Figure 1.--The kilt is generally associated with Scottish boys, but is now rarely worn, except for special occasions. |
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I am not precisely sure as to the extent the kilt has been worn in Scotland by boys. As with all fashions, the usage has changed over time. There are also significant regional differences. HBC is beginning to piece together some information, but my thoughts on the matter are still highly speculative. Much more
research is needed to compile an accurate picture of actual kilt usage among Scottish boys. It appears that through the 17th Century it was not a child's garment, but rather a garment worn by boys and men, especially in the Higlands. The pattern in the 18th Century was more complicated because of the English perscriptions after the Nattle of Culloden (1745). Boys do seem to have worn kilts in the 19th Century, but primarily poorer boys in rural areas. Gradually in the 19th Century fewer poor Scottish boys wore kilts and beginning in the 1840s with the decision of Queen Victoria to dress hersons in kilts, highland garb became for well dressed boys from affluent families. By the 20th Century, especially after World War I, it became increasingly rare to see poor Scotish children wearing kilts. In the major cities, it was unusual to see boys wearing kilts, except as dress wear for special occasions or as part of private school uniforms.
The usage of the kilt has varied significantly within Scotland. Today it is universally revered within Scotland as a symbol of the nation, although very few Scotts commonly wear it. Historically it was the Highland Scotts that most commonly wore the kilt. The Lowland Scotts in southern Scotland were much more influenced by English culture and adoopted French and English manners and dress. They like the English looked on the kilt as a symbol of barabarity. They did not wear the kilt and certainly would not have dressed their boys in one. It was not until the romantic Scottish revival of the early 19th century children that Lowland attitudes began to change concerning the kilt.
There has been an enormous change in the attitudes and usage among social classes concerning the kilt.
The wearing of the kilt by Scottish men and boys has varied greatly over time as well as regions within Scotalnd. Kilt usage was very common in the Highlands during the 17th and earkly 18th century. This changed at Culloden (1746), after which the kilt was perscribed. Men were not able to wear the kilt unless they were in the British Army. We are unsure just how the perscription was enforced concerning boys. Gradually attitudes toward the kilt changed in both Scotland and England. Romantic poets like James Burns romaticized Scotland and things Scottish like the kilt. The kilt reappeared in Scottish life in both the Highlands and Lowlands and even in England when British kings and princes began wearing kilts. We are unsure, however. to what extent boys actually wore kilts in the 19th and early 20th century. After World War I (1914-18), the kilt became more a dress garment or worn for specific activities like Highland dance, pipe bands, Scouts, weddings, and ehnic events,
The kilt was commonly worn appears that through the 18th Century it was not a child's garment, but rather a garment worn by boys and men, especially in the Higlands. Usage
was less common in the cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow where there was increasing English influence. The lowlanders tended to look down on their less-educated highland countrymen and many copied English dress and manners. During this period the kilt was not a child's dress but rather a male garment. I'm not sure what small boys wore or if there were
differences between the garb of younger boys as was the case in England where
younger boys were attited in dresses until breeching. If there fathers
did not wear breeches, the boys could hardly be breeched. One major development in the 17th Century was the increasing accepted convention of clan tartans. The first tartans were desiged by individual weavers and only over time were specifiv tartans gradually
adopted to identify individual districts, then finally clans and
families. The first real effort to enforce uniformity throughout an entire clan was in 1618, when Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun, wrote to Murry of Pulrossie requesting that he bring the plaids worn by his men into "harmony with that of his other septs [tartans]."
Scottish dress patterns in the early 18th Century, before the disastrous Battle of Culloden, changed notably. The growing English influence helped to fuel Scottish national sentiment. The wearing of kilts increased in urban lowland areas as the kilt was increasingly seen as a symbol of Scotland. I have no information, however, about
how common it was for boys to wear the kilt. I believe it wa primarily a function of what their fathers wore, but I have no actual confirmation of this. One factor that mush have had some impact was the cost of clothes. Kilts because they were simpler than breeches were less expensive. Thus poorer families may have been more likely to dress their children in kilts. Some major developments occurred in the early 18th century which were to affect
clothing fashions and usage in Scotland. The Glorious Revolution of 1688 replaced James II. While unlike his father, he did not lose his head. The fall of the Stuart dynasty with their Scottish connections gave rise to increasing anti-English feeling in Scotland. Because of the growing strength of Jacobism, the English government felt it necessary take a more active interest in the Highland affairs. In 1707,The Act of Union took place, and succeeded in temporarily uniting the political factions and clans that were universally opposed to the Act. The tartan came into it's own as a symbol of active nationalism and
was seen by the ruling classes to be garb of extremism. It is also believed that this Act of Parliament succeeded in uniting, to some extent, the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands, as the wearing of the tartan spread from the Highlands to the Lowlands, previously not known for their wearing of the tartan. After the Higland Rising of 1715, the English Government found the need to enforce stricter policing of the Scottish
Highlands and Lowlands. A number of independent companies were formed to curtail the
lawlessness that had developed. One of the features that distinguished their recruits were the large number of Highland gentlemen that enlisted and chose to serve in the private ranks. Many an English officer was surprised to see these Scottish privates attended by personal servants who carried their food, clothing, and weapons. From the time they were first raised, these independent regiments became known as the Black Watch, in reference to the darkly colored tartans they were known to wear.
