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{{Short description|Skirt-like garment worn with Scottish Highland dress and sometimes more broadly}}
{{About|the garment|the acronym|KILT (disambiguation){{!}}KILT}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
[[File:Scottish mercenaries in the Thirty Years War.jpg|thumb|300px|One of the earliest depictions of the kilt is this German print showing Highlanders around 1630]]
A '''kilt''' ({{langx|gd|fèileadh}} {{IPA|gd|ˈfeːləɣ||}})<ref>{{Cite web |title=Am Faclair Beag |url=https://www.faclair.com/ |website=www.faclair.com}}</ref> is a garment resembling a wrap-around knee-length skirt, made of [[twill]]-woven [[worsted]] [[wool]] with heavy pleats at the sides and back and traditionally a [[tartan]] pattern. Originating in the [[Highland dress|Scottish Highland dress for men]], it is first recorded in the 16th century as the great kilt, a full-length garment whose upper half could be worn as a cloak. The small kilt or ''modern kilt'' emerged in the 18th century, and is essentially the bottom half of the great kilt. Since the 19th century, it has become associated with the [[culture of Scotland|wider culture]] of [[Scotland]], and more broadly with [[Gaels|Gaelic]] or [[Celts|Celtic]] heritage. 

Although the kilt is most often worn by men on formal occasions and at [[Highland games]] and other sporting events, it has also been adapted as an item of informal male clothing, returning to its roots as an everyday garment. Kilts are now made for casual wear in a variety of materials. Alternative fastenings may be used and pockets inserted to avoid the need for a [[sporran]]. Kilts have also been adopted as female wear for some sports.

== History ==
{{Main|History of the kilt}}

The kilt first appeared as the great kilt, the ''{{lang|gd|breacan}}'' or [[belted plaid]], during the 16th century. The ''{{lang|gd|filleadh mòr}}'' or great kilt was a full-length garment whose upper half could be worn as a cloak draped over the shoulder, or brought up over the head. A version of the ''{{lang|gd|filleadh beag}}'' (philibeg), or small kilt (also known as the walking kilt), similar to the modern kilt was invented by an English [[Quaker]] from Lancashire named [[Thomas Rawlinson (industrialist)|Thomas Rawlinson]] some time in the 1720s. He felt that the belted plaid was "cumbrous and unwieldy", and his solution was to separate the skirt and convert it into a distinct garment with pleats already sewn, which he himself began making.<ref>{{harvnb|Thomson|1816|p=150}}.  Thomson also references Culloden Papers p 103, and the Edinburgh Magazine of 1785 in which a letter from Evan Baillie of Oberiachan states this.</ref> His associate, Iain MacDonnell, chief of the MacDonnells of Inverness, also began making it, and when clansmen employed in logging, [[charcoal]] manufacture and iron smelting saw their chief making the new apparel, they soon followed making the kilt.  From there its making use spread "in the shortest space" amongst the Highlanders, and even amongst some of the Northern Lowlanders.{{Sfn|Trevor-Roper|Hobsbawm|Ranger|1983|pp=22–23}} It has been suggested there is evidence that the philibeg with unsewn pleats was made from the 1690s.<ref name="scottishtartans.org">{{Citation |last=Newsome |first=Matt Allen |title=The Early History of the Kilt |url=http://www.scottishtartans.org/kilt.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321081106/http://www.scottishtartans.org/kilt.html |publisher=The Scottish Tartans Museum |access-date=26 June 2008 |archive-date=21 March 2015}}</ref> The kilt's design continued to evolve over the centuries, adapting to practical needs.

== Variants ==

The name "kilt" is applied to a range of garments:

* The traditional garment, either in its historical form, or in the modern adaptation now usual in Scotland (''see [[History of the kilt]]''), usually in a tartan pattern
* The kilts worn by Irish pipe bands are based on the traditional Scottish garment but now in a single (solid) colour<ref name="Newsome 2005">{{Cite web |last=Newsome |first=Matthew Allen C |date=1 July 2005 |title=On the Confusion of the Kilt as an Irish Garment |url=http://blog.albanach.org/2005/07/oh-dear.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015145248/http://blog.albanach.org/2005/07/oh-dear.html |archive-date=15 October 2009 |access-date=10 June 2009 |website=Albanach |location=Clemmons, NC |format=World Wide Web log}}</ref>
* Variants of the Scottish kilt adopted in other Celtic nations, such as the Welsh ''cilt'' and the Cornish ''cilt''

According to the ''[[Dictionary of the Scots Language]]'' and ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', the noun derives from a verb ''to kilt'', originally meaning "to gird up; to tuck up (the skirts) round the body", which is apparently of [[North Germanic languages|Scandinavian]] origin.

