Kilt and Jacks Foundation is centered around the kilt, and it is our moral duty to keep talking about it. Therefore, in order to pay tribute to the kilt, we have decided to share the ultimate guide to kilts called “The KILT”.
In “The KILT”, we will be discussing the origin, history, and modernization of kilts and how we are playing our small role in it. So let’s start by discussing the 13 sweet secrets about kilts!
Table of Contents
THE Kilt
- First, let’s talk about the word “kilt”, which is derived from the ancient Norse word “kjilt” meaning “pleated”, referring to a fabric that is tucked up and around the body.
- Second, there is a deep cultural history of kilts connecting it to Scotland. Most kilts are symbols of patriotism in Scotland.
- Third, kilts were first mentioned in 1538 and were worn by Scottish Highlander men as a full-length garment.
- Fourth, the knee-length kilt that is worn today was not available until the early 18th century.
- Fifth, the first kilts were either white, brown, green, or black because the people of clans used plants, mosses, and berries to dye wool, which only produced these colors. As time passed, new natural dyes brought more colors.
- Sixth, belted plaids, now called Great Kilts, became very popular among Highland men. In Gaelic, it was called “breacan-an-feileadh” or a tartan wrap.
- Seventh, there was also a female version of the Great Kilt called an arisaid, which was down to the ankles. Earlier versions were made from white tartan cloth with a wide-spaced pattern.
- Eighth, in the late 17th century, the bottom half of the kilt, called a phillabeg, was first worn. It was gathered into folds and then belted at the waist, falling just above the knee. People wore a separate cloth over their shoulder for protection and warmth.
- Ninth, in 1746, King George II imposed the Dress Act 1746 to repress Highland culture. The act made it illegal for Highland regiments to wear any kind of Highland dress, including the tartan kilt. The ban lasted for 36 years, but after it was lifted in 1782, the kilt became an enduring symbol of Scottish identity.
- Tenth, tartan started representing different clans, families, and regions, and there are now around 3,500 specific tartan family plaids. It takes around 20-25 hours to make a tartan, and most are handmade.
- Eleventh, usually, a kilt has 29 pleats and is made up of 8 yards of fabric (some prefer light kilts).
- Twelfth, a kilt is usually accompanied by a sporran, which is also called a kilt pouch worn around the waist over the kilt. There are different styles and types of sporrans, including leather sporran, Semi Dress Sporran, and Full Dress Sporran.
- Thirteenth, people also wear a kilt pin that holds the two pieces together and a Sgian Dubh (skee-an doo), a small dagger that sits in the sock.
The secret of Wearing a Kilt [VIDEO]
FAQs about Kilt
Q. What do men Wear underneath their Kilt?
A. A question that has been prevailing for many years and we are going to answer it for you based on our survey: of course, we didn’t check it by ourselves.
55% of kilt-wearing men say that they wear dark underwear, 38% go commando, and 7% wear shorts or tights.
Q. What do Women think of Men wearing kilts?
A. There are many women who are big fans of men wearing kilts. Women find men attractive wearing kilts as they are kind of bold.
Q. How much a Typical kilt cost?
A. On Kilt and Jacks, it cost you from $49 to $350 depending on the kilt you are ordering and customization you want. However, from basic to top, all our kilts are purely made to measure and premium quality.
Q. Where should a kilt sit on your body?
A. Normally, it should sit two fingers above your belly button.
Q. Where should a kilt fall on your leg?
A. It should fall on the center of your knee.
Q. Do people buy kilts nowadays?
A. Yes, there is a strong kilt community who wears the kilt with proud.
Q. What is the difference between a tartan and a plaid?
A. Tartan basically represents a family and it is registered. A tartan usually has some sort of history. And plaid does not have any feature of that sort. You can read more about it here.
KILT GUIDES
- How to Wear Fly Plaids?
- Care Tips for Utility Kilts?
- Facts About Kilts!
- What Scots used to Wear Before Kilts?
- Best Cheap Kilts to Wear?
- Best Hybrid Kilts
- Best Tartan Kilts for Men
- How do women wear Tartan?
- How to Wear Tartan when not Scottish?
- Health Benefits of Wearing a Kilt?
- How to Wear and Store a Great Kilt?
- Best Utility kilts
- Best Leather Kilts
- What is a leather Kilt?
- Tartan vs Utility Kilt
- How to make a Kilt?
- How to wear a Kilt?
- Which Kilt is Best for you?
- Best Utility kilts for Women?
- What is a tactical Kilt?
Conclusion
So this was our guide on ‘The Kilt’ and I am sure it must have been very helpful for you and you must have gathered some amazing facts about kilts from here. Don’t forget to share your stories with us in the comments section.