Kilt Help

What Is The Difference Between A Kilt And A Tartan?

Kilts and tartan are two different things. To some people, they are the same things. It creates confusion. To solve this riddle, we decided to study both entities. They are closely connected, but they are different. A kilt is a traditional Scottish attire. On the other hand, a tartan is a same-patterned woven cloth. Are you still trying to understand? Let us explain both of these units individually.

What Is A Kilt?

Mostly, you see different Scots or Irish people wearing the same attire during festivals and special events like Christmas, Highland games, weddings, and national holidays. These outfits are their traditional ones. A particular part of these outfits covering the lower part till the knee is a kilt. Amazingly the history of kilts is almost 4 centuries old, making it historically and culturally rich. The kilt’s history is different from the tartan. We will discuss it after describing what a tartan is.

What Is Tartan?

It’s time to answer another question, “what is tartan?” It is a cloth with a specific and continuous pattern on it. The documented history of kilts was initiated in the 16th century. At the same time, the tartan’s history is still debatable. According to the studies, the first documented history, tartan, was initially found in the 3rd or the 4th century AD.

Difference Between Kilt And Tartan

The discussion till now described what are kilts and tartans. So, why should we start from something other than historical differences?

The History Of Kilts

Though kilts are worn in many countries now, their area of origin is Scotland. Ireland also has its kilts, and people there usually wear this attire but on specific occasions. Historians claim that the base of kilts was found in Scotland in the 16th century. On the other hand, when we observe the history of kilts with an Irish perspective, some historians claim that a man found an Irish kilt dug in the land in 1590. However, Scots kilts are more prominent in history.

The History Of Tartans

Tartan’s history is much more ancient than that of the kilts. As stated above, the first sign of tartan was witnessed in the 3rd or 4th century AD. Some studies declare that a piece of tartan was found in a pottery jar in 250 AD. The Scottish government secured that tartan piece at the  National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Kilts primarily represent Scottish and Irish culture. Conversely, the tartans appear as the symptom of any Scottish clan. What is a clan? The clan is a kinship among the group of people who follow the single leader. Their leader works as their protector and judiciary hero. Some tartan kilts people wear today have an ancestral clan who used to wear them once.

Varieties Difference

Though tartans and kilts are intertwined, they are still different like their histories. Both of them are transformed into various types and shapes till invention. Have a look at these variations here:

Kilt Variations

The kilts we see people wearing today worldwide were not as they appear now. The first kilt that Highlander wore was “féileadh mòr.” From then to now, kilts have adopted various forms:

  • The Great Kilts
  • Casual Kilts
  • Sports Kilts
  • Modern Kilts
  • Ladies Kilts
  • Fashion Kilts
  • Utility Kilts
  • Military kilts

Tartan Variations

Some tartans are associated with clans. However, it does not mean that all tartans represent any clan. According to studies, there are 500 clans worldwide, each with a specific tartan. We can conclude that variations in tartan do not have any particular number. When we talk about their design variations (not patterns), we have a list of a few:

  • Ancient Tartan
  • Hunting Tartan
  • Weather Tartan
  • Modern Tartan

Common Misconceptions

This point might be less discussed compared to the entities themselves. While discussing the differences between kilts and tartans, we must examine different myths that exist. Knowing them will add to your knowledge.

Kilt Myths

  • Only men used to wear kilts. This point was valid for a specific time. The studies claim that women also started wearing kilts in the 19th century.
  • The kilts we put on today are ancient or traditional attires. This point needs some clarification since the kilts in this era are modern ones. Remember, the kilts were never as they are today. Nonetheless, they faced multiple variations.
  • Kilts represent the history of Scotland. It is also a misconception since the Irish people have their kilts with a specific history. This myth answers another question as well. Some people ask, “Do Irish wear kilts?” Yes, they do!

Tartan Myths

  • All tartans are specified to any clan. It is a miscomprehension. The tartans related to clans are very specific in numbers. Tartans are being made in different styles now.
  • Only people affiliated with any clan can use the tartan. Only 20% of Scots know their clan. The time has changed. Everyone is allowed to put on tartan, but he should respect the traditions of a nation.
  • Some people think that tartans are worn on specific occasions. Being Scottish, you can wear them daily. 
  • Tartans are hand-woven. This statement was accurate once, but the conditions are different now. Technology has made things more accessible; machines have controlled human duty.
  • People consider plaid and tartan the same. However, they have a difference. Tartan represents a clan mostly, while plaid is free, and anyone can use it.

Conclusion

This information must have clarified many things regarding the difference between tartans and kilts. Here, we discussed their historical dissimilarities. Tartans were found in the 3rd or 4th century AD, while we witness the initiative of kilts back in the 16th century. Both of these entities have seen multiple variations. Moreover, you learn about the common misconceptions and myths people have in their minds.

If you need to buy a kilt, you can contact The Utility Kilt via email or chat box on our website. Our team is always waiting for you! What Is The Difference Between A Kilt And A Tartan?

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button