Culloden changed everything. Prince Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, seeking to take advantage of rising Jacobin feeling entered Scotland with French assistance in 1745. At first clan leaders were warry. But initial victories over the English drew the clans to his standard. The Prince even invaded England itself. The Scottish success, however, ended at Culloden Moor.
Lochiel, Lochiel! beware of the day Campbell.
When the Lowlands shall meet thee in battle array!
For a field of the dead rushes red on my sight,
And the clans of Culloden are scattered in fight.
They rally, they bleed, for their country and crown;
Woe, woe, to the rider that tramples them down!
Proud Cumberland prances, insulting the slain,
And their hoof-beaten bosoms are trod to the plain.
No name in Scottish history evokes more emotion than that of Culloden, the bleak moor which in 1746 saw the hopes of the young Prince Edward Stuart crushed, and the end of the Jacobite Rising, the 'Forty-Five.' The prince's forces. greatly outnumbered by those of the brutal Duke of Cumberland, nevertheless went into battle with a courage that has passed into legend. Culloden was the last battle fought on British soil. It was a vicious battle and the English repression which followed was brutal beyond belief. The Prince escaped back to France. His Higland countrymen were not so lucky. The British launced a brutal repression of the Highland clans.
In the immediate aftermath of Culloden, the English Army hunted down the Highland clans that had support Bonnie Prince Charlie. There were summary and public execuutions. Whole families were slaughtered or their homes burned down and women and children turned
out to face the elements. Many emigrated to America. New laws were enacted to supress
Scottish nationalism. The English Government seeking to end Highland uprisings forever, enacted a law making it illegal for Highlanders to own or possess arms. The English next in
1747 enacted the Dress Act restricted the wearing of Highland clothes. Any form of plaid, philbeag, belted plaid, trews, shoulder belt, or little kilt were not to be worn in public. Punishment for a first offence was a 6-month imprisonment, a second offence earned the wearer a 7-year exile to an oversea work farm. I am not sure just how the Dress Act was enforced, especially as regards boys. The bagpipes were outlawed, being considered an instrument of war. Only those individuals in the British Army were permitted to wear the plaid, and as a result, it is told that many Highlanders enlisted simply to be allowed to wear their more comfortable traditional dress. More likely it was the economic enducements. British repression of the clans left mans clans men with little alternative employment.
I am not sure precisely how common it was for Scottish boys to wear kilts in the early 19th Century. Certainly poets like James Burns and novelists
like Sir walter Scott helped to lead a Scottish revival. The kilt does seem to have grown in popularity during this period. The performance of Scottish regiments in the Napoleonic Wars was another factor in popularizing the kilt. What is not clear to me is just who in Scotland was wearing the kilts and for what occasions. I believe that kilts were much more commonly worn by Scottish boys in rural areas during this era, especially boys from poor families. This was probably more of an economic matter as a kilt was a less expensive garment than trousers. More affluent boys in urban aras might, like their fathers, have a dress kilt for formal occasions. Evidence on the prevalence of 19th century boys to wear the kilt is scanty at best. It is clear that tartan suddently became fashionable among affluent fashion-conscious Englishmen in 1822 when King George IV wore a kilt during a visit to Scotand. The fashion conscious suddenly wanted to wear a kilt also. It is unclear how this trend affected boys. It is likely that this fashion trend included boys--at least among affluent families. Earlier the kilt was generally considered a garment for poor uncultured Scottish highlanders. English boys would not have worn a kilt earlier. The new kilt fashion was made popular for boys in the 1840s when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert began dressing the young princes in kilts.
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A curious dichotomy became apparent at mid-century. Kilts were worn by poor Scottish boys whose parents could not afford trousers and rich Scottish AND perhaps by English boys as a fashion statement by their parents, especially after Victoria began dressing the princes in kilts. The kilt became extremely fashionable for boys in the mid-19th Century. Poetry and novels increasingly made the plaid a fashion experiment for the elite
of English society. Queen Victorian and her descendents began to dress the young princes in kilts, a tradition which continued until Charles' sons William and Harry who dislike wearing them. The Queen's choice of the kilt made it acceptable in England and eventually an offshoot, the kilt suit in America. The kilt was not adopted as specifically boys wear until the Queen began dressing the princes in kilts in the 1840s. It is clear that kilts in Scotland and even England were a popular outfit for fashionable boys clothes. It is less clear to what extent the kilt was worn by boys for day to day wear. Also HBC is not sure how kilt wearing varied among different economic classes. Even Scottish contributors to HBC are unclear about the prevelence of kilts at mid-century.
