13th Century

[Sir Didymous]

Hello, I'm new here, in fact this is my first post. I'm a historical reenacter, and I normally portray an English knight of the thirteenth century. I know this won't make me especially popular on here, but here's the redeeming point. One of the other fellows in my troop and myself were booked to perform at a Scottish festival next month. Now we only took this gig for the exposure, but it does mean that I need to build a kit for it in a hurry. I was wondering if anyone could help me find information on the type of kilts used in the 1290's. The weapons I intended to use for the fighting demo are English (captured as the story goes), and French (which were military allies in the period). But the question is what to wear with them. Most of the info I have been able to find dates from much later.

If this goes well, I might be delving further into this. I am decended from the Clan Ferguson and am finding the research interesting.

Thanks.

[saxandpipes]

There's an entire sub-forum dedicated to historical kilt-wear. It's worth checking it out! (Sorry, no expert myself on the matter)

Cheers and welcome!

Michael

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Sorry to disappoint, but there were no kilts worn in the 1290s. You are about 300 years too early for a kilt.

This might help you out:
The Early History of the Kilt

[Paul Henry]

No one really knows for sure, but it is certain that the kilt as we know it today wasn't around then, infact nothing very like it, an early record of a "kilt" only surfaces at the end of the 16th century. Before that it's likely that a mixture of long shirts ( liene) and blankets/cloaks were worn, the blanket wrapped around the body developed into the "Great kilt" which was a multi purpose piece of cloth, from sleeping in or wearing. As to tartan cloth , there is very little evidence that they were identifing or in any sense uniform, so picking a rather non descript cloth is possibly a better idea.
But the truth is we don't really know what people wore as there is so little evidence extant, but there are a lot of "romantic" idea around.

[Sir William]

Sorry to disappoint, but there were no kilts worn in the 1290s. You are about 300 years too early for a kilt.

But Matt, I was just watching an "entertaining" documentary called "Braveheart" about some guy named Wallace, or was it Gibson, in the 1290s that showed lots and lots of kilts!

(Sorry, I couldn't resist!)

[Dale Seago]

I was wondering if anyone could help me find information on the type of kilts used in the 1290's.

As others have noted, neither the kilt nor its forerunner the belted plaid were yet in existence at that time. That should make things easier for you.

Now, if you want to know what the Scottish Gael were wearing at the time, it was the same as Irish garb of that period, which goes and complicates things all over again.

[serenitylala]

You might as well, talk to the people over the gig and explain the clothing of that time period and ask them if that is what they want or do they want the Braveheart thing that everyone expects.ith:

It's better to find out, instead of showing up in correct historical accuracy and then getting people mad at you, because you weren't sporting the hoped for "Scottish look."


I bet you a billion kilts that they are expecting you to walk in like "Braveheart," half covered in blue paint and sporting a modern-tartan Wallace kilt.

Good luck!

[Ryan Ross]

As others have noted, neither the kilt nor its forerunner the belted plaid were yet in existence at that time. That should make things easier for you.

Now, if you want to know what the Scottish Gael were wearing at the time, it was the same as Irish garb of that period, which goes and complicates things all over again.

Indeed, it MAY complicate things a bit... but at the same time, perhaps not. The expense will be less, at any rate!

Last year, I completed a project that ended up being similar to a liene. It was not that difficult, did not take over-long to finish, and the results were quite good. The proper fabric, heavy weight linen, can be had from several different online resources, in a variety of colors, for as little as $7 per double width yard. You could work from a combination of one or more patterns, as well as working directly from period artwork, and in some cases, clothing which has survived from the period (which is what I used in creating the viking shirt mentioned above).

Good luck to you, and from Dunwoody, GA!

[Woodsheal]

Sir D, a Scottish knight like Wallace would have worn exactly the same type of garb and armor as you wear in your avatar picture. However, a tartan cloak over all would add "Scottishness" to your appearance. Tartan fabric was in use, and Wallace was once mocked by some English soldiers for wearing an "Irish" (i.e. tartan) cloak....

[Ryan Ross]

Sir D, a Scottish knight like Wallace would have worn exactly the same type of garb and armor as you wear in your avatar picture. However, a tartan cloak over all would add "Scottishness" to your appearance. Tartan fabric was in use, and Wallace was once mocked by some English soldiers for wearing an "Irish" (i.e. tartan) cloak....

I didn't even think of that point. Highland men at arms automatically came to my mind, for whatever reason, rather than knights (highland or otherwise).

Nicely done, sir.

Out of curiosity, would a Highland knight wear the same clothing, as well?