=== Scotland ===
[[File:William Gordon Batoni.jpg|thumb|''[[William Gordon (British Army officer)|General William Gordon]]'', shown wearing a kilt—part of the uniform of the short-lived [[105th Regiment of Foot (Queen's Own Royal Regiment of Highlanders)|105th Regiment of Foot]]—in the painting by [[Pompeo Batoni]] (1765–66).]]
[[File:Kilt&Sporran.jpg|thumb|The modern Scottish kilt worn with formal evening wear (2009) and a highly decorative [[sporran]] hanging from the waist]]Organisations that sanction and grade the competitions in [[Scottish highland dance|Highland dancing]] and [[bagpipes|piping]] all have rules governing acceptable attire for the competitors. These rules specify that kilts are to be worn (except that in the national dances, the female competitors will be wearing the [[Aboyne dress]]).<ref>{{Citation |title=Rules of the British Columbia Pipers Association |date=11 October 2007 |url=http://www.bcpipers.org/rules.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003153413/http://www.bcpipers.org/rules.html |publisher=BC Pipers' Association |access-date=10 June 2009 |archive-date=3 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Erik |title=Costuming Regulations of the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing |url=http://www.margshighlanddancewear.com/sobhd.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130084357/http://margshighlanddancewear.com/sobhd.htm |archive-date=30 January 2009 |access-date=13 March 2009 |publisher=Margs highland dance wear}}</ref>

==== Design and construction ====

The Scottish kilt displays uniqueness of design, construction, and convention which differentiate it from other garments fitting the general description. It is a tailored garment that is [[Wrap (clothing)|wrapped]] around the wearer's body at the natural waist (between the lowest rib and the hip) starting from one side (usually the wearer's left), around the front and back and across the front again to the opposite side. The fastenings consist of straps and buckles on both ends, the strap on the inside end usually passing through a slit in the waistband to be buckled on the outside; alternatively it may remain inside the waistband and be buckled inside.

A kilt covers the body from the [[waist]] down to the centre of the knees. The overlapping layers in front are called "aprons" and are flat; the single layer of fabric around the sides and back is pleated. A [[kilt pin]] may be fastened to the front apron on the free corner (but is not passed through the layer below, as its function is to add weight). Underwear may or [[Going commando|may not]] be worn, as the wearer prefers, although tradition has it that a "[[true Scotsman]]" should wear nothing under his kilt.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearson |first=Andrew |title=The Real Story: What does a Scotsman wear under his kilt? |url=http://www.tartansauthority.com/highland-dress/modern/how-to-wear-the-kilt/whats-down-under/the-real-story |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530045919/http://www.tartansauthority.com/highland-dress/modern/how-to-wear-the-kilt/whats-down-under/the-real-story |archive-date=2022-05-30 |access-date= |website=Scottish Tartans Authority |quote=However, there is nothing mysterious about what was worn below the clansmen's shirts. "You cannae tak the breeks aff a Hielanman!", runs an old saying, signifying the futility of attempting the impossible!}}</ref><ref name="cover-up">{{Cite news |date=2 August 2004 |title=Scots Tradition Hit by Cover-Up Ruling |work=[[The Times]] |location=United Kingdom |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article464594.ece |url-status=dead |access-date=12 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100606054932/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article464594.ece |archive-date=6 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Tye |first1=Diane |date=2014 |chapter=“What’s under the Kilt?”: Intersections of Ethnic and Gender Performativity |editor-last1=Greenhill |editor-first1=Pauline |editor-last2=Tye |editor-first2=Diane |title=Unsettling Assumptions: Tradition, Gender, Drag |publication-place= |publisher=Utah State University Press |pages=191–207 |jstor=j.ctt83jj2k.15 |jstor-access=}}</ref> The Scottish Tartans Authority, however, warns that in some circumstances the practice could be "childish and unhygienic" and flying "in the face of decency".<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 November 2010 |title=Draught guidance: a kilt need underwear |work=The Telegraph |publication-place=United Kingdom |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/8149592/Draught-guidance-a-kilt-need-underwear.html |access-date=2023-03-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=What's Down Under? |url=http://www.tartansauthority.com/highland-dress/modern/how-to-wear-the-kilt/whats-down-under |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127231115/http://www.tartansauthority.com/highland-dress/modern/how-to-wear-the-kilt/whats-down-under |archive-date=2022-11-27 |access-date=30 May 2013 |website=Scottish Tartans Authority |publisher= |quote=The article on the left was published in the UK's Daily Telegraph on 2nd November 2010 and was part of a media frenzy that met Tartans Authority Director Brian Wilton's responses to a question on a UK radio programme.  What Brian actually said and what he was reported as saying were somewhat different as those with experience of journalism will not be surprised to learn.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=9 October 2016 |title=Scottish nationalists more likely to 'go commando' under kilts |work=The Telegraph |publication-place=United Kingdom |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/09/scottish-nationalists-more-likely-to-go-commando-under-kilts |access-date=2023-03-03}}</ref>

