Although the end of the clan system came after 1745, some Highlanders continued to defy the government in London - so much so they were transported to the Colonies and Australia. With deportation and voluntary removal from Scotland, there was a great exodus of Scottish people to the colonies after 1745, especially to North Carolina where today there’s the largest, bar all, highland games in North America - in the world!

To further wag their fingers at the British law, some became quite prosperous Plantation owners and dressed their slaves in clan tartan. The tartan remained very much alive in what is today the Carribean Islands, Nova Scotia, North and South Carolina - and in the far reaches of the highlands and islands of Scotland. Some families took advantage of the law. They all wore tartan openly and all were deported - what a great way to get to North America without having to pay a fare, ultimate Scot’s frugality.

After the repeal of the law and by the 1780's the practice of wearing tartan began to make a strong reappearance in the highlands of Scotland. The Scots might not be able to lay claim to inventing striped material but they can be credited for taking the tartan kilt, or philla beag to its highest levels of sophistication.

Thomas Rawlinson and a tailor by the name of Parkinson are credited with the kilt or philla beag as we know it today. In the late 1780's Parkinson conceived the idea of making the lower half of the belted plaid a separate garment. Rawlinson ordered the first suit. His appearance in public in this suit started a major stampede toward wearing highland regalia. His outfit consisted of an eight yard kilt, pleated in back, with a flat panel in front and a large shoulder plaid, that took the place of the yards of material in the belted variety. This shoulder plaid became mostly decorative. You can still see it today, swinging from the shoulders of pipe band members.