George VI and Edward VIII

[jesuisprest]

Thank you, Peter and John, for clarifying that and everyone for your responses. I suspected that it might have had origins with the feileadh mor.

South of Dayton raises a good question about the style of the kilts pictured. Were they in fact worn slightly higher? I think that the overall look of how the royal family in the 1930s was wearing their kilts was great, certainly better than what we see offered in most shops nowadays!

Best,
Adam

[derosa]

To my eye they look to be about mid knee if only slightly higher, I'm not around enough/any kilted people to know what is truly common but it is where I wear mine as I find it the best local for being able to sweep it under me as I sit as my bigish bottom otherwise pulls the kilt up as I sit.

[Alisdair]

Have you seen the hose they are wearing...not bad, eh?

[Grizzled Ian]

To my eye, the three sets of knees that we can see clearly, are perfectly exposed. The bottom of the kilts are at, or very nearly at, the top of the kneecaps; and the top of the hose are at a decent distance below those kneecaps. Well done, gentlemen!

Look at the turnover of the hose though. There is none of the bulk that I get with my garter ties, so it looks like the king and the guard commander are using elasticised bands for their garter tabs, while the Duke of York doesn't appear to be wearing garters/flashes at all.

[Jock Scot]

Those plaid things are best left in the past! They were the very devil to carry smartly as they were always slipping about, much like the plaids in the picture. Thank goodness for the invention good waterproof and warm over-jackets and my lairds plaid has barely seen the light of day for many a decade! Yes, the kilt was worn at the top of the knee or slightly higher in the past, I think mainly because those wearing the kilt knew how to and there were plenty of experienced kilt wearers at hand to advise and yes correct, those that did not quite pass muster----------------unlike today---------- and look what a mess some modern kilt wearers get into!

[kingandrew]

I definitely prefer the kilt above the knee (although not too[/I] above the knee

And I haven't tried it and I'm sure Jock's correct that they slip around, but I do like the look of the "wrap-around" plaids in Richard's historic photos. It certainly wouldn't be an everyday look, but it does have a rakish sort of style to it. But then I'm partial to all sorts of old-fashioned and flamboyant things.

Andrew

[OC Richard]

Those plaid things are best left in the past! They were the very devil to carry smartly as they were always slipping about...

I've never worn one, but I did wonder how people get them to stay in place as they walk around. They always struck me as a bit of an affectation.

[Jock Scot]

I've never worn one, but I did wonder how people get them to stay in place as they walk around. They always struck me as a bit of an affectation.

Looked at through our eyes OCR I suppose they do look like an affectation, particularly as there are better alternatives these days. But there is no denying that at the period of time of those pictures and before, the lairds plaid did have its uses.

[kingandrew]

Affected, but useful is an interesting way of putting it.

This reminds me of an old bumper sticker I saw back in the 70s:
"If God had meant for us to be naked, we would have been born that way."
Looked at from that perspective, I fear all our clothes are a bit of an affectation. But they are mighty practical, as well.

I have a very large scarf and I will admit I tried wrapping it around me as I looked in the mirror, to see if it caught any of the style of these photos. However, it will take a more lordly-sized scarf to wrap around and still have enough to tie over my shoulder.

Andrew