==== Fabrics ====

The typical kilt as seen at modern Highland games events is made of [[twill]] woven [[worsted]] [[wool]]. The twill weave used for kilts is a "2–2 type", meaning that each [[weft]] thread passes over and under two [[warp (weaving)|warp]] threads at a time. The result is a distinctive diagonal-weave pattern in the fabric which is called the twill line. This kind of twill, when woven according to a given sett or written colour pattern ''(see [[#Setts|below]])'' is called tartan. In contrast kilts worn by Irish pipers are made from solid-colour cloth, with saffron or green being the most widely used colours.

Kilting fabric weights are given in ounces per yard and run from the very-heavy, regimental worsted of approximately {{convert |18|-|22|oz}} down to a light worsted of about {{convert |10|-|11|oz}}. The most common weights for kilts are {{convert|13|oz}} and {{convert |16|oz}}.  The heavier weights are more appropriate for cooler weather, while the lighter weights would tend to be selected for warmer weather or for active use, such as Highland dancing. Some patterns are available in only a few weights.

A modern kilt for a typical adult uses about 6–8 yards of single-width (about 26–30&nbsp;inches) or about 3–4 yards of double-width (about 54–60&nbsp;inches) tartan fabric. Double-width fabric is woven so that the pattern exactly matches on the [[selvage]]. Kilts are usually made without a [[hem]] because a hem would make the garment too bulky and cause it to hang incorrectly.  The exact amount of fabric needed depends upon several factors including the size of the sett, the number of pleats put into the garment, and the size of the person. For a full kilt, 8 yards of fabric would be used regardless of size and the number of pleats and depth of pleat would be adjusted according to their size. For a very large waist, it may be necessary to use 9 yards of cloth.

==== Setts ====
One of the most-distinctive features of the authentic Scots kilt is the [[tartan]] pattern, the ''sett'', it exhibits. The association of particular patterns with individual clans and families can be traced back perhaps one or two centuries. It was only in the 19th-century [[Victorian era]] that the system of named tartans known today began to be systematically recorded and formalised, mostly by weaving companies for mercantile purposes. Up until this point, Highland tartans held regional associations rather than being identified with any particular clan.

Today there are also tartans for districts, counties, societies and corporations. There are also setts for states and provinces; schools and universities; sporting activities; individuals; and commemorative and simple generic patterns that anybody can wear (see [[History of the kilt]] for the process by which these associations came about).

Setts are always arranged horizontally and vertically, never diagonally (except when adapted for women's skirts). They are specified by their thread counts, the sequence of colours and their units of width. As an example, the [[Clan Wallace|Wallace]] tartan has a thread count given as "K/4 R32 K32 Y/4" (K is black, R is red, and Y is yellow). This means that 4 units of black thread will be succeeded by 32 units of red, etc., in both the warp and the weft.  Typically, the units are the actual number of threads, but as long as the proportions are maintained, the resulting pattern will be the same. This thread count also includes a pivot point indicated by the slash between the colour and thread number. The weaver is supposed to reverse the weaving sequence at the pivot point to create a mirror image of the pattern. This is called a symmetrical tartan. Some tartans, like [[Clan Buchanan|Buchanan]], are asymmetrical, which means they do not have a pivot point. The weaver weaves the sequence all the way through and then starts at the beginning again for the next sett.

[[File:Kilted.jpg|thumb|left|[[Oliver (Scottish surname)|Oliver]] tartan kilt (2006)]]

Setts are further characterised by their size, the number of inches (or centimetres) in one full repeat. The size of a given sett depends on not only the number of threads in the repeat but also the weight of the fabric. This is because the heavier the fabric, the thicker the threads will be, and thus the same number of threads of a heavier-weight fabric will occupy more space. The colours given in the thread count are specified as in [[heraldry]], although tartan patterns are not heraldic. The exact shade which is used is a matter of artistic freedom and will vary from one [[Textile manufacturing|fabric mill]] to another as well as in [[dye]] lot to another within the same mill.

