jacket names: where'd they come from

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I was wondering recently why jackets have the names they have. For instance, did the Bonnie Prince really like a short jacket with heaps of buttons and so that style now bears his name? Did a Sheriff Muir happen to design the doublet that folks now wear in his memory? Was Mr. Graham particularly fond of his jabot and had a jacket made to show it off when he was parading around Montrose?

I think you will find that it is all about marketing-- all of the names refer to famous persons or events in Scottish history... The "Prince Charlie" coatee is pretty obvious. Basically a Prince Charlie coatee is a modified tail coat. Originally designed to be worn with trousers, some enterprising chap shortened the tails to make it more becoming with the kilt. Adding "Prince Charlie" to the name made it sound more Scottish, and less of a red-haired English step-child.

The Sheriffmuir doublet is based on the styles of the 18th century, and is named after the Battle of Sheriffmuir which was fought on November 23, 1715 during the first Jacobite War. The Montrose doublet is named after The "Great Montrose", hero of the Civil War, and a staunch supporter of Charles I, who was hanged in Edinburgh in 1650.

For some odd reason no one has yet marketed a "Cumberland" coatee...