Some sources suggest that Scottish boys were commonly wearing kilts by the 19th century. Definitive information, however, is not available. It appears that kilts were worn by fashionally dressed boys. It also appears many poor boys also wore simple kilts. I do not believe this was a national statement, but rather reflected the cost of trousers. Only in the late 19th Century as the price of trousers began to decline in real terms did the wearing of the kilt begin to disappear in Scotland among poor children. I believe at mid-century the kilt may have been more common among boys than their fathers, but I am unable at this time to confirm this from historical sources. The industrial revolution enabled the precise manufacturing and replication made possible by machinery, allowed the mass reproduction of the plaid. Many of the poor boys wearing kilts, however, wore cheap cloth kilts rather than more expensive tartans. It is unclear if Scottish boys were wearing
kilts to go to school or for play and work. It appears that the kilt in Scotland during the 19th Century was primarily worn for dress occaions by middle class and wealthy boys for dressing up, such as church, parties, weddings and other formal occasions. I'm unsure how the kilt was worn by poorer and middle-class boys. Victoria's grandchildren, for example, wore kilts for casual wear while in Scotland. Available photographic images available from the mid 19th Century onward provides a somewhat better idea of the extent of kilt usage in Scotland and just who was wearing kilts. One Scottish HBC contributor reports that kilt wearing by boys in Scotland began to spread from the affluent and middle class to urban or non-Highland "respectable" (more affluent) working class in the 1880s, although HBC can not yet substaniate this.
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I believe that kilts continued to be worn in the same way as they had in the late 19th
Century. Probably more and more poor children began wearing trousers in the new century, but many boys, especially in rural areas still wore inexpensive kilts, often going barefoot as well. In contrast,
more affluent boys might wear kilt outfits, both for dresswear or even to go to school. I remember an A.J. Cronin novel set in Scotland and some boys wore kilts to school. This became uncommon, after World War I. Poor Scottish children were increasingly dressed in trousers, usually short trousers after the turn of the century. Even so, the increasing
prevelence of photography leave us with many images of boys wearing kilts. The fact that many of the boys have rather tattered clothes or are barefoot, suggest they were poor children. Middle class or affluent families would not have dressed their children in tattered clothes or let them go barefoot. I am not sure how kilts were purchased for poor children. A kilt is easier to make than a pair of trousers. I assume many mothers purchased a measure of material and made the kilt herself. One interesting factor is why Scottish children, especially the poor children, stopped wearing kilts. It is likely that the cost of kilts in comparison to short trousers changed. One reason boys were dress in kilts was that they could be made cheaply. As the cost of trousers came down, poor familys naturally turned to trousers, usually short pants. I have no information about what Scottish boys though about wearing kilts. Of course such attitudes probably varied over time. Presumably the more affluent boys were inbued by their parents to view the kilt as part of their national heritage. The attitude of the poor boys wearing kilts is another question. I have no historical data to confirm this, but I doubt if they saw the kilts as part of their national heritage. Probably many if not most would have preferred trousers and may have viewed the kilt as a symbol of poverty and backwardness.
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Major changes in kilt usage appear to have occurred after World War I. Scottish boys still wore kilts after World War I, but almost always for special occasions or as part of a uniform. Poor children no longer wore kilts as kilts became increasingly costly. Most Scottish boys, like English boys, wore short pants after the War. Kilts were still worn as part of various uniforms: Cubs and Scouts, Boys' Brigade, pipe bands, private school uniforms, etc. A Scottish source reports that kilt wear by boys became more popular in the 1920s and even more so in the 1930s. This was primarily connected with the growth of the Scout movement. This tradition continues to be fairly wide spread even in the 1990s. Cubs and even more so Scouts very commonly wore
kilts. Scottish contributors report that it was quite common for boys to wear kilts to school in the early part of the 20th
century. HBC believes that kilts were still commonly worn after World War I, but less so than before the war, especially to state schools. Kilts were much more common at private schools, many of which made a point of keeping up traditions and the children came from families which could afford elaborate uniforms. In some cases boys could wear kilts or trousers. Other schools required
kilts, but most just required them for dress wear such as church. An affluent Scottish boy might a kilt which he would wear with a tweed jacket for dress occasions. Boys also might wear a kilt to formal occasions like weddings. Until the 1920s, Highland dancing was largely a male preserve. The prevelance of boys dressing in fancy kilts for competitive dancing began to decline in the 1920s. Increasing numbers of girls began to enter the competitons and slowly brgan to dominate.
