Highland Dress & Attire: Scottish Culture and its History
Scottish culture has often been associated with the kilt, the sgian dubh, the sporran, and the bagpipe. These are all cultural legacies long associated with Scottish Highland attire. The clothes worn today, however, bear little resemblance to the old Highland attire.
The kilt is a pleated skirt that reaches to the knee, fastened at the side by a strap or buckle known as a sgian dubh. The sporran is a small bag worn across the waist by both men and women. It often includes a compartment for a knife, and traditionally, a sporran was held in place by a brooch called a lus seul, which is often made of Doric silver. The kilt was almost always combined with other pieces of traditional clothing. Men wore a jacket, a white shirt, and a breacan, or broad, sash around their waist. Women’s clothing included a huge, patterned shawl over the shoulder and arms, often embroidered with the clan tartan.
From Clan Tartans to Modern Fashion: The Evolution of Highland Attire!
The Scottish Highlands are best known for the clan tartans, which are the colorful woven patterns worn by Scottish clans. There are currently over 500 recognized tartans. Each tartan has a specific meaning and is associated with a specific clan or family. Tartans have long been used to identify chiefly families and their heirs. They are also used to identify geographical regions and family heritage.
Many tartans have changed significantly over the years. Some tartans have long been associated with the clan, for example, the Black Watch tartan. This tartan was originally worn by the 42nd Regiment of Foot, but it had long been associated with the Black Watch before deciding to use it in 1962. Others, such as the Campbell tartan, have changed considerably over the years. It is now a tartan plaid.
Scottish Tartans: What does it Consist of?
When you think of tartans, you probably think of Scottish plaid. Tartans were originally woven in wool, linen, and silk. They were also made in cotton, felt-soled with leather, or made of a combination of materials. Tartans vary widely in color and pattern, although they always include white, and the colors usually include black, green, blue, and red.
Wearing a Highland Dress: How to Do It?
Wearing a Highland dress? It is not as difficult as you might think! If you have an outfit that you love, you have found the perfect base for your Highland attire. You can add the traditional sporran or sgian dubh and some colorful tartan jewelry. Add a large shawl, and a hat, and you are ready to celebrate a traditional Scottish event.
Formal Highland Dress
For more formal occasions, you can wear a kilt in the traditional tartan pattern. You can also wear a bara skirt, which is a long skirt with a hem that falls just above the ankle. This skirt is worn over the hose. The hose is loose fitting and may be worn with the bara skirt, or over the kilt. A jacket is also worn, usually a tweed jacket.
Casual Highland Wear
For a more informal look, you can wear a short kilt in tartan. You can also wear pants and a jacket in a tartan pattern. To complete the look, add a colorful sporran with a matching scarf and jewelry. You can add a hat with a toorie, which is a feather or ribbon decoration. You can also add a coistea, which is a handkerchief worn tucked into your sporran.
Traditional Highland Attire in the Modern Era
The cultural importance of Highland dress should not be underestimated. The kilt is still worn today, on formal occasions and for dances such as the Highland fling. It is also worn at Highland Games and Scottish sporting events. Tartans are also still used for clothing, furnishings, and rugs.
Traditional Highland Wear Outfit
To enhance your inner look. You can try the traditional highland outfit and here are the following accessories.
- A traditional Highland dress outfit includes the following:
- A plain shirt or blouse
- A tweed jacket, with leather buttons and accents
- The kilt
- The sgian dubh, or sgian
The Bottom Line
We hope you like our brief overview of the history of Highland dress, and its importance today. The kilt has long been associated with Scottish culture, and it continues to have a cultural significance today. It is also becoming increasingly popular as a fashion item. We hope you have found this brief overview interesting, and that you will continue to return here as we update this overview with new information about the history of Highland dress. If you are looking for the custom traditional Highland dress. You can opt for the Traditional highland dress by Kiltandkilts and elevate your inner look.
