Quote Originally Posted by Tobus View Post
I find it odd that some people claim these were "common", yet no one can explain how they work or how they're worn!

And when I try to work it out in my own head, I can't help but think it's like a tartan version of this:



As a youngster my "wee trews" were held up with a pair of narrow white braces that were worn over my t-shirt and under my dress shirt. This provided a bit of bulk around my hips and helped keep my kilt cinched in place. My younger cousin had bodice that buttoned up the front attached to his wee trews; this was worn under his shirt instead of a t-shirt. When my Mother's uncle passed away I had to sort through his things, amongst which was a kilt in McBain tartan with matching trews lined with chamois to guard against chaffing.

I suspect "wee trews" are a mystery to most North Americans of Scottish ancestry because they have come to kilt wearing rather recently-- since the 1960s at any rate-- and their local kilt shops probably didn't bother to supply their customers with any sort of tartan underpinnings.