Figure 1.--Today, the most iconic garment of the Scottish Highlands is the kilt, and clan tartans are all codified. These traditions, however, were codified in the 19th century. 【Hobsbawm and Ranger】 Previously, especially among the poorest Highlanders, tunics were more common, and simple tartans were used for the brat, The brat (pronounced "brot") is a traditional Gaelic garment consisting of a large, rectangular wool cloak or mantle worn by both men and women across Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. Serving as a versatile wrap, blanket, and weather shield, it predates the modern kilt and is typically worn draped over the shoulders and fastened with a brooch.. This is a reconstruction of a 15th-century Highland shepherd family. Source: Italian AI Project.

A great deal has been written about historical Scottish clothing and much of it concerns men. Much of this literature addresses the development of the kilt and the associated clan tartans. Much of this, however, occurred in the late Medieval eras or after the Medieval era. We have relatively limited information on Scottish clothing in the early Medieval era, although more information becomes available for the late Medieval era. The Medieval era lasted for 1,000 years thus the information on late Medieval costume is not representative of earlier eras. There are few contemporary images that illustrate Scottish clothing, especially Highland clothing.. There are major differences between the Lowlands where English styles dominated and the Highlands where distinctive Scottish styles prevailed. The Great Kilt dominated in the Highlands, what we now refer to as the kilt only appeared in modern times.

Ancient Celts

One interesting historical anomaly is that today Scotland and Celtic Europe is strongly associated with the kilt which is seen as a kind of Scottish national costume. Yet the ancient Celts themselves wore breaches, a kind of trouser and the Roman soldiers who wore kilt-like skirts looked on the Celtic breaches as barbaric. Thus the story of how the Scottish (largely a fusion of Irish Celts, British Celts pushed north by Romans and Saxons, and Celt-influenced Picts) came to wear kilts rather than trousers needs to be explained. We do not yet fully understand this transition.

Early Medieval era

Celtic (Gaelic) dress was dominant in the early middle ages. We have less information about the Picts, but as they were strongly influenced by Celtic culture it is likely that this included clothing. The differences between the Highlands and Lowlands was not yet apparent in the early Medieval era. Scotland was invaded by the Irish Celts in the 6th century and the resulting Kingdom of Dalrida played a major role in the unification of Scotland. Thus Irish and Scottish clothing would have been quite similar. Some historians believe that the Scotts dressed similarly to the Irish in the early Medieval era. 【Krossa】 Eventually differences developed, but these developments are not well reported and understood.

Late Medieval era

Much of the information available on Scottish Medieval attire relates to the later Medieval era. English influence began to increase in the 11th century and was especially apparent under David II in the 12th century. Anglicization was most pronounced in the Lowlands (southern Scotland). Towns (burghs) began to expand in the Lowlands at this time. Men in these towns were often more associated with the expanding Anglicization of the Lowlands and thus less likely to be part of the still dominant Gaelic (Celtic) culture in the Highlands. Often they looked in the highlanders and uncultured and barbaric. As a result, men in the burghs were likely to dress like their counterparts in England. Here there are many complicating factors. English influenced declined the English-Scottish wars of the 14th and 15th centuries. Scotland was a poor, underdeveloped area of Europe which affected their dress. Also Scotland was located on the fringe of Europe and thus fashions reached there sometime after they appeared in the fashion centers. 【Krossa】 Scottish nobles in the later middle ages, even Gaelic nobles would have dressed similarly to other European nobles. Here there was probably even greater similarity with their counterparts than among the burgh men because the nobles had more money . They could travel more and could afford the latest fashions. 【Krossa】 Gaelic Highlanders by the late 16th century were wearing 'belted plaids' or 'folded plaids'. This is commonly referred to today as the 'great kilt'. It was basically just a long blanket pleated and worn belted around the waist. Some noble men even in the Highlands during the 16th century appear to have begun dressing like Lowlanders. 【Krossa】

Sources

Krossa, Sharon L. " Scottish Men's Clothing.

Smith, Catherine. "Flesche and Fische Aneuch: the Role of Animals in the Scottish Medieval Economy".

Hobsbawm, E.J. and T. Ranger. , The Invention of Tradition, Cambridge University Press, 1983).

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Created: September 10, 2003
Last updated: 1:32 AM 6/5/2026