Kilts & Traditional Clothing

The Kilt: a Celtic Garment

Like whisky, haggis, or the legend of Loch Ness, the kilt is often associated with Scotland, but it actually represents Celtic culture as a whole. Kilts can therefore also be found in Ireland, Wales, and even Brittany!

Its name comes from the Gaelic "filleadh beag" and it was originally a large woolen cloth that could reach up to 7 meters in length, wrapped around the body and draped over the shoulder. For practical reasons, the great kilt was eventually replaced by the "small kilt" worn at the waist that we know today.

It was in 1782, when the English "Dress Act" banning Scots from wearing the kilt was repealed, that it became a symbol of the Scottish people.

While the kilt was mainly worn by men, it is now also worn by women and on all occasions: weddings, sporting events, or even as a costume.

As the kilt has no pockets, it is often paired with a leather sporran, a central element of traditional Scottish dress. For a complete outfit, don’t forget the essential accessories: the kilt is worn with a shirt, a spencer jacket, and a fine pair of knee-high socks. It can also be accessorized with flashes, kilt pins, and a beret.

Tartans and Their Meaning

Scotland’s history is incredibly rich and has notably been passed down through its many clans. Each of these great families bore a name linked to the lands they occupied, as well as a kilt in a specific tartan that distinguished them from others.

The Heritage of Scotland tartan is emblematic of Scotland. It features blue and purple bands bordered with white and black and is often worn at sporting competitions or Scottish dancing events.

The Royal Stewart tartan is perhaps the most famous worldwide, with its iconic red bands bordered with blue, black, and yellow. It is the personal tartan of Queen Elizabeth II, worn on many official uniforms, but it is also very common in punk/rock culture.

With its green and blue bands bordered in black, the Black Watch tartan refers to the "Black Watch," the Highland infantry regiment.

Unlike the others mentioned, the Granite Grey tartan does not belong to any Scottish clan; it refers instead to the hard granite rocks of the Royal Deeside mountains.