Quote Originally Posted by davidlpope View Post
I don't think that the kilt has ever "officially" been declared the national dress of Scotland. Such things as national dress usually come about as a matter of custom.

Perhaps some of our academics can chime in, but I think the pan-Scottish connection to the kilt came about as a result of George IV's visit to Edinburgh in 1822. It seems to me that by that time a significant romanticised ideal surrounding the kilt/highland culture, etc. had grown up due to Sir Walter Scott's Waverly novels. As a result, Lowland and Border families jumped on the tartan/kilt bandwagon. Later added to that start was the fabulously good marketing that the Highland Regiments gave the kilt (I mean, come on, you get goosebumps hearing about the "Thin Red Line"...).

In some ways, then, it seems that the adoption of the kilt by Lowland Scots is not that really that far off from the "adoption of the kilt" by Irish kilt-wearers. The kilt was never part of Lowland culture, but it has been adopted nonetheless to signify an identity distinct from the dominant culture group.

Cordially,

David
Tobus raised the same point and I have not a sensible answer. However, I do think that astute marketing by tartan weavers had a great deal to do with the adoption of the kilt as our "national" dress.