Why, or how, did the kilt come about?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

MacMillan of Rathdown:

Thanks---so far yours is far and away the most reasoned response, although the "jealous husband" line probably beats it for romance.

I had also wondered if the little ice age had played any role, but I'm no climatologist.

Well, yes it did. Starting about 1550 and lasting until 1700 the climate across all of Europe became very, very much colder. In Scotland this resulted in three disastrous crop failures; one in 1563, another in 1565, and again in 1567. Another truly dismal harvest happens in 1572-- all of which impact most dramatically on the poorest section of Scotland, the Highlands. Bad harvests mean less fodder for animals. Fewer animals mean reduced livestock sales, hence no cash income. Without cash the Highlanders can't purchase finished goods, like linen. Without linen it is impossible to continue to make trousers. Likewise, in the Highlands, there was no abundance of sheep. They are not indigenous to the Highlands and very few Highlanders kept sheep. This meant that wool, the natural by-product of sheep, was also a scarce commodity "North of the Highland Line."

The bubonic plague epidemic of 1584 was also a contributing factor, as was the "civil war" that marked much of Queen Mary's reign.

In 1587 the export of "foodstuffs" is prohibited because of shortages. By 1592 things in Scotland had become so dire that the Scots Parliament enacted laws banning the export of sheep and cows due to critical food shortages throughout the kingdom.

It is my contention that it was against this backdrop of climatic, economic, agricultural, and political disaster that the kilt was born of absolute necessity-- the need to wrap oneself in rags and huddle near a fire to keep from freezing to death whilst slowly starving.

[HarborSpringsPiper]

It is my contention that it was against this backdrop of climatic, economic, agricultural, and political disaster that the kilt was born of absolute necessity-- the need to wrap oneself in rags and huddle near a fire to keep from freezing to death whilst slowly starving.

FWIW, this makes much more sense to me than the firearm/warrior aspect you described earlier. I could be completely wrong but believe its development had much more to do with the common, everyday man and his condition than grander aspects of that civilization.

[NewEnglander]

MoR-
Can you give us a resource or two to check out? I'd like to start doing some historical reading of my own.
many thanks,
-eric-

[MartinGrenoble]

...in the Highlands, there was no abundance of sheep. They are not indigenous to the Highlands and very few Highlanders kept sheep.

What could they have made their cloaks and blankets from, if there were no sheep?

Flimsy linen clothes cannot be compared with warm protective woolen goods, worn for different reasons. I cannot see how the loss of linen would increase thge use of wool. In cold climates, life without wool would have been very uncomfortable, and wool was complementary to linen.

Cloaks were probably universally worn/carried until a century or so ago.
The northern Brits were the only ones, as far as I know, that started pleating these lengths of cloth, belted them and eventually cut off the top half, producing a garment similar to the skirts (under whatever name) worn around the warmer parts of the world. Others preferred thicker woolen jackets and trousers.

Off topic : I wonder when women stated wearing skirts.

Martin

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

What could they have made their cloaks and blankets from, if there were no sheep?

I didn't say there were no sheep, just that there wasn't an abundance of sheep. Those sheep that were kept were sheared, and the fleece was spun into thread and woven into the fabric that became cloaks and blankets. One has to also remember that many a Highland bed was also covered in skins, as well as blankets, for warmth. Hide cloaks, with the hair still on, were also worn. In some respects the clothing of the Scottish Highlander was not all that dissimilar to the attire worn by other tribal peoples-- the American Indians.