Tartans & Plaids

June 12, 2014

Tartans & Plaids

Hello! My first year of grad school is over (phew!) and I am settling in to a nice summer schedule. I am quite excited to get back in to a normal blogging routine; lots of new things to research, discuss and share! For now, enjoy this short paper I wrote for my World Textiles class on Scottish plaids and tartans. I thoroughly enjoyed diving in to this topic; as will be evident, I have barely scratched the surface!

Until next week...

Sarah

The Scottish kilt, and its tartan pattern, is one of the most widely recognizable symbols of cultural dress in the western world. The kilt in recent years has had many incarnations showcased amongst the fashion savvy and models on the catwalk. Embraced and reconstructed by designers like Marc Jacobs and Alexander McQueen, the kilt has become somewhat of a cult garment within the world of fashion. Before its post-modern incarnation, the kilt stood on its own with a rich history firmly tied to tartan fabric and Highland weaving. Commonly labeled as “plaid” tartans were actually the design on a plaid—which is, pieces of tartan fabric worn hand pleated and belted. It is here where the origin of the kilt begins.

Evidence of the Highland belted plaid dates to the sixteenth century, with plaids worn before this time as loose mantles over tunics. Plaids are comprised of six ells (or eighteen feet) of double tartan fabric. The “double” refers to the fact that two lengths of fabric are sewn together lengthwise to create the piece used as a garment. This is necessary as Highland looms only produce fabric with a maximum width of 25-30 inches. Belted plaids were worn hand pleated around the bottom half of the body and secured by a leather belt; the rest of the fabric would then be arranged over the shoulder and upper half of the body as the wearer desired. The extra fabric could also be folded and tucked in to the belt in order to create pockets. Some plaids included loops inside the bottom half of the garment with a cord running through in order to assist with the pleating of the fabric. Plaids would always be worn with some version of a tunic. The modern kilt (or little kilt) as it is known today bears its origins in the 1730s. It was developed so as to enable the wearer to remove the top part of the garment if wet or soiled, without removing all of his clothing. [1]

1743. van der Gucht engraving of two Highland soliders in the belted plaid.

A simple French illustration of the belted plaid.

Photo credit: Tartans Authority

As they were woven of thick wool, plaids were utilized by the lower class of Highlanders as both clothing and bedding. In a letter dated 1726 English engineer Captain Burt wrote: “…the plaid serves the ordinary people for a cloak by day and bedding at night … it imbibes so much perspiration that no-one can free it from the filthy smell…” This description, while extreme, bears witness to the multifaceted role of the plaid in Highlander’s daily lives.[2]

The Irish kilt bears a later date in origin than the Highland kilt. It was adopted as national dress in the nineteenth century as an Irish reaction against British rule and most popularly adopted by Irish pipers and nationalists. While commonly worn in saffron or green, more recent Irish generations have adopted tartans to represent the country itself, counties within Ireland and individual families. Archeological evidence exists that proves the tartan was worn in various incarnations centuries prior to the conception of the Irish kilt. The Dungiven outfit, discovered in 1956 dates to c. 1600-1650, and consisting of trews, a doublet and fragments of a cloak, bears the Ulster tartan. There is evidence of the trews being tailored in Scotland but the fabric itself was woven in Ireland.[3]

An active weaving industry still exists today in the Scottish Highlands. MacNaughton Holdings, begun in 1783 as a spinning mill, is now a company that encompasses the creation of national apparel as well as home furnishings. MacNaughtons prides itself on their in-house woven fabrics. The company describes themselves in this way: “Most of our fabric is woven in a small town in the Scottish Highlands, called Keith. Although our weaving mill is equipped with most modern looms, we don't discard the traditional weaving methods, especially for our fine tartan collection.” Included in their workshops are both modern and traditional looms, including the Dob and the Jacquard: “For our traditional plain weaves, such as twills and tartans we still use the traditional Dob Cross looms. With these looms the original kilting selvedge is woven, which is a seamless end of the kilting fabric. Cheaper kilts on the market are mostly woven with the cheaper tuck-in selvedge. Each tartan has a definite set of Dob Cross chains, which distinguish the pattern of the tartan.”[4]

Kilts and plaids, constructed both of wool and silk, were originally dyed with natural dyes. In the nineteenth century, man-made dyes began to predominate and the tartan industry followed suit. Today, MacNoughton uses reactive package dyeing, promising to provide “superior fastness to washing and light, as well as brighter hues.” This goal is accomplished by MacNaughton’s combining of several generations of dyer’s knowledge with the latest technology. Keith Hendrie, head of MacNaughton’s dyeing plant in the South of Scotland believes the consistency in color is aided by the fact that “colouration has been on the site for over 100 years, using the naturally soft Scottish water from our own well.” The moisture content of the fibers is carefully considered in order to achieve the most efficient weave.[5]

To this day there are several weaving workshops still in active existence along with MacNaughton. Weaver’s Cottage located just outside of Glasgow subscribes to historic technique and method when creating traditional tartan cloth. Wool is spun in to thread on period spinning wheels and dyed in-house before being woven on a traditional Highland Loom. J. Higgins Ltd. prides themselves on quality handmade fabric and custom attire including kilts, jackets and hose. Tartan Authority is the most definitive guide to tartans and Highland dress, only selling wares from accredited Scottish members. [6]

A woman works on a tradional loom at Weaver's Cottage. Photo credit: Visit Scotland

The kilt suit and its accoutrements is the traditional costume of the Scottish people. Fashion has appropriated the fine-spun wool and historic techniques for its own purposes as evidenced most famously by Chanel’s woven tweed suits in the 1960s, crafted from Scottish textiles. One of the most famous Scottish textile designers is Serbian Jew Bernart Klein. Klein’s textiles employed traditional weaving techniques infused with his love for bright and pastel colors. He moved to Scotland after WWII and by 1952 had set up a weaving industry to produce tweeds in Galashiels. Chanel was the first couturier to come knocking, enticed by Klein’s soft, vibrant tweeds. Chanel’s approval of Klein lead other designers to his door—most notably, Balenciaga, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin.[7]

The history of the textile trade in Scotland is preserved and celebrated in several sites across the country; The Borders Textile Towerhouse is one such place. Located in Harwick, Scotland the historic site serves as a museum dedicated to the history of creating Scottish textiles. A variety of family and educational programming is offered in which the public can actively take part in their own weaving and design projects. The museum’s mission is to celebrate and educate visitors about Scotland’s rich textile history as well as to inspire and encourage interest in textile design as it relates to mainstream fashion.[8]

Today the kilt exists in many modern variations for men, women and children. Daywear, formalwear, bridal wear and military attire are among the many options for Scots around the world, as well as for textile enthusiasts willing to indulge in this ancient traditional attire. The pride of Scottish culture and the importance of preserving the history of Scotland’s spinners and weavers keeps the shrunken industry moving forward. Fashion, though distorting of the kilt’s original purpose, plays a crucial role in the tartan’s survival for decades to come.