Tartans are commercially woven in four standard colour variations that describe the overall tone. "Ancient" or "Old" colours may be characterised by a slightly faded look intended to resemble the [[Traditional dyes of the Scottish Highlands|vegetable dyes]] that were once used, although in some cases "Old" simply identifies a tartan that was in use before the current one. Ancient greens and blues are lighter while reds appear orange. "Modern" colours are bright and show off modern [[aniline]] dyeing methods. The colours are bright red, dark hunter green, and usually navy blue. "Weathered" or "Reproduction" colours simulate the look of older cloth weathered by the elements. Greens turn to light brown, blues become grey, and reds are a deeper wine colour. The last colour variation is "Muted" which tends toward [[earth tone]]s. The greens are olive, blues are slate blue, and red is an even deeper wine colour. This means that of the approximately 3500 registered tartans available in the [[Scottish Tartans Authority]] database as of 2004<ref name="Newsome 2004">{{Citation |last=Newsome |first=Matthew Allen C |title=What's the 'Official' Word About Tartans? |date=December 2004 |url=http://www.albanach.org/official.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101025073858/http://albanach.org/official.htm |place=Clemmons, [[North Caroline|NC]] |publisher=Albanach |access-date=21 May 2010 |archive-date=25 October 2010}}</ref> there are four possible colour variations for each, resulting in around 14,000 recognised tartan choices.

Setts were registered until 2008, with the ''[[International Tartan Index]]'' (''ITI'') of the charitable organisation [[Scottish Tartans Authority]] (STA), which maintained a collection of fabric samples characterised by name and thread count, for free, which had its register, combined with others to form the ''[[Scottish Register of Tartans]]'' (''SRT'') of the statutory body the [[National Archives of Scotland]] (NAS), if the tartan meets SRT's criteria, for [[Pound sterling|£70]] as of 2010.  Although many tartans are added every year, most of the registered patterns available today were created in the 19th century onward by commercial weavers who worked with a large variety of colours.  The rise of Highland romanticism and the growing [[Anglicisation]] of Scottish culture by the Victorians at the time led to registering tartans with clan names. Before that, most of these patterns were more connected to geographical regions than to any clan. There is therefore nothing symbolic about the colours, and nothing about the patterns is a reflection of the status of the wearer.

==== Measurements ====
[[File:kilt stitching 001.jpg|thumb|right|Stitching on the fell of a kilt (Robertson Red Modern)]]

Although [[ready-to-wear]] kilts can be obtained in standard sizes, a custom kilt is tailored to the individual proportions of the wearer.  At least three measurements, the waist, hips, and length of the kilt, are usually required. Sometimes the rise (distance above the waist) or the fell (distance from waistline to the widest part of the hips) is also required.

A properly made kilt, when buckled on the tightest holes of the straps, is not so loose that the wearer can easily twist the kilt around their body, nor so tight that it causes "scalloping" of the fabric where it is buckled. Additionally, the length of the kilt when buckled at the waist reaches a point no lower than halfway across the [[kneecap]] and no higher than about an inch above it.

==== Pleating and stitching ====
[[File:kilt pleats 002.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Pleating to the stripe (2005)]]
[[File:kilt pleats 001.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Pleating to the sett]]

A kilt can be pleated with either [[box pleat|box]] or [[knife pleat]]s. A knife pleat is a simple fold, while the box pleat is bulkier, consisting of two knife pleats back-to-back. Knife pleats are the most common in modern civilian kilts.  Regimental traditions vary. The [[Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders]] use box pleats, while the [[Black Watch]] make their kilts of the same tartan with knife pleats. These traditions were also passed on to affiliated regiments in the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]], and were retained in successor [[battalion]]s to these regiments in the amalgamated [[Royal Regiment of Scotland]].

Pleats can be arranged relative to the pattern in two ways. In ''pleating to the stripe'', one of the vertical stripes in the tartan is selected and the fabric is then folded so that this stripe runs down the center of each pleat.  The result is that along the pleated section of the kilt (the back and sides) the pattern appears different from the unpleated front, often emphasising the horizontal bands rather than creating a balance between horizontal and vertical. This is often called military pleating because it is the style adopted by many military regiments. It is also widely used by pipe bands.

In ''pleating to the sett'', the fabric is folded so that the pattern of the sett is maintained and is repeated all around the kilt. This is done by taking up one full sett in each pleat, or two full setts if they are small. This causes the pleated sections to have the same pattern as the unpleated front.

Any pleat is characterised by depth and width. The portion of the pleat that protrudes under the overlying pleat is the size or width. The pleat width is selected based on the size of the sett and the amount of fabric to be used in constructing the kilt, and will generally vary from about 1/2" to about 3/4".

The depth is the part of the pleat which is folded under the overlying pleat. It depends solely on the size of the tartan sett even when pleating to the stripe, since the sett determines the spacing of the stripes.

The number of pleats used in making kilts depends upon how much material is to be used in constructing the garment and upon the size of the sett.

The pleats across the fell are tapered slightly since the wearer's waist is usually narrower than the hips and the pleats are usually stitched down either by machine or by hand.

