Highland dress was initially associated with the Gaelic north and west of the country and, coinciding as it did with the emergence of an elite warrior culture, it became associated with combat.
Highland dress was adopted by the Hanoverian army as it tried to gain control in Scotland; the kilted soldier even grew to be regarded as a symbol of the British Empire.
Part of a Highland Dress exhibition in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh
After the Jacobites’ final defeat at the battle of Culloden in 1746 the wearing of Highland dress (except as government army uniform) was banned in Scotland. The ban was not repealed until 1782.
This ban meant that kilts ceased to be the costume of the normal person and upon its rehabituation it became instead a symbol of Scotland as a whole. A peaceful visit by King George IV in 1822 was orchestrated by Sir Walter Scott who encouraged everyone to wear tartan.
Part of a Highland Dress exhibition in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh
Display at National Museum of Scotland
Kilts are now recognised worldwide as a symbol of Scotland and Scottish culture.
Dunedin, Florida
Kilts are often worn at formal occasions and celebrations such as weddings.
Edinburgh shop window
Travel with Intent 
This was really an interesting read!
I enjoyed this for the letter K very much!
A+
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Some letters are easier than others!
On Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 5:43 PM, Travel with Intent wrote:
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Very interesting history of the kilt.
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Enjoyed learning about the kilt history…great K post♪
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There’s something about a man in a kilt. The history you presented is wonderfully educational. The pictures of then and now are terrific. I love the dress in the window. Great post for the letter “K”.
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I’m always happy when I can bring a bit of variety into a themed post
On Fri, Aug 1, 2014 at 12:24 PM, Travel with Intent wrote:
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Gotta love a man in a kilt! That’s why I watch Celtic Thunder….
I’m glad you gave some history — very interesting!
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Nice to see their legs for a change, isn’t it!
On Thu, Jul 31, 2014 at 1:38 PM, Travel with Intent wrote:
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Lovely collections and the painting is awesome.
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Great post for K ~ love the kilt ~ and great historic shots for AT ~ thanks
artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)
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I don’t have the legs!
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Love this choice for the letter K. I bought a kilt in Scotland in 1973 and now my daughter wears it…
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A kilt is the most comfortable thing I’ve ever worn. Wish I could do it more often!
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Just go for it!
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I visited Culloden years ago while visiting Scotland and it was an amazing site – such a small area for so much bloodshed! I have some Scottish blood in me so am always interested in the clan kilts. My daughter’s date for graduation even wore his kilt – and the whole regalia!
Leslie
abcw team
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I do like to see a kilt for formal wear – nice for the men to be able to bring colour to an occasion as well as the women
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What a wonderful collection… Love it…
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Didn’t realise that people still wore kilts today.
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recently I saw some Kilt men in Germany, I was surprised at first, but then realized: “there must be a soccer match in town vs. a Scottish team”; soon I saw the leader of the fan group jumping up on a table, there he trained his fellows to response to some short shouted slogans…
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P.S.: I have a friend, a Scottish guitarist, Ian McAulay, every time when he plays his electric guitar, it sounds like a gang of bagpipes…
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I didn’t know the history so was interested by that, Debbie. I love the variety of the tartans. It was a delight wandering round Edinburgh that day with the swirl of colour everywhere. Nice frock in that last pic!
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And a real kilt is quite an investment in terms of money these days
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Hi Great collections and I would have loved to have seen the Bay City Rollers.
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Great entry for the challenge! Kilts were fashionable back in the 1950s and ’60s too (and not only in Scotland) – I remember wearing one as a child, complete with kilt pin 🙂
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And there was Bay City Rollers on the 70s!
Sent from my iPhone
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Oh, that’s a memory to suppress!
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Wonderful collection I love the painting 🙂
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