Charles Edward Stuart otherwise known as Bonnie Prince Charlie is arguably one of the most famous names in Scottish history, up there with William Wallace and Robert Burns. Prince Charlie was the eldest son of James Francis Edward Stuart and grandson of King James II and VII of England, Scotland and Ireland. He was the Stuart claimant to the British throne after 1766 and led the Jacobite army in a failed attempt to reclaim the kingdom for his father in 1745.
Prince Charlie is said to have been a handsome and charming young man who was very well liked by all who supported his claim. He was often painted wearing a tartan coat as well as a doublet and many believe this is where inspiration for the Prince Charlie jacket was born. While there may be some truth in this, the Prince Charlie jacket only came into existence in the early 20th century which seems like a long time for this to be true. The common belief is that the Prince Charlie jacket was designed as a modern alternative to the formal doublet for younger gents and naming it after Prince Charlie was just creative marketing by tailors. The jacket would have been created right in the middle of the jazz age and you can see some resemblance to a jazz age tuxedo jacket, as well as military cut coatee. At the time it was a great alternative to the options people’s grandfathers would wear.
Since its creation the Prince Charlie jacket has become synonymous with Scottish Highlandwear and it is still the go-to choice for formal events. The jacket is black with epaulets and embellished with chrome buttons. The jacket has a signature short waist cut so it's only long enough to cover the top of the kilt and has tails at the back. The jacket is paired with either a traditional 3 button or a more modern 5 button matching black waistcoat. The Prince Charlie jacket looks great with a kilt but also works particularly well with tartan trews or trousers, both fantastic options for formal events.
If you are struggling to decide what type of jacket to buy for your highlandwear outfit, we would always recommend considering a Prince Charlie outfit as it is such a classic design. We have Prince Charlie outfit options available in our kilt hire range, online and from our Glasgow, Edinburgh and Prestwick stores, which would allow you to get a feel for it before you commit to buying your own.
If you have any questions or need help with ordering a Prince Charlie outfit, you can book an online appointment here or contact us at info@macgregorandmacduff.co.uk.