In Highland dancing, it is easy to see the effect of the stitching on the action of a kilt. The kilt hugs the dancer's body from the waist down to the hipline and, from there, in response to the dancer's movements, it breaks sharply out. The way the kilt moves in response to the dance steps is an important part of the dance. If the pleats were not stitched down in this portion of the kilt, the action, or movement, would be quite different. Kilts made for Highland dancing are typically pleated to the sett, as opposed to the stripe. 

==== Accessories ====
{{Main|Kilt accessories}}

[[File:Highland Dance 002.jpg|thumb|Highland dancer revealing the action of a kilt, worn here with a velvet waistcoat]]

The Scottish kilt is usually worn with kilt [[hosiery|hose]] (woollen socks), turned down at the knee, often with garters and flashes, and a {{lang|gd|[[sporran]]}} ([[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]] for "purse": a type of pouch), which hangs around the waist from a chain or leather strap. This may be plain or embossed leather, or decorated with sealskin, fur, or polished metal plating.

Other common accessories, depending on the formality of the context, include:

* A belt (usually with embossed buckle)
* A jacket (of various traditional designs)
* A [[kilt pin]]
* A {{lang|gd|[[sgian-dubh]]}} (Gaelic: "black knife": a small sheathed knife worn in the top of the hose)
* [[Ghillie brogues]]
* Occasionally worn with a [[ghillie shirt]], although this is more casual and, being a relatively modern invention, should not be confused with actual historic garments.

==== Styles of kilt wear ====
{{see also|Highland dress}}
[[File:Fellowship, FRCP(Edin), of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh granted to Dr. Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin.jpg|thumb|An Iraqi neurologist wears a kilt with an Argyll jacket at fellowship admission ceremony at the [[Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh]], November 2015]]
Today most [[Scottish people]] regard kilts as [[formal dress]] or [[national dress]]. Although there are still a few people who wear a kilt daily, it is generally owned or hired to be worn at weddings or other formal occasions and may be worn by anyone regardless of nationality or descent. For semi-formal wear, kilts are usually worn with a Prince Charlie coatee (worn with a [[Black tie|black bow tie]]) or an Argyll jacket (worn with a black bow tie or a regular [[necktie]]). Full formal is [[White tie|white-tie]] and calls for a more formal coat, such as the Sherrifmuir doublet or regulation doublet. Irish formal dress is distinguished from Highland dress by the Brian Boru jacket, a modified Prince Charlie with a shawl collar, chain closure and round buttons. In all these cases, the coats are worn with an accompanying waistcoat (vest).

Kilts are also used for parades by groups such as the [[Boys' Brigade]] and [[Scouting|Scouts]], and in many places kilts are seen in force at [[Highland games]] and [[pipe band]] championships as well as being worn at [[Scottish country dance]]s and [[ceilidh]]s.

Certain regiments and other units of the British Army and armies of other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] nations (including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa) with a Scottish heritage still continue to wear kilts as part of dress or duty uniform, though they have not been used in combat since 1940<ref>{{Cite news |title=Army's wartime bloomers revealed |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2221824.stm |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref> Uniforms in which kilts are worn include ceremonial dress, service dress, and barracks dress. Kilts are considered appropriate for ceremonial and less formal parades, office duties, walking out, mess dinners, classroom instruction, and band practice. Ceremonial kilts have also been developed for the [[United States Marine Corps|US Marine Corps]], and the pipe and drum bands of the [[United States Military Academy|US Military Academy]], [[United States Naval Academy|US Naval Academy]], and [[Norwich University]] (the military college of Vermont).

It is becoming somewhat less rare to see them in the workplace.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bolton |first=Andrew |title=Bravehearts: Men in Skirts |publisher=[[Victoria and Albert Museum]] |year=2003 |isbn=0-8109-6558-5 |location=London}}</ref> Casual use of kilts dressed down with lace-up boots or moccasins, and with T-shirts or golf shirts, is becoming increasingly familiar at Highland games. The kilt is associated with a sense of Scottish national pride and will often be seen being worn, along with a [[Kit (association football)|football top]], when members of the [[Tartan Army]] are watching a [[association football|football]] or [[Rugby football|rugby]] match. The small [[sgian-dubh]] knife is sometimes replaced by a wooden or plastic alternative or omitted altogether for security concerns;<ref>{{Cite web |last=MacMillan |first=Arthur |date=26 November 2006 |title=Top private school bans sgian-dubhs ahead of Christmas dance |url=http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=637&id=1752112006 |access-date=19 October 2009 |website=[[The Scotsman]]}}</ref> for example, it typically is not allowed to be worn or carried onto a commercial aircraft.<ref>{{Citation |title=FAQ |url=http://www.stanstedairport.com/help/faqs |contribution=Can I carry sharp-edged religious/cultural regalia/accessories (eg Kirpans, Sgian Dhub or Dirks) on my person or in my hand baggage? |publisher=Stansted Airport}}.</ref>

