More about traditional jackets

[The Wizard of BC]

I think most people realize how much influence the British Military has had in what, we today, call Highland Wear. If it were not for the kilted military units the kilt may have become just another quaint National costume similar to lederhosen or fustinela.

Most of our accessories have a military pedigree. Our Jackets have much the same pedigree. What we call the Argyle today takes it inspiration from the military tunic. The Prince Charlie takes its inspiration from Mess Dress.

What most people today do not know is that it was modern manufacturing that gave us these two styles and allowed, and in a way directed, these two styles to become the norm.

Prior to WWI most clothing was made by hand, one garment at a time. Every town and village had its tailor shops. Thousands of people made their living providing clothing. From cutters, to tailors, to seamstresses, to retail salespeople. If you wanted a suit, a dress, a kilt, you went to your local tailor shop and told them what you wanted and they made it for you.

Every tailor shop had their own special details. Those things which they hoped would set them apart from everyone else and draw customers to their door.

Today we view a tailor shop as an alteration service, and not much more. Gone are the days when you could speak to the person who would actually cut out and sew up your clothing. Gone are the days when we expect, when it is normal, to have every garment we own to be a distinctive, one-of-a-kind garment.

Today there are very few actual manufacturing sites. Most garments today are made on an assembly line just as cars are. I don't want to get into the reasons for this just to remind you that that is a fact of today's world.

If you want a Kilt Jacket today it will be made in one of three or four places. Perhaps the largest kilt jacket manufacturing place is actually not in Scotland but in Leeds, England. I would be able to say with some certainty that 75% or 80% of all the jackets you see in shops come out of this one small establishment.

This centralization of manufacturing had given us standardization. Standard quality and standard designs. Again, I would rather not get into if this is a good or bad thing. It is just a fact.

The OP asked if his perception of today's jackets being a post 1890's development was correct. It is absolutly correct. In fact the date is more around 1910-20. The Prince Charlie Coatee we know as standard today, became a standard in the 1920's and 30's. About the same time as the development of the Tuxedo. The standard Argyle we expect today developed over a longer period that started earlier but did not become "the standard" until a little later, just after WWII.

There are still places where you can meet your tailor. Where you can still get a one-of-a-kind garment. But they are few and far between and you will pay a premium price for that service.

For the rest of us there are fewer options. But those options do still exist. Myself at Freedom Kilts, Rocky at USA Kilts, and Matt Newsome at New House Highland try our best to offer our customers a distinctive and unique or signature garment along with the standards.