Tartan shorts / underwear ? (MacGregor tartan - 1920s/40s) Rare?

[freep]

Kilt underwear as shown in your picture was not uncommon, in various styles, until at a guess but say the mid 1950's, they, two pairs, arrived with one's new kilt. Not always tartan and wool ones were the most common and the most uncomfortable. Silk ones being absolute bliss. I have not seen or heard of new ones for twenty years or more.

P'raps get some made, matching tartan in P/V for comfort?
I've not had much experience with P/V.

[Jock Scot]

P'raps get some made, matching tartan in P/V for comfort?
I've not had much experience with P/V.

I have to confess that I am not even sure what PV feels like.

[freep]

I have to confess that I am not even sure what PV feels like.

It's my understanding it's mostly itch-less.

[Jock Scot]

I am afraid that I know not.

[RectaPete]

It's a shame kilt pants have fallen out of fashion. You can still get tartan boxers or knickers but they're not originally designed for underkilt wear and they'd only coordinate if you were wearing Royal Stewart or Black Watch!

[tpa]

It's my understanding it's mostly itch-less.

It is not only the itch that is and was the the problem, it is the lack of stretchability if there is such a word, especially if you have a rear end worth mentioning. I don't know whether PV would be any better than the wool ones I was supplied with with my first kilt, but uncomfortable was something of an understatement, especially when one sat down.

[Mike M.]

Make them in printed cotton.

[Lady Grey]

It is not only the itch that is and was the the problem, it is the lack of stretchability if there is such a word, especially if you have a rear end worth mentioning. I don't know whether PV would be any better than the wool ones I was supplied with with my first kilt, but uncomfortable was something of an understatement, especially when one sat down.

That's what surprised me.... The lack of bagginess - front & back- all the patterns and styles I've seen up until the late 1950's were for woven fabric (until stretch became more available) they had the bagginess in the front and back to allow for movement
The only other similar garments I've displayed and handled from that era was swimwear and it was knitted.... Some machine knitted but often hand knitted - with a very spiffy belt- we tried to recreate a pattern once but it was a nightmare and we gave up. (We had much more success with 1940's womens bathers)
Anyway I'm off topic....
I wonder if the the underwear was for a young person who hadn't 'developed' into manhood yet?

I can't wait to see more pictures.

[neloon]

The Scottish National Dictionary gives as a secondary meaning for trews "short tartan trunks worn under the kilt" though many people called then "undertrews" to make the distinction. They became standard official wear for army officers around 1800 and were also automatically supplied by civilian kiltmakers until about 1960 and to order for some years after that. Here is an 1875 photograph of competitors at the Aboyne Games - three of them to the left will have removed their kilts for the pole vault or high jump
http://www.electricscotland.com/gath...ings_pic25.jpg
Even in daily life in my young day (1940s/50s), it was not uncommon for boys and even men to remove their kilts in public if the occasion demanded. The undertrews were so standard that the "question" was never asked.
Here are another couple of links
http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-ph...ng-out-of-kilt
Ed Anderson throwing in the 1930s
http://www.electricscotland.com/gath...ings_pic22.jpg
I suspect that the trews in the OP's picture are pre-1930 since, after that date, the waist was normally elasticated
Alan

[tpa]

I suspect that the trews in the OP's picture are pre-1930 since, after that date, the waist was normally elasticatedAlan

In 1955 mine weren't, strictly button up only, made by Forsyth's of Edinburgh.