=== Ireland ===
[[File:Irish Army Pipe Band.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Irish Defence Force]] pipers wearing saffron kilts]]

Though the origins of the Irish kilt continue to be a subject of debate, current evidence suggests that kilts originated in the [[Scottish Highlands]] and [[Scottish Islands|Isles]] and were worn by Irish nationalists from at least 1850s onwards and then cemented from the early 1900s as a symbol of Gaelic identity.<ref name="scottishtartans1">{{cite web |first=Matthew Allen C |last=Newsome |url=http://scottishtartans.org/education/irish_kilt.php |title=Hibernean Dress, Caledonian Custom |work=Scottish Tartans Museum |location=Franklin, NC |publisher=The Scottish Tartans Museum |year=2010 |access-date=15 March 2017 |archive-date=16 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316115326/http://scottishtartans.org/education/irish_kilt.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>

A garment that has often been mistaken for kilts in early depictions is the Irish {{lang|ga|[[léine]] croich}} ('saffron shirt'), a long tunic traditionally made from yellow cloth, but also found in other solid colours (e.g. black, green, red, or brown), or striped. Solid-coloured kilts were first adopted for use by Irish nationalists and thereafter by Irish regiments serving in the British Army, but they could often be seen in late 19th and early 20th century photos in Ireland especially at political and musical gatherings, as the kilt was re-adopted as a symbol of Gaelic nationalism in Ireland during this period.<ref name="scottishtartans1" /> Tartan was rarer in Irish kilts, as it was more expensive to manufacture. For the most part it was usually only used for sashes, trews and shawls. Wealthy Irish such as the Gaelic chieftains and high-ranking soldiers could afford tartan kilts.

Within the world of Irish dancing, boys' kilts have been largely abandoned, especially since the worldwide popularity of [[Riverdance]] and the revival and interest in Irish dancing generally.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://histclo.com/act/dance/danceir.html |title=Irish Step Dancing Costumes |publisher=Historical Boys Clothing |access-date=25 July 2009}}</ref>

The Irish still wear kilts but they are largely restricted to formal events and weddings. Irish marching bands often dress in kilts as well.

=== Other Celtic nations ===

Although not a traditional component of national dress outside Scotland or Ireland, kilts have become recently popular in the other [[Celtic nations]] as a sign of Celtic identity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/faw/welshdress/ |title=Welsh National Dress |publisher=St. Fagan's National History Museum |access-date=11 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013002907/http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/faw/welshdress/ |archive-date=13 October 2008 }}</ref> Kilts and tartans can therefore also be seen in [[Wales]], Cornwall, the [[Isle of Man]], Brittany and [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]]; [[Northumbria]]n kilts in [[border tartan]] have also been adopted.

There are currently sixteen [[Bretons|Breton]] tartans officially recorded in the Scottish tartan registries. The Breton tartans are: Brittany National (Breton National),<ref name="Tartan register: Brittany National">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=364 | title = Tartan register | contribution = Brittany National}}.</ref> Brittany Walking,<ref name= "Tartan register: Brittany National Walking">{{Citation | title = Tartan register | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=365 | contribution = Brittany National Walking}}.</ref> Lead it Of, and a further nine county tartans (Kerne,<ref name = "Tartan register: Bro-kerne">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=376 | title = Tartan register | contribution = Bro-kerne}}.</ref> Leon,<ref name ="Tartan register: Bro-Leon">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=377 | title = Tartan register | contribution = Bro-Leon}}.</ref> Tregor,<ref name ="Tartan register: Bro-Dreger">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=375 | title = Tartan register | contribution = Bro-Dreger}}.</ref> [[Bro-Wened|Gwened]],<ref name="Tartan register: Bro-Wened">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=390 | title = Tartan register | contribution = Bro-Wened}}.</ref> Dol,<ref name="Tartan register: Bro-Zol">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=397 | title = Tartan register | contribution = Bro-Zol}}.</ref> St. Malo,<ref name= "Tartan register: Bro-Sant-Maloù">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=387 | title = Tartan register | contribution = Bro-Sant-Maloù}}.</ref> Rennes,<ref name="Tartan register: Bro-Raozhon">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=385 | title = Tartan register | contribution = Bro-Raozhon}}.</ref> Nantes,<ref name="Tartan register: Bro-Naoned">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=378/ | title = Tartan register | contribution = Bro-Naoned}}.</ref> St. Brieuc).<ref name="Tartan register: Bro-Sant-Brieg">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=386 | title = Tartan register | contribution = Bro-Sant-Brieg}}.</ref> Others have been recently created for smaller areas in Brittany (Ushent, Bro Vigoudenn and Menez Du "Black Mountain").<ref name="Tartan register: Menez Du">{{cite web| work =Tartan register | publisher =National Records | location = Scotland, UK |url=https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=2916 | title = Menez Du |access-date=21 August 2012}}</ref><ref name="Un Breton en kilt">{{cite web | url = http://reun-jezegou.blog4ever.com/blog/ | title = Un Breton en kilt | last = Reun-Jezegou | publisher = Blog4ever | access-date = 21 August 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130118110627/http://reun-jezegou.blog4ever.com/blog/ | archive-date = 18 January 2013}}</ref>

