What did Scots wear before kilts?

October 05, 2022

If you’ve ever seen the movie Braveheart, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Scots have always worn kilts. Braveheart tells the story of William Wallace at the end of the 13th century and the film is full of kilts, where in reality, kilts hadn’t actually been invented yet. 

The Queen's Tartans

September 13, 2022

The love that our late Queen had for her summers at Balmoral Castle and Scotland, in general, has been well documented, especially over the last few days. Often photographed at the Braemar Highland games or Balmoral Castle, tartan features in many of the photos that we get to see. During her reign, the Queen had been seen in a number of tartans but two, in particular, have an interesting story behind them.   Universal V.S. Restricted Tartans Tartans can be classified into various different categories and those categories have changed over the centuries but for all intents and purposes, today's...

Do the Irish wear kilts?

July 05, 2022

Do the Irish wear kilts? Well, the short answer is yes but the full answer is slightly more complicated. Scotland's’ history with kilts began almost 500 years ago. The first mention of kilts in historical texts was in 1538 and this would have been in reference to the great kilt. The kilt as we know it today (or the fèileadh beag) has been worn in Scotland since the late 17th century. Ireland's relationship with the kilt is relatively new and while there is still much debate about the Irish kilt’s origin, it’s thought that the people of Ireland adopted the kilt around...

The Mastery of Kiltmaking

June 22, 2022

Instantly recognisable all over the world, the kilt has become an important element of Scottish identity. Known not only for its undeniable Scottishness but also the expert craftsmanship that goes into creating one. A seemingly simple few yards of tartan cloth stitched into something complex and beautiful. Since the birth of the feileadh beag, which is what the kilt we know today was called, knowledge of how to create such an intricate garment was passed down through the generations. Each kiltmaker would have taught their children or apprentices the craft and the cycle continued over hundreds of years. Now that the internet...

Irish Tartans

April 06, 2022

If you ever visit the National Museum of Scotland, you’ll come across one of the earliest examples of Scottish cloth in existence. Known as the Falkirk Tartan, this small piece of cloth is dated back to around 250 A.D. Tartan has always been an important part of Scottish identity and continues to be. While kilts and tartan are known around the world for being quintessentially Scottish, our Irish neighbours also have a connection to these items.

Modern Tweed Jackets

March 23, 2022

In the 1920’s tailors started advertising the Prince Charlie jacket as a modern and trendy jacket, perfect for young gentlemen. It quickly became the most popular option for kilt outfits but in recent years, the Prince Charlie has been knocked off its podium. While there will always be a place for the traditional and formal Prince Charlie jacket, tweed kilt jackets are now the modern, stylish option for kilt outfits. They are fantastically versatile and can be worn to all types of events.

St. Patrick's Day 2022

March 07, 2022

St. Patrick has been the patron saint of Ireland since the 1630s but he was venerated as a saint in Ireland from the seventh century. The Catholic Church established the 17th of March as a day of feast in honour of the saint but it is thought that St. Patrick’s day was celebrated for centuries before the official confirmation.

The Great Kilt

March 02, 2022

The exact origin of how the kilt we know today was created has been disputed for decades, but what is known is that it is derived from the Féileadh Mór or Great Kilt. The great kilt was a garment worn by highland men, starting as far back as (according to historical records) the late 16th century but was probably worn for quite some time before then. Vastly different from the kilts we know today, the great kilt would have been made from 18 feet of material that a highlander would fold into pleats then wrapped around his waist with the excess material...

Difference between Men and Women's Kilts

February 15, 2022

Traditionally speaking, the kilt was a highland garment made and worn only by men. Highland women would wear an earasaid, which was a draped garment that was either a belted plaid or unbelted wrap. A traditional earasaid would have either been plain, striped or tartan but this would have been dependent on cost. It would have been quite long, stretching down to the wearer's candles and the top edge would have been able to cover their head.

What side do you wear a plaid on?

February 10, 2022

The plaid is arguably the most traditional element of a kilt outfit, worn on very special occasions. Historically, the first type of kilt was the Féileadh Mòr or Great Kilt which was essentially a long piece of material, roughly 9 yards long. Half of that material was pleated and belted around the waist and the other half was draped over the shoulder. The great kilt was worn by highlanders in the 16th century but by the late 17th century and early 18th century, the kilt had evolved and the need for the upper half of material had been lost. At...

Scotland's Spooky History

October 20, 2021

Scotland is full of rich tales, myths and legends but some of Scotland’s history is down right spooky. With Halloween around the corner, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at some of Scotland's most haunted stories. Halloween after all, was invented in Scotland.  Samhain Samhain (translation: Summer’s End) was a Gaelic festival that symbolised the end of the harvest season. It was believed that the link between the dead and living during Samhain was so strong that the dead could mix with the living and would disguise themselves as children. The dead would...

What’s the difference between tweed and tartan?

June 15, 2021

Tweed and tartan are similar as they are often both twill fabrics. Twill is a type of weave characterised by visible diagonal lines which are created by an offset in the warp of threads. This type of weave creates a durable fabric and you may be most familiar with its use in denim jeans. Traditional tartan is always a twill weave but tweed can also be weaved using a plain or herringbone structure. This is the first characteristic that differentiates the two fabrics. The next is the most noticeable difference.Where tweed is usually of plain design, usually using a solid...