Kilt outfit

[The Tartan Sparky]

Not sure if outfit is the way to refer to it. But, when looking at reenactor photos, and old paintings, it seems different pieces of their attire don’t necessarily match in color or tartan. Was this typical of highland dress historically? Or more of a modern invention?

[The Tartan Sparky]

I edited my avatar to show this, since I can’t figure out how to get pictures to post lol

[Jock Scot]

I edited my avatar to show this, since I can’t figure out how to get pictures to post lol

Don't worry you are not the only one suffering. When the picture posting system was changed some time ago, it has defeated me too. It's a pity really as I think that I have on occasion, a few relevant pictures to post here, that some might find interesting or even helpful. There is a way around it, although I hesitate to abuse the system. You can email your picture to a sympathetic member who understands the system, to post the picture for you. I feel it's a bit of an imposition though.

As I am on the subject, perhaps I might respectfully ask the "management" if they could consider a more user friendly picture posting system, so us mere mortals might be able to post pictures more easily again?

[stickman]

I certainly agree with you. Us old old old timers didn't grow up with computers. I still have my now antique blueprint drawing tools.

[OC Richard]

You're right, numerous 18th century portraits show the free mixing of tartans.

There wasn't a concept of "clan tartans" then.

Yes in the 18th century there were commercial weavers like Wilsons of Bannockburn weaving stock tartans so certainly you could order a large quantity and make a whole matching outfit, and these were indeed popular.

But you also see people mixing tartans, here in the mid-18th century mixing three:



I put together this collage showing mixing of tartans from the mid-18th century, the 20th century, and currently in the military

[The Tartan Sparky]

You're right, numerous 18th century portraits show the free mixing of tartans.

There wasn't a concept of "clan tartans" then.

Yes in the 18th century there were commercial weavers like Wilsons of Bannockburn weaving stock tartans so certainly you could order a large quantity and make a whole matching outfit, and these were indeed popular.

But you also see people mixing tartans, here in the mid-18th century mixing three:



I put together this collage showing mixing of tartans from the mid-18th century, the 20th century, and currently in the military

That’s good to know, I appreciate the insight

[SF Jeff]

I put together this collage showing mixing of tartans from the mid-18th century, the 20th century, and currently in the military

Interesting that the bag cover and drone ribbons are not the same tartan. I would expect them to be, as they are part of the overall bagpipe ensemble. The drone cords and bag cover match, why not the ribbons? But military protocol often escapes me, so it is probably all well and proper as is.

[OC Richard]

Interesting that the bag cover and drone ribbons are not the same tartan. I would expect them to be, as they are part of the overall bagpipe ensemble. The drone cords and bag cover match, why not the ribbons? But military protocol often escapes me, so it is probably all well and proper as is.

It's a complicated thing, the "bag dressings" in the military.

The first thing to be aware of is that the Pipe Major would generally have a plain velvet bag-cover while the rest of the pipers in his band would have tartan covers.

So Pipe Majors aside, there are some quirky things, such as in the Scots Guards where the pipers wear Royal Stewart tartan kilts, plaids, and drone-ribbons but the bag-covers are Black Watch tartan.

Then there's the London Scottish who wear Hodden Grey kilts and plaids but Gordon tartan bag-covers, the covers being the only tartan thing in their uniform.

It's fairly common for the front and rear drone ribbons to be of two different tartans, with the front ribbon matching the kilt and plaid:

(front, rear)
Royal Scots: Royal Stewart, Hunting Stewart
KOSB: Royal Stewart, Leslie
Black Watch: Royal Stewart, Black Watch
1st Seaforths: MacKenzie, Prince Charles Edward Stuart

Those are in "the old days". Nowadays with numerous amalgamations you'll see the tartans of the various antecedent regiments combined, most seen with 4SCOTS (The Highlanders) where you have the tartans of the old Seaforths, Camerons, and Gordons.

Kilt and plaid: Cameron of Erracht

Bag-cover and rear drone ribbon: Gordon

Front drone ribbon: MacKenzie

(The rear drone ribbon ought to be Prince Charles Edward Stuart, but that's just me loving the 72nd Highlanders.)

In any case here are some examples of current and former Regiments' bag-dressings

[SF Jeff]

The consodliation of the regiments over the years makes sense. Retain the history and identity of each.

[OC Richard]

The consodliation of the regiments over the years makes sense. Retain the history and identity of each.

Exactly so.

The first big set of amalgamations happened in 1881, when the old numbered regiments were paired off, becoming the 1st and 2nd battalions of new named regiments. It affected the Highland regiments in an interesting way, in that four Highland regiments who were de-kilted in 1809 got re-kilted due to being paired off with Highland regiments who had retained their kilts throughout.

This is why after 1881 the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders' pipers wore a Prince Charles Edward Stuart rear drone-ribbon due to that battalion, until 1881, being the 72nd Highlanders, who wore PCES trews.

When the Seaforth and Cameron Highlanders were amalgamated in 1961 the kit of the Cameron pipers was retained, but they adopted Seaforth MacKenzie bag-covers and retained the PCES rear drone ribbon (top right in my collage above).

Bottom right shows the pipers' uniform from The Highlanders, formed by the Gordon Highlanders joining the Seaforth and Cameron Highlanders, once again retaining the old Cameron Highlanders pipers' kit but now with a Gordon bag-cover (and other Gordon accoutrements).