Scottish national costume

When it comes to Scottish national dress, most people think of a pleated woolen skirt to the knee. This is a traditionally male version of the suit, which very clearly demonstrates the clan and even hierarchical affiliation of the Scotsman. However, there are also lesser-known women's versions of the classic outfit. The national costume of Scotland has its own history and a whole set of additional, traditionally established, accessories and elements.

According to various sources, the Scottish national costume owes its appearance and introduction to the masses of the highlanders, who at the end of the 16th century had extraordinary outerwear that resembled a modern raincoat-tent in their functionality. Its name has survived and is used to this day - a large kilt.

For Scotland's mountain dwellers, this was more than just clothing, but a multifunctional wardrobe item. It was made from a special woolen fabric in a cage called tartan. These were two huge canvases, sewn together and ranging in length from 4 to 8 meters. The width of the large kilt was calculated based on the height of the man, and reached one and a half meters so that the length of the finished product ended at the knee level.

The versatility of this particular element of the national clothing of the Highland Scots was that, transforming from a cape-skirt, a large kilt could serve as a blanket, a blanket, and also a classic cloak that covered the head and shoulders during bad weather.

Over time, the traditional Scottish costume has undergone minor changes. Today it has a very specific and well-established structure.

The traditional clothing of the representatives of the strong half of the native Scots consists of the following parts:

• Underwear. A good half of humanity (and maybe even more) has full confidence that there is nothing under the kilt of Scottish men. And - they are right. Not a single, self-respecting and respecting tradition, Scotsman will not wear underwear. It just so happened historically. And the conservative highlanders do not intend to change the ancient foundations. The exceptions are, perhaps, dancers and athletes.
• Jackets and shirts. For everyday wear, a loose linen shirt is used, over which a strict classic-cut tweed jacket is put on, which has a shortened shape - to the waist line. The Scottish national costume for the appearance is completed with an elegant snow-white shirt with a bow tie, an elegant vest and one of the official national jackets: Prince Charlie or Argyll.
• Foot accessories. As a rule, Scottish men wore high knee-high socks on their feet. The color scheme depended on belonging to a particular clan or class: more often - white, less often - checkered with colors to match the kilt. Shoes are called brogues - these are special leather shoes with perforations and very long laces, with which they were fixed on the leg over the golf course and reached the middle of the calf.

Headdress. The Scottish national costume has at least three options for special hats:

1. Barmoral is a traditional men's headdress, characterized by a bright woolen bubo and satin ribbons (like sea ones). The beret is made of the same fabric and has the same colors as the kilt.
2. Tam-o-shenter is another national beret for the Scots. Just like the barmoral, sometimes it has a cockade in the form of the clan's coat of arms in the center and a feather on its left side. It differs from the previous headdress only in the absence of ribbons.
3. Glengarry is a garrison cap, a modified model of barmoral. Its original purpose was to wear work clothes for military service. Since the 19th century, it has become a traditional headdress for Scottish pipers.

• One of the signature additions to the individual style of modern men in Scotland is the leather sporran (purse bag), which is attached to the belt of the kilt. For the Scots, it is considered a functional substitute for pockets, which, alas, are not provided for in a strict national costume. Sporran is located, as a rule, on the palm below the leather strap that fixes the kilt, or on a separate chain that wraps around the thighs.

• The skin doo is a traditional Scottish knife, which in ancient times was worn on the garter of the right leg so that the handle remained invisible. This phrase is translated from the Gaelic language as a black dagger. The knife owes this name, firstly, to the fact that its blade was made of black material; secondly, the way it was worn also made one think of the blackness of the thoughts of its wearer.

• Dirk is a classic Scottish dagger designed exclusively for publication today. It is equipped with a straight half-meter blade. Tied with a leather kilt belt.

• Gilly - soft leather moccasins for Scottish dancers performing national choreographic etudes.

Using the color combination of another community is considered a social crime, which is being investigated by a special body and the Chief Herald, who heads it. His main duties are to control the correct use of his (belonging to a particular clan) colors and melodies.

Historically, the main focus in Scotland has been on men's clothing. The women's wardrobe was less eloquent and less adorned. However, the clothes in it were necessarily made with elements of clan affiliation.

The main parts of which the national costume for Scottish women consisted were as follows:

1. A simple cotton underwear to the floor.
2. Outer dress made of wool, no lower than the knee, with a characteristic clan color.
3. Classic woolen apron, decorated with a rare pattern or braid.
4. Cape with a single closure on the neck, which consisted of a hood and a cloak.
5. Headdresses were worn exclusively by married women.
6. National women's shoes of tartans differed from men's only in size.
7. By the end of the 16th century, the wearing of an elongated plaid kilt came into use among women.

National clothes for a girl completely repeated the standard set of a costume for an adult woman. Girls always went bareheaded, and they were also allowed to decorate the outer dress and aprons with children's bright national patterns. As for the classic outfit for a boy, there was also practically no difference from the traditionally male kilt with all the accompanying accessories and additions.

Understanding all the intricacies of the historical prerequisites and conditions for the formation of the national costume, you begin to understand how strong the unity of the nation, built for centuries on the individuality of each individual family. Today, the use of the traditional large kilt can be found among the Celtic peoples: the Welsh and the Irish. The inhabitants of the Isle of Man are the least involved in this.