The Ever Masculine Manskirt

Image source: http://www.kiltmen.com/

     Some people may think that a man in skirt is the furthest from straight that a man could possibly be. Scottish (and Irish) men have proven this wrong on many levels. Kilts are 'manskirts' that date back to at least sixteenth century Scotland. When they were highly prominent, a saying came about that said "a man in a kilt is a man and a half." You obviously couldn't take this to mean that the men in Scotland were weak men. The Scots word is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word Kilting, taken from the Norse settlers who wore a similar pleated garment.

     Kilts, in older times, were not tailored in any way but was made from two loom widths of material sewn together which gave it a total width of about sixty inches and its length was about seven yards. It was a heavy garment that required time an help in order for the man to get in it. He would have to first lay out his belt under the material, then he would have to fold it into pleats. Afterwards, he would then lie on it, wrap it around his body, and secure it into place with his belt. These days, a man can put on a kilt by himself with no help whatsoever. 


     Sadly, after the kilted 51st Highland Division was rated by the Germans as "the most formidable of all the formations" during the First World War, the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the battle of Culloden began the banning of the use of Highland dress and tartan. Any offenders were to be killed or sent to the colonies. This banning of wearing their Highland outfits lasted until 1782 but even then, they were only permitted to wear any Scottish wear if the joined the British Armed Services or became a piper.


     Other than kilts, they were allowed to wear their barmoral (a type of hat) with their clan badge on it or the regular military uniform. Now, into the 21st century, some men are still wearing the kilt as a reminder of their history.

To learn more about these history loving men, click here.


To learn more about the history of kilts in general, click here.

     This is shows how to put on a traditional kilt. It's quite long but sort of fascinating as well! (Try not to pay attention to their talking) 


OUTLANDER MOMENT: 

"The rest of the journey passed uneventfully, if you consider it uneventful to ride fifteen miles on horseback through rough country at night, frequently without benefit of roads, in company with kilted men armed to the teeth, and sharing a horse with a wounded man. At least we were not set upon by highwaymen, we encountered no wild beasts, and it didn't rain. By the standards I was becoming used to, it was quite dull." 

-Diana Gabaldon- "Outlander"