I’ve been taking a look into the development of the kilt as military uniform, and one point of interest is that I’ve struggled to find any evidence of the idea of going ‘regimental’ under the kilt being a thing pre-WWII. I don’t mean to suggest it necessarily wasn’t the case, but it is interesting that evidence of it seems so absent.

Post WWII, I’ve confirmed with former soldiers first hand that going without underwear under the kilt was completely the norm (though there is a bit of disagreement over whether that was ever enforced at all…). And that continues right through to the current day, with ample evidence of Scottish soldiers (and Canadians too, so I believe) routinely (though not completely universally) going true Scotsman under their kilts out of respect for tradition (and perhaps through a bit of military peer pressure )

And that military tradition has of course, at least in the last few decades, rapidly spread to civilians.

However, the trail just seems to run cold beyond WWII. Which raises an interesting question – is this really just something that developed as a ‘tradition’ in the second half of the 20th century as kilts were consigned to more ceremonial functions? And if so, how did it actually arise? Or is there evidence of its origns well before that, albeit perhaps now partly lost to time?

I would certainly be interested in any evidence or recollections anyone on here has as to this question!