There are three [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]]n tartans recorded in the Scottish registries: Galicia,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Galicia|url=https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=1298|access-date=2022-02-07|website=Scottish Register of Tartans}}</ref> "Gallaecia – Galician National",<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gallaecia - Galicia National|url=https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=5975|access-date=2022-02-07|website=Scottish Register of Tartans}}</ref> and Bombeiros Voluntarios De Galicia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bombeiros Voluntarios De Galicia|url=https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=5799|access-date=2022-02-07|website=Scottish Register of Tartans}}</ref> There is historical evidence of the use of tartan and kilt in Galicia up to the 18th century.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tartan.galician.org/kilts.htm | title = History of the Kilt in Galicia and Other Celtic Nations | publisher = Kilt and Tartan Gallaecia | access-date = 10 June 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090511015706/http://www.tartan.galician.org/kilts.htm | archive-date = 11 May 2009 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

Kilts are also traditionally worn by some people in [[Austria]], especially in [[Carinthia]] and [[Upper Austria]], due to their Celtic heritage.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-08-06 |title=Is Austria the true home of the kilt? |url=https://english.radio.cz/austria-true-home-kilt-8089392 |access-date=2022-09-15 |website=Radio Prague International |language=en}}</ref>

=== Contemporary designs ===
[[File:EdinburghModelKilt.JPG|thumb|200px|left|Example of contemporary kilt]]

Kilts and other male skirts in general were relaunched as a trend during the 1980s. [[Stephen Sprouse]] introduced a black denim mini-skirt over black denim jeans in 1983. Then in 1984, [[Jean Paul Gaultier]] made waves in the fashion industry when he reintroduced mini skirts and kilts for men.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Duka|first=John|date=1984-10-27|title=Skirts for Men? Yes and No|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/27/style/skirts-for-men-yes-and-no.html|access-date=2020-08-10|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Starting in the late 1990s, contemporary kilts (also known as modern kilts, fashion kilts, and, especially in the United States, utility kilts) have appeared in the clothing marketplace in Scotland,<ref>{{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/850061.stm | title = Kilts Dance to New Tune | work =[[BBC News]] | date = 25 July 2000 | access-date =10 June 2009}}</ref> the US, and Canada in a range of fabrics, including leather, [[denim]], [[corduroy]], and cotton.<ref>{{cite news| last = Harper | first = Christina | url = http://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/revealing-a-new-look-kilt-for-everyday-wear-2463263 | title = Revealing a New-Look Kilt for Everyday Wear | date=29 June 2006 | work = The Scotsman | at=Heritage & Culture | access-date =10 June 2009 }}</ref> They may be designed for formal or casual dress, for use in sports or outdoor recreation, or as white or blue collar workwear. Some are closely modelled on traditional Scottish kilts, but others are similar only in being knee-length skirt-like garments for men. They may have box pleats, symmetrical knife pleats and be fastened by snaps, studs or velcro instead of buckles. Many are designed to be worn without a sporran, and may have pockets or tool belts attached.

In Canada, kilts are widely common as part of female dress at schools with a uniform policy. As well, due to the rich Scottish heritage of the country, they may frequently be seen at weddings and formal events. In [[Nova Scotia]], they may even be worn as common daily attire.

[[File:Scottish Kilt.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Contemporary hybrid kilt]]

In 2008, a [[USPS]] letter carrier, Dean Peterson, made a formal proposal that the kilt be approved as an acceptable postal uniform—for reasons of comfort.<ref name="talkofthenation">{{Cite news|work=[[Talk of the Nation]]| publisher = [[NPR]]|date= 21 July 2008 | author = Block, Melissa | author-link = Melissa Block | title = Wash. Mail Carrier Seeks Right to Wear Kilt to Work| access-date =19 February 2010| url = https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92751655}}</ref><ref name="AP">{{cite news | author= Catchpole, Dan|title = U.S. mail carrier demands kilt uniform option | agency = [[Associated Press]]|work=[[USA Today]]  |date= 6 August 2008 | url = https://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2008-08-06-kilt-uniform_N.htm | access-date =19 February 2010}}</ref> The proposal was defeated at the convention of the 220,000-member [[National Association of Letter Carriers]] in 2008 by a large margin.<ref name="AP"/>

