Unusual Kilt

[The Wizard of BC]

This appears to be one of those kilts sold a "Historical kilt" or "Ancient kilt". It is wrapped around the body in much the same way as a regular kilt. (Sometimes in the opposite direction).

The long outer apron end is then brought around the back and up to the shoulder. It will look sort of like you see the great kilt at ren faires made out of single-width modern kilt fabric. This one just has some pleats sewn in so you do not have to lay it on the ground, hand fold it and lay down on it.

[Grisa]

This appears to be one of those kilts sold a "Historical kilt" or "Ancient kilt". It is wrapped around the body in much the same way as a regular kilt. (Sometimes in the opposite direction).

The long outer apron end is then brought around the back and up to the shoulder. It will look sort of like you see the great kilt at ren faires made out of single-width modern kilt fabric. This one just has some pleats sewn in so you do not have to lay it on the ground, hand fold it and lay down on it.

So perhaps instead of it meeting in the front of the shoulder where the pin goes it would wrap up the back first and then brought forward over the shoulder and fastened under the belt at the hip? I had seen something like that on a youtube video but then it got me wondering where the pin would come into play. There is just so much fabric left over. Perhaps it would need to be more baggy in the back? And here I thought some womens clothing was frustrating haha. I've never had more difficulty than with this piece

[The Wizard of BC]

Here is a description from one company that sells these.

...is basically a Phillabeg with an extra 2-3 yards of fabric attached. The extra tartan is there to be worn as a sash or a fly plaid, once the kilt is pleated...

Some people bring the extra fabric around the back, some pull it up the front. It can be pinned at the shoulder or tucked into the waist.
There is no one or correct way to wear these. Take a look at the pictures on the Celtic Croft website. (one of our top banner advertisers) They sell something very similar.

[OC Richard]

Wow, it seems to be an attempt to reproduce the costumes from Braveheart, more or less.

It seems to be that the Braveheart costumer saw old portraits showing the Great Kilt, and other old portraits showing the Philabeg, the person also wearing a long plaid wrapped around the body. He/she didn't realize that he/she was seeing two distinct forms of dress, and trying to make sense of it all, created a hybrid or conflation of the two.

Of course nothing like that existed, before Braveheart.

[llyd]

perhaps not helpful...but I would probably bust out the sewing maxhine and put proper aprons on it and call.it good....

[Piobair]

Shouldn't the extra material be added lengthwise rather than widthwise? I'm having a hard time figuring out how the apron would be positioned. It looks sort of like it could be wrapped around so the pleats are in the back and then there's a long underapron that runs to the back and is pulled up from under the waistband. I feel like that might look a little weird - you'd either have too much material hanging under the apron pleat or not enough.

In other words - what a weird thing.

Edit: Actually, I think I see what Richard is talking about. The "Braveheart rustic wool ancient kilt" (oh boy) from Celtic Croft appears similar - on theirs, it looks like the apron just gets wrapped up the body (sort of). Is there some kind of liner in the photo? Are we looking at the interior or exterior in that photo?

[derosa]

Wow, it seems to be an attempt to reproduce the costumes from Braveheart, more or less.

It seems to be that the Braveheart costumer saw old portraits showing the Great Kilt, and other old portraits showing the Philabeg, the person also wearing a long plaid wrapped around the body. He/she didn't realize that he/she was seeing two distinct forms of dress, and trying to make sense of it all, created a hybrid or conflation of the two.

Of course nothing like that existed, before Braveheart.

I belive you are slightly incorrect, a friend and I worked a booth at the local ren faire in the early 90s and made us kilts if this fashion based off a plan she had. Braveheart was 95 and i believe she made them in 93, maybe as late as 94. Second rate costumes have long been the staple of faires and comi-cons, wouldn't be surprising if some dope working on braveheart costumes ripped off the design thinking it was real.

[Piobair]

Eh, I would guess that the Braveheart people were basically repurposing the belted plaid/philamor that has been around for a while. Rob Roy, which came out a few years prior, also toyed with the concept - although there are some odd scenes where Liam Neason is wearing just a philabeg.

[Allan Thomson]

Eh, I would guess that the Braveheart people were basically repurposing the belted plaid/philamor that has been around for a while. Rob Roy, which came out a few years prior, also toyed with the concept - although there are some odd scenes where Liam Neason is wearing just a philabeg.

Actually Rob Roy showed the historically accurate belted plaid. I just took it as illustrating that Rob Roy was a man of standing as he had the money to afford a tailored phillabeg and a seperate plaid. There's plenty of evidence that those of standing tended to favour alternating between Trews and a phillabeg with or without a seperate plaid whereas the'plebs' (bearing in mind every highlander accounts himself a gentleman) would have to make do with just a plaid belted by themselves.

Lets face it if you had the skills to tailor a jacket or trews you have the skills (or the means to procure those skills and the material) to pleat and stitch a phillabeg which definitely exiated in the early to mid 18th C. One only has to see the Culloden portrait (painted using captured Highlanders post 45/6) or look at the records of Highland regiments to know that the phillabeg was definitely around in the early part of the 18th C despite what some self appointed 'experts' may claim...