Much more information is available on kilt wearing during the post-war period. Both written and first hand accounts provide detailed information. Even after World War II, some Scottish mothers still dressed younger boys in kilts. Older boys might also wear kilts for dressup occasions like church. Kilts were generally not worn as everyday wear, but they
were not reserved entirely for the boy's best outfit. These kilts not worn for formal events were not worn with all the Higland regalia, such as caps, fancy blouses, jackets, sporrans, and Argyle kneesocks. Kilts were still seen at schools, but were only worn at a small minority of the boys. Many state and fee paying day schools had kilts as an option and many took them up. One HBC contributor reports that about 20 percent of boys at some primary schools in the 1950s might be kilted. The cost of a kilt may have affected how commonly it was worn. HBC is not sure how the cost of a kilt compared with trousers in the 19th century. It may not have been as high relative to trousers as is the case today. Scottish Scouts have continued to wear kilts, at least for formal events. Some troops insist upon it, some encourage it, while others didn't bother. Some Scottish boys before World War II (1939-45) appear to have worn kilts for casual wear. I believe they were mostly boys from affluent families. They might wear a kilt with a sweater for hiking, looking for eggs (boys use to collect bird eggs), and other activities. This became, however, much less common affter the war. While the kilt as casual wear declined after World War II, it continued to be worn as dress wear.
We are not entirely sure as to just where Scottish boys wore kilt. We have a number of formal studio portraits which give usan idea of some of the kilt outfits, but don't tell us just where boys wore these outfits. The more formal Highland outfits were probably worn to parties and special events like weddings. We are less sure about the more basib kilt outfits.
One of the most common places where kilts are still worn is Scottish
private schools. This is almost always private schools and not state schools. The kilt is part of the dress uniform at these schools. It is worn with a tweed jacket rather than a blazer. Before World War II,
it was only worn by boys. Since the 1980s with many schools going coed, both boys and girls now commonly wear kilts as the dress uniform at private schools.
We see boys dressed in formal Highland outfits for studio portraits. A good example is Alan Victor Mackenzie about 1910. What the portraits do not tell us is just where they wore these outfits. We know some boys went to parties in them. Perhaps they wore them for church as weddings as well.
Boys in Scotland commonly wear kilts to Highland gatherings. Unlike Irish boys whonnormally only wear kilrs for pipe bands and step dancing, many of the boys at Highland gaterings in Scotland will wear their kilts. Kilts are also seen at agricultural fairs in Scotland, which have a bit of the flavor of ethnic evenys.
Boys still compete in kilts in dancing competitions at Highland games. Dancing competions were still popular with boys until the 1960s. Now only a few boys compete. Their outfits continue to be fancy, often with caps, lace jabots, velvet jackets, sporans and dirks. Unlike Irish step dancing, it is very rare to see a Highland dancer wearing trousers. The competions are, however, now dominated by girls.
The growth of Scottish consciouness and the growing appeal of the Scottish National Party in the 1980s has led to devolution which meant the reinstitution of a Scottish Parliament in
1999?, the first time since the Act of Union in 1707. I am not sure, however, if this growing Scottish conscioness had led to boys more commonly wearing kilts.
The question presents itself as to just what poor Scottish boys were wearing as reference to the kilt often do not provide a detailed description of the garment. It is known that Irish boys wore garments variously described as kilts, dresses, or petticoats. One HBC contributor suggests that they were often old cut down dresses of their mothers or older sisters. Whether that was the case in Scotland, I can not determine. But it seems likely that it may have been to some extent. Certainly a kilt did not have to be a tartan pattern. A Scottish HBC contributor insists that it is the pleats at the back that defined true kilts. Some of the dresses, however, worn by small boys were pleated, in some cases at the front as well. The contributor reports that the material was often white or very pale.
Kilts do not appear to have been worn by very young boys. Until the 1920s, younger boys generally wore dresses. A boy was not likely to have worn a kilt until after breeching, generally at any where from 3-4 years up to 7 years of age. After the 1840s boys after breeching in both Scotland and England might wear a kilt. Boys from affluent familes would be most likely to wear kilts for special occasions, like outings and important family events.
A Scottish researcher, George Mackay, has also addressed the question of how extensively boys have worn kilts over time. HBC has geberally used such articles as sources of information. George's article is so well reserached that we though HBC readers might like to consult it in its entirety. We will thus post it here. We will also draw on Geprge's article for our own assessment of kilt usage.
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