[[5.11 Tactical]] produced a "tactical duty kilt" as an [[April Fools' Day|April Fools' joke]] but has continued producing it.<ref>{{cite press release|agency= PR Newswire|title=Tactical Duty Kilt Is Back|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-511-tactical-tactical-duty-kilt-is-back-255336061.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officer.com/article/11407982/no-joke-how-511s-tactical-duty-kilt-was-born|title=No Joke: How 5:11's Tactical Duty Kilt Was Born |date=16 April 2014 |access-date=25 June 2017}}</ref> The contemporary hybrid kilts are made up of [[tartan]]-woven fabric material.<ref name="Brown2012">{{cite book|author=Ian Brown|title=From Tartan to Tartanry: Scottish Culture, History and Myth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vGLGuwAACAAJ|year=2012|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|isbn=978-0-7486-6464-1}}</ref><ref name="Foster1888">{{cite book|author=Frank Pierce Foster|title=International Record of Medicine and General Practice Clinics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qd01AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA654|year=1888|publisher=MD Publications|pages=654–}}</ref>

Female athletes, especially [[lacrosse]] and [[field hockey]] players, often wear lacrosse kilts, a simple form of contemporary kilt. They will typically wear [[compression shorts]] or [[spandex]] underneath. Such kilts are popular among many levels of lacrosse, from youth leagues to college leagues, although some teams are replacing the kilt with the more streamlined [[athletic skirt]].

Men's kilts are often seen in popular contemporary media. For example, in the [[Syfy]] series ''[[Tin Man (miniseries)|Tin Man]]'', side characters are shown wearing kilts as peasant working clothes. Trends in everyday fashion, especially in the Gothic subculture, have led to a popularisation of the kilt as an alternative to more conventional menswear. Some of these are made of [[PVC]] or cotton-polyester blends.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Scotland}}
{{div col}}
* [[Arisaid]]
* [[Belted plaid]]
* [[Dhoti]]
* [[Fly plaid]]
* [[Full plaid]]
* [[Fustanella]]
* [[Highland dress]]
* [[Lungi]]
* [[Men's skirts]]
* [[Shendyt]]
* [[Tartan]]
* [[Trews]]
* [[Wrap (clothing)]]
{{div col end}}

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==

* {{Citation | editor1-last = Trevor-Roper | editor1-first = Hugh | editor2-last = Hobsbawm | editor2-first = Eric | editor3-last = Ranger | editor3-first = Terence | year = 1983 | title = The Invention of Tradition | publisher = Cambridge University Press | place = United Kingdom | isbn = 0-521-24645-8 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/inventionoftradi0000unse }}.
* {{Citation | editor-last = Thomson | editor-first = Thomas | editor-link = Thomas Thomson (chemist) | year = 1816 | title = [[Annals of Philosophy]] | volume = VIII | publisher = Baldwin, Cradock and Joy | place = London }}

== Further reading ==

* Teall, Gordon; and Smith, Jr., Philip D. (1992). ''District Tartans''. Shepheard-Walwyn (London, United Kingdom).  {{ISBN|0-85683-085-2}}.
* {{Citation |last1=Tewksbury |first1=Barbara |title=The Art of Kiltmaking |year=2001 |place=Rome, New York |publisher=Celtic Dragon Press |isbn=0-9703751-0-7 |ref=none |last2=Stuehmeyer |first2=Elsie}}.
* Thompson, J. Charles (1979).  ''So You're Going to Wear the Kilt''. Heraldic Art Press (Arlington, Virginia).  {{ISBN|0-86228-017-6}}.
*Kinloch Anderson, Deirdre (2013). ''Kinloch Anderson, A Scottish Tradition.'' Neil Wilson Publishing (Castle Douglas, United Kingdom) {{ISBN|978-1906000677}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Kilts}}
* [http://www.tartansauthority.com The Scottish Tartans Authority]
* [http://www.electricscotland.com/history/highland_dress.htm Acts Against the Highland Dress]
* [http://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p15324coll12/searchterm/Clans%20of%20the%20Scottish%20Highlands/order/nosort Clans of the Scottish Highlands Fashion Plates] from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries, featuring a variety of kilts

{{Scottish clans}}
{{Folk costume}}
{{Europe topic|National costume of}}

[[Category:Scottish Highland dance]]
[[Category:Highland dress]]
[[Category:Skirts]]
[[Category:Men's clothing]]
[[Category:Visual and material culture of Scotland]]