Tartan trews in late Victorian - edwardian period

[figheadair]

Peter knows the museum collections, which seem to have a number of Highland costumes made around the time of the 1822 Royal visit. Do any of these include trews, actual 18th century style trews? Do any include tartan trousers of the period?

Richard, I know of only one pair of 1822 era traditional trews (with feet). They were made for the MacDougall chief as part of a five-piece outfit: Jacket; waistcoat; kilt; trews and plaid.



These were an outlier it terms of dress by this date, very much like the MacGregor draw-string plaid worn in 1822. I know of two pairs of modern trews (tartan trousers) made around the same period. Neither were worn to the 1822 King's Jaunt as far as I know, both are in Royal Stewart, have exposed fringes on the outer seams and both were part of Highland outfits. The first was made for a Donald Stewart who emigrated to Canada (PEI) around 1820, he also had a kilt outfit in the same tartan.



The second is c.1830 and is in the collection of the NMS but unfortunately, there is no record of the original owner. It can be viewed here.

Do we know when actual trews stopped being worn?

Not for certain but (the anachronistic Highland Revival MacDougall pair aside) I imagine that it would have been during proscription. Notwithstanding the wording of the 1782 Act of Repeal that said that men could again wear trews and other items of Highland Dress, I am not aware of them being taken up again for general wear.