Official Dress?

[davedove]

After reading several of the posts, I began to wonder about something. It's often said that the kilt is the "National Dress of Scotland." I began to wonder if that's official, or has it just become accepted over the years. Not that I'm going to dispute it or anything, I was just wondering.

[James]

It appears to have become so over the years.

However not so long ago a lowalder would have scorned - derided even the barbaric garb of the highlander.

James

[Raphael]

1822. King George IV was the first reigning monarch to visit Scotland and he wanted to see things that are nationlistic with Scotland. He wanted to see Kilts bonnets, Tartans, bagpipes and galei battle song. So Sir Walter Scott and David Stewart of Garth came up with the kilts that are similar with the ones being worn by the Scottish Regiments.

At that time, King George IV and most Edinburghers had no idea what a real Highlander looked like. Still, Sir Walter Scott and Dave Stewart dressed up King George IV in what they think the King wanted to see.

SInce that visit, people once again wear a clothing that they would not wear only 20 years before.

After this visit, Wilson's of Boannickburn was taking order for the newly popularized kilts and naming tartans for the familiy clans. Before that, clansmen generally wore what ever plaid patterns they liked and the louder the better. The real mark of clan identifiaction was the bage won on the hat or the arm.

- How the Scots Invented the Modern World

So I guess this tradition isn't that old.