The Scotswoman

| Highland Dress | Tartan and the Scotswomen | Wearing the Sash |
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Other links:
Women in the History of Scots Descent
Women's Dress in the Highlands in the 1800s
Reviewed Index of Scottish clothing links
 reviewed by Matthew Allen Columba Newsome curator of the Scottish Tartans Museum,

Much is written and documented about the clothing worn by men in the Highlands but what about the women? Most likely they wore the same styles as their sisters in Ireland. The main difference would be the wearing of the arasaid or belted plaid.

Today many women are wearing historically correct clothing to their local highland games. The articles on this and the following pages, focus on different topics of ladies highland fashion from ancient times to the proper way to wear the traditional sash.

Social History of the Highlands
Highland Dress
excerpt from from electricscotland.com

"The dress of the women seems to require some little notice. Till marriage, or till they arrived at a certain age, they went with the head bare, the hair being tied with bandages or some slight ornament, after which they wore a head-dress, called the curch, made of linen, which was tied under the chin; but when a woman lost her virtue and character she was obliged to wear a cap, and never afterwards to appear bare-headed. Martin's observations on the dress of the females of the western islands may be taken as giving a pretty correct idea of that worn by those of the Highlands. 'The women wore sleeves of scarlet cloth, closed at the end as men's vests, with gold lace round them, having plate buttons set with fine stones. The head-dress was a fine kerchief of linen, start about the head. The plaid was tied before on the breast, with a buckle of silver or brass, according to the quality of the person. I have seen some of the former of one hundred merks value; the whole curiously engraved with various animals. There was a lesser buckle which was worn in the middle of the larger. It had in the centre a large piece of crystal. or some finer stone, of a lesser size.' The plaid, which, with the exception of a few stripes of red, black or blue, was white, reached from the neck almost to the feet; it was plaited, and was tied round the waist by a belt of leather, studded with small pieces of silver."

Tartan and the Scotswomen
Submitted by Carolynn Black
Source: Scottish Tartans Society, Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland, 1976

Ladies today [Ed:1976] wear their own clan tartans or their husband's clan tartans as sashes, stoles, dresses, skirts, coats and anything else that takes their fancy. The only limitations are what they can find ready-made, or new, or afford to have tailored. Very occasionally a MacGregor tartan jacket or shirt appears from Portugal or Hong Kong, but most of us have to use our imagination with the woolen material made in the Scotland Mills.

A good tartan garment is a real investment, as the price of wool and the skills that go with making the finished tartan material, go up year after year regardless of the official rate of inflation. A look back at old pictures shows very little tartan worn by women, if by tartan we mean a mainly colored checked cloth. The mass of bright blues, greens and reds were reserved for men, while women seem to have worn checked material with thin colored stripes on a white ground.

If you have visited the Tartan Museum in Comrie, you will have seen the magnificent arasaid they wore, a masterpiece of weaving, with every thread in place and colours lively and pleasing, despite the white background. White was never popular in folk costume - it was cheap and was equated with poverty or laziness or both! However, in the Highlands it was clearly a matter of choice - the men had to be impressive in their plaids, perhaps to impress their womenfolk as well as other men.

Blue and white striped material is also mentioned as worn by women. I have read that tied-and-dyed cloth was made in the Highlands in the old days but there seems to be no record of this practice. There was no real documentation of women's wear. The women always managed to combine practicality with elegance and even mystery - when they wore plaids they could be as discreet and anonymous as a veiled Eastern Lady - hence the edict banning the wearing of plaids by women in Church (they could sleep right through the service and no one would know)! Otherwise, they seem to have