The Grant Piper by Richard Waitt, 1714. The pattern of the piper's belted plaid differs from any modern Grant tartan.

The belted plaid (or, if you prefer, a plaid worn belted) is basically a large blanket-like piece of fabric which is wrapped around one's body, the material being pleated or, more accurately, loosely gathered, and secured at the waist by means of a belt. Typically, a portion of the belted plaid hangs down to about the knees with the rest of the material being wrapped up around one's upper body in a variety of ways and pinned or otherwise secured to keep it in place. A tartan is a specific woven pattern that often signifies a particular Scottish clan in the modern era. ...

The belted plaid, as we shall refer to it henceforth, was a standard item of men's Highland dress from the late 16th century until the middle of the 18th century. It was also the precursor of the modern tailored kilt. But before discussing the nature and usage of this garment, let us deal with some issues of terminology. The kilt is seen as an item of traditional Scottish Highland dress, although the origin of that tradition is more recent than is commonly believed. ...

Terminology

The item of Highland dress which is the subject of this article has been and is often referred to by a variety of different terms, including (in addition to that used in the title of the article) feilidh-mhor, breacan-an-feile, and, very commonly, the Great Kilt.

First, as to the latter term. If one means by "kilt" something like the tailored garment of the modern era, and specifically a tailored garment, then the term "Great Kilt" can be misleading since this garment was untailored. That said, and as long as one does not mean to imply tailoring in the garment, there is nothing wrong with this term other than that it might be confusing to some. The garment was most definitely not known by this name (in any language) during the years of its usage.

Both the terms feilidh-mhor and breacan-an-feile are Gaelic terms, the former meaning roughly "large wrap" and the latter meaning (roughly) "tartan wrap". Goidelic is one of two major divisions of modern-day Celtic languages (the other being Brythonic). ...

The word "plaide" in Gaelic means (roughly) blanket, and that was the original term for the garment in question.

Description and History

The belted plaid consisted of a piece of tartan fabric approximately 4 or 5 yards in length and about 50 to 60 inches wide. Since the weaving looms in those years wove fabric in 25 - 30 inch widths, the actual item was generally constructed from 8 to 10 yards of such single-width fabric by stitching two 4 or 5 yard pieces together. A tartan is a specific woven pattern that often signifies a particular Scottish clan in the modern era. ... LOOM running in ScummVM LOOM is a graphical adventure game, originally released in 1990, published by LucasArts (known at the time as Lucasfilm Games). ...

It was typically worn as a kind of mantle or cloak cast about one's shoulders. In the latter part of the 16th Century, some in the Highlands of Scotland began putting a belt around their waist on the outside of the plaid, after first pleating or gathering the fabric. A cloak is a type of loose garment which is worn over indoor clothing and serves the same purpose as an overcoat – it protects the wearer from the cold, rain or wind for example, or it may form part of a fashionable outfit (e. ... Highland or Highlands has these meanings:- The term highland is used in geography for any elevated mountainous plateau. ... Scotland (Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is a country in northwest Europe, occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain. ...

The first clear reference to the belted plaid occurs in the year 1594. In that year, a group of Highlanders from the Western Isles went to Ireland to fight under Red Hugh O'Donnell. Writing about them, Lughaidh noted how they could be distinguished from the Irish soldiers: The Outer Hebrides or Western Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Siar), also traditionally known as the Outer Isles, comprise an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. ... Red Hugh Roe ODonnell (1571-1603) was an Irish King who led ODonnells Rebellion from 1593-1596 and later helped lead the Nine Years War, a revolt against English occupation, from 1593-1603. ...

 "They were recognized among the Irish soldiers by the distinction of their arms and clothing . . . for their exterior dress was mottled cloaks of many colors. . ., their belts were over their loins outside their cloaks." 

The belted plaid was used not only as a garment, but also for bedding at night, the wearer wrapping himself in it and sleeping directly on the ground.

It was made from wool or a wool/linen combination and twill woven in a pattern of colored stripes which today has become known as tartan, though originally the word tartan referred to the type of cloth (like linen, or cotton) and not the pattern of colors as the word almost exclusively signifies today. Long and short hair wool at the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Boonesville, AR Wool is the fiber derived from the hair of domesticated animals, usually sheep. ... Torn linen cloth, recovered from the Dead Sea Linen is a material made from the fibers of the flax plant. ... Categories: Stub | Textiles | Weaving ...

These patterns (or setts) were apparently chosen based on a sense of fashion or the availability and expense of natural dyes in the area of manufacture. The modern notion of "clan tartans" whereby each clan or name is associated with a particular design did not exist at that time, but instead dates back to the early 19th Century. Thus if one desires to wear the belted plaid at Highland Games, it would not be inappropriate (much less incorrect) to wear any tartan pattern of one's choosing or invention. In fact, not all such garments were woven in strict accord with the modern definition of tartan pattern (repeating and reversing, symmetric in both warp and weft). A sett is a network of tunnels making up a badgers homestead. ... A tartan is a specific woven pattern that often signifies a particular Scottish clan in the modern era. ... A clan is a group of people united by kinship and descent, which is defined by perceived descent from a common ancestor. ... Opening ceremonies of 2004 Canmore Highland games Highland games are traditional competitions originating in the highland areas of Scotland and still held there and in other parts of the world where Scots have settled. ...

The Kilt at Highland Games Today

At nearly every Highland Games gathering today, there are vendors who merchant tartan items, whether tailored kilts, blankets, scarves, ties, or tartan fabric. By far the greatest proportion of their sales, in the category of Highland dress, are related to "modern" Highland attire, especially the modern tailored kilt and accessories for it.

This is somewhat ironic in that the present-day Highland Games, at which the modern tailored kilt is ubiquitous, can trace their origins back to the early 19th Century interest in matters related to Highland culture. (Note: this statement should not be construed to mean that the Highland Games themselves do not have antecedents going much further back in history.) This interest manifested itself in various reconstructionist events purportedly designed as a celebration of that earlier Gaelic Highland and Celtic culture and such cultures never wore garments like the modern tailored kilt! A Celtic cross. ...

Instead, during the years preceding Cullloden, to the extent that the Highland people wore any kind of kilt-like garment, it was the belted plaid and not the modern tailored kilt! And yet today, at Highland gatherings, one seldom sees the belted plaid, and even knowledge about this garment is not as widespread as it should be.

The origins of the modern short kilt (or feilidh-beag, meaning little wrap, and often Anglicized to philabeg with various spellings) are still much in debate. What is clear is that the philabeg originated from the belted plaid sometime in the early 18th Century, or perhaps somewhat earlier, depending on which side of the debate you are on. It (the philabeg) consisted essentially of the lower half only of a plaide, gathered or pleated and held around the waist with a belt. Later, the gatherings were stitched down to facilitate holding them in place and thus originated the modern tailored kilt.

References

John Telfer Dunbar, History of Highland Dress, Hippocreene Books 1979 (reprint of 1964 edition). (ISBN 071341894X) The seminal book on the subject of Highland dress.

External links

• Men's and women's highland attire
• Reviewed index of Scottish clothing links
• Scottish men's clothing
• Early history of the kilt
• Evolution of the kilt