The
Belted Plaid
or "Great Kilt"
"Plaid" is the Gaelic word for a blanket, and
that's just what the belted plaid was -- a large
blanket that was gathered around your body and belted at the waist. This
garment, worn from the the end of the sixteenth century until the beginning of
the nineteenth, was the beginning of the kilt as we know it today.
Commonly called the "Great Kilt" be reenactors today, it was also known as the
feilidh-mor (large wrap) or breacan-feile (tartan wrap).
Originally, it was made from two widths of hand
woven cloth (usually tartan). 25" to 30" wide, sewn together to make a plaid
that was 50" to 60" wide and anywhere from 3 to 6 yards long (with 4 to 5
yards being average).
For the history of this fascinating garment,
read the article,
"The Early
Kilt", or read Early
Highland Dress by Matthew A. C. Newsome.
In the past, before the advent of the "clan
tartan" system in the nineteenth century, Highlanders would have worn a tartan
based on availability and aesthetics. Today, tartans have a meaning, and
represent clans, families, districts, and even corporations! You may
choose to wear a belted plaid in any tartan you like.
You can purchase your belted plaid one of three ways. The first is
simply to order the amount of cloth you wish (4
yards is recommended, 5 yards if you are more than 46" in the waist), fringe the two cut ends yourself, and
viola! you have an authentic belted plaid. Normally, the plaid was
worn as a completely untailored garment, with the pleating arranged each time
you put it on. The cost for this is simply the cost of cloth. Any
weight of 10oz or above is suitable.
Order
your cloth here.
Alternately, you can also opt for one of our
two add-on options (you will still need to purchase your cloth above).
Drawstring: One option is to have a drawstring
tacked onto the kilt with small loops, at the rate of one every full repeat of
the tartan, at your waist line. The kilt would be worn by gathering the
plaid with the draw string, tying it around the waist, then putting a belt
around the whole thing to secure it. This is one easy way of donning the
plaid without assistance (or lying down on the muddy ground!). We know
this method was used as early as the late seventeenth century, possibly
earlier. We'll need to know your waist size, and length from
waist to top of knee. $25 add on.
Tailored Pleats: This is what we light-heartedly refer to as
the "cheater" method, although it was used by the military in the
late eighteenth century. That is to sew down the pleats in the kilt a
length of two inches. Belt loops (keepers) are also added. Your
belt is run through the keepers to secure the kilt in place.
We'll need to know your waist size, and length from waist to top of knee. $100 add on.
