburgh's Highlanders formed in 1868. The Unit wore a kilt of Black Watch tartan..."

**neloon** · 28th August 19, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Ashton

Notice please the last paragraph:

"Note to Sassenachs, curious about what is worn under the kilt, this same Scotswoman says. "Little black briefs or Tartan under pants. The Highlander always wears them."

Just to be pedantic the "little black briefs" were actually girls' gym knickers and were more usually bottle green since that was the base colour of 95% of tartans. These and the "Tartan under pants" were always referred to by kilt-wearers as "(under)trews" or "short trews" but Highland Dress outfitters often called them "drawers".

Alan

**Lady Grey** · 28th August 19, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by neloon

Just to be pedantic the "little black briefs" were actually girls' gym knickers and were more usually bottle green since that was the base colour of 95% of tartans. These and the "Tartan under pants" were always referred to by kilt-wearers as "(under)trews" or "short trews" but Highland Dress outfitters often called them "drawers".

Alan

Oohhhh you’ve just bought back horrible memories of the sports uniform that I had to wear at the girls school I attended.
Those Bottle Green gym briefs were a revolting itchy nylon .... heaven forbid if we were caught wearing some cotton briefs (or worse bikini undies) the nuns loved any excuse to start wacking the back of our knees with a ruler.

**neloon** · 29th August 19, 01:45 AM

Originally Posted by Lady Grey

Oohhhh you’ve just bought back horrible memories of the sports uniform that I had to wear at the girls school I attended.
Those Bottle Green gym briefs were a revolting itchy nylon .... heaven forbid if we were caught wearing some cotton briefs (or worse bikini undies) the nuns loved any excuse to start whacking the back of our knees with a ruler.

Our green trews were always exceedingly comfortable cotton. And I don't recall ever being molested by a nun.

Alan