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Origin of the kilt -

The kilt's origin is rooted in a tunic called a léine, in common use 1,000 years ago and the standard garment of the Gael (both in the Highlands of Scotland and in Ireland). By the 16th century, the léine was recognized more as an elaborate shawl that was wrapped around the body and closed rather like a bathrobe. This 1631 engraving depicts four men, possibly soldiers, from Ireland wearing these rather cumbersome and unwieldy mantles. Some of these wraps featured a tartan pattern, a design that would eventually characterize the kilt.

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The belted plaid -

The belted plaid appeared in the late 16th century. The garment, made from wool or a wool/linen combination, is simply a very long plaid that has been gathered into folds and belted around the body. The idea was the more fabric you wore in your clothing, the more affluent you'd appear. Often referred to as "great kilts," the belted plaid quickly became a standard item of men's Highland dress.

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Out of fashion -

Towards the end of the 17th century, tartan had become synonymous with Highland dress. Ironically, however, belted plaid was falling out of fashion. By the early 18th century, it had ceased to be part of daily attire.

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The phillabeg -

As the belted plaid fell out of favor, it was replaced by the phillabeg, regarded as the predecessor of today's modern kilt. In Gaelic known as feileadh-beag, which means "little wrap," the phillabeg was essentially the lower half of the belted braid. Made from a single width of tartan and untailored, its simplicity proved hugely popular throughout the 18th century, its use declining only in 1790s when the tailored kilt was introduced.

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The kilt -

The tailored kilt, that is one featuring narrow pleats that are sewn down (a design known as knife pleating) appeared in 1853, when the garment was worn by troops of the Gordon Highlanders, the first regiment to adopt the knife pleat.

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Freedom of movement -

The kilt allowed those who wore it to move much more freely—a real advantage in close combat situations.

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Civilian kilts -

By 1900, knife pleating had also become widely acceptable in civilian kilts, and the garment was regarded as the national dress of Scotland. Tartan was the pattern of choice.

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Tartan -

There is archaeological evidence of tartan cloth being worn in Scotland as early as the fourth century CE, and it remained part of the everyday garb of the Highlander for hundreds of years. In time, tartan became synonymous with the symbol of clan kinship.

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Clan association -

The identification of a tartan with the family, clan, or place whose name it bore is closely associated with the evolution of the kilt.

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New clans, new tartan -

As clan bloodlines broadened through birth, death, or marriage, the newer clans evolved tartans of their own by adding an overstripe onto the basic pattern of the parent clan.

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Kilt manufacture -

And as clans grew, so too did the demand for kilts. And production dramatically increased with the evolution of chemical dyes. Suddenly weavers were able to introduce more elaborate patterns, including more vivid and varied colors, into the garment.

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Irish kilt -

While kilts that originated in the Scottish Highlands were known to be worn by Irish nationalists from the 1850s onward, a garment that has often been mistaken for kilts in early depictions is the Irish lein-croich, a long tunic traditionally made from solid color cloth, with black, saffron, and green. Pictured is an Irish bagpiper at Kilkenny Castle in the Republic of Ireland.

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Royal tartan -

Few tartans connected with the Royal Household date back further than the reign of Queen Victoria. Those that do include the Royal House of Stuart.  Surviving a turbulent four centuries, the House of Stuart (originally known as Stewart until Mary Queen of Scots reverted to the French spelling of the name in 1714) continued down the female line to Queen Victoria and onward to the British Royal Family today.  Pictured is Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie.

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Balmoral tartan -

King Edward VIII (center) and his brother the Duke of York, the future King George VI, at Balmoral in 1936. The Balmoral tartan was designed by Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, in 1853.

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Charles, Prince of Wales -

Charles, Prince of Wales has been a staunch supporter of the kilt and wears a number of tartans linked with titles he holds. He's pictured with his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in matching tartan.

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Duke of Edinburgh (1921–2021) -

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh pictured in 2002. Prince Philip is wearing a kilt in the Balmoral tartan.

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Kilt accessories -

With the kilt comes a number of key accessories, each unique and with a story to tell.

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Sporran -

The word sporran is Gaelic for purse. First appearing in the 14th century, the sporran was originally invented for military use to carry ammunition and rations. Early versions were made of deer or calfskin. Later, many sporrans were decorated with metal clasps, usually made from brass or, for clan chiefs, occasionally silver. The goat-haired, sporran molach, or hairy sporran, was introduced by the military in the 18th century. The three tassels are generally made using rabbit fur.

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Kilt pin -

The kilt pin is worn on the lower corner of the apron to weigh it down and stop it from falling open. The custom dates back to Queen Victoria's reign when, according to royal lore, the monarch noticed that a Scottish combatant was having trouble preserving his modesty. Stopping in front of him, Her Royal Highness removed a pin from her hat and used it to secure the soldier's kilt.

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Sgian dubh -

Translated from the Gealic, sgian dubh means black dagger. The most popular theory as to the origin of its name is that it derives from the sgian achlais, which translates to "armpit knife." This was a slightly larger knife carried by wary Highlanders and concealed underneath their jacket. The knife's use today is purely decorative, but remains an important traditional accessory.

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Sean Connery (1930–2020) -

Sean Connery was born in Edinburgh and was an ardent nationalist, regularly campaigning for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom. He's seen wearing a green and black hunting tartan kilt of his mother's MacLean clan.

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Ewan McGregor -

Scottish actor Ewan McGregor holds his OBE for services to drama and charity after he received the award from Charles, Prince of Wales during an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in June 2013.

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Mel Gibson -

Mel Gibson attends the premiere of 'Braveheart' in Stirling, Scotland, on September 3, 1995. In the movie, Gibson portrays 13th-century Scottish warrior William Wallace.

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Steve McQueen -

British filmmaker Steve McQueen poses at the winner's board at The Orange British Academy Film Awards held at the Royal Opera House on February 8, 2009 in London, England.

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Rod Stewart -

Musician Rod Stewart, wearing a kilt and full formal Scottish attire, with his wife Penny Lancaster. Stewart is of Scottish ancestry.

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Diddy -

Diddy performs on stage in a kilt in 2010 during the MTV Crashes Glasgow gig at The Old Fruit Market in Glasgow, Scotland.

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Vin Diesel -

Vin Diesel does a fast and furious twirl in his kilt as he poses backstage during the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards at Ocean Terminal in Edinburgh, Scotland.

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Madonna -

While it's never been traditional for women to wear kilts, that didn't stop Madonna dressing up in tartan during her 2001 Drowned World Tour.

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Billy Connolly -

Glasgow-born Billy Connolly walks the runway at the 9th Annual Dressed to Kilt charity fashion show at the Hammerstein Ballroom on April 5, 2011 in New York City.

Sources: (Scottish Tartans Museum) (Scotland.com) (Historic UK) (Scottish Tartans Authority) (The Scotland Kilt Company) (CLAN)  

See also: The best music to come out of Scotland

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