If Diaspora Scots had....21st century TCHD

[James Hood]

While enjoying this typical mid-June Chicago day, mid-80s and swamp-humidity, in cotton cargo kilt and "Hawaiian" shirt (NOT TCHD!)...

...thoughts came...

..."What if, when Scots did the grand diaspora beginning in the late 17th century, THEY HAD (largely) KEPT the kilt as their primary garment for men?"

As time passed and settlers acclimated to "not Scotland" climes, The Kilt would have evolved independently in quite a few parts of the world, from Canada and the northern part of North America (where it would likely have stayed about the same), to the Americas, South, Australia, New Zealand, India, Eygpt, Kenya, Polynesia, Singapore....

Personal guess is, "TCHD" for work, casual and dress would look a little different in each locale.

Solid colours, lighter fabrics, different styles of pleating (if any) and the rough cotton / canvas duck / leather cargo / workman's kilt might have evolved much earlier than the 1990s. Perhaps parti-hued pareo types could have evolved in the Pacific.

What think ye, Esteemed Rabble?

[OC Richard]

For sure it's a thought-provoking thing.

At least here in what became the USA, the Scots wouldn't have ever worn kilts anyway, mostly being Lowlanders and Borderers.

About colonial fashion following its own path of evolution, it really didn't happen like that, in the main, at least here in what became the USA. The Colonials continued to dress more or less the same as back in Britain; mid-19th century photos show Britons and Americans wearing the same suits and hats.

There are exceptions of course, as in the Appalachian mountaineers adopting the dress of the Natives they encountered and fought (buckskin trousers and shirts, moccasins, and coonskin caps) and Western cowboys borrowing vocabulary and dress from the Mexican vaqueros. But the shopkeeper in Chicago and the shopkeeper in Manchester in 1780 or 1830 or 1890 dressed more or less identically.

[Lady Grey]

Interesting, the kilt might have been kept for Sunday Best/Church/ special occasions. In Australia practicality would have been an issue, many came as miners and down a muddy hole in a Kilt is not a practical idea.
As OCRichard said adapting to local dress when practical would apply.
I'm sure there are old sporrans and other leather accessories around that may have been made of local hides such as roo, koala & dingo.
I shall research

[Tarheel]

I'm appreciating the Darwin approach to your thoughts. I also agree to the adopting of native attire for the climate. I like the direction of "Sunday Best" for finer garb if kilts were in the culture already. I have to remember that I have the option to wear my own kilts when it is so habitual to grab the clothes I've worn for 50 plus years. This is a good question to pose to the group.

[Lady Grey]

Nope not finding evidence of the kilt in daily wear (it was a quick search)
However Caledonian Societies are heavily represented from very early on.
Here are some links to pictures & writings if you are interested.

http://www.australiandressregister.org/garment/484/
http://www.australiandressregister.org/garment/305/
http://museumvictoria.com.au/origins...pid=52&img=114
http://museumvictoria.com.au/collect...ria-circa-1920
http://www.paulhagon.com/playground/....pic-an3103469
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/REL31852.002
http://www.egold.net.au/biogs/EG00092b.htm
http://prov.vic.gov.au/publications/...t-springdallah

[The Q]

The problem of kilts being unsuitable for some jobs would be delt with as it is today you change to overalls for / at work.

If the kilt was the general wear of the population the majority would not wear an eight yard hand made wollen kilt. The majority would go to Primark ( UK seller of far eastern made cheap clothing), so the famous? Gold brothers 4 yard acrylic kilt would be everywhere with whatever patterns or colours were "in" this year.

So what would we the xmarks community wear?
Those of us that are here as "peacocks" would go either of two ways, a stand out hand made quality kilt, or Saxon clothing also in some bright colours.

Those of us here for tradition would continue in TCHD, but would be seen as old fashioned, a bit like Tweed plus fours, not as representing a community.


And those who are here just to be different what would they wear?
Something different.

If it were just a much higher percentage of the population wearing the kilt, then it would blend into the background, no kilt questions, no raised eyebrows . just local variations, more accommodations in kilt style for way of life.

Ah well time to put the overalls on I've got concrete to mix!

[Arnot]

Post deleted.

[Downunder Kilt]

it appears some people want this thread closed down(2 rule 9 violations in two posts is a good way to do it

[Arnot]

it appears some people want this thread closed down(2 rule 9 violations in two posts is a good way to do it

You are quite right. Thanks for the reminder. I have deleted my post.

[OC Richard]

"What if, when Scots did the grand diaspora beginning in the late 17th century, THEY HAD (largely) KEPT the kilt as their primary garment for men?"

To directly answer this, I think Highland Dress would have kept up with the fashions prevalent in Scotland, just as Saxon dress kept up with the fashions prevalent in London.

Even in the 18th century, even out in the Colonies, people read books and newspapers and travelled and people with Middle Class or Upper Class pretensions would be informed about the latest fashions from Paris (which seemed to be regarded as the fashion centre).

Here are poor rural southern 19th century Americans yet the suits and dresses wouldn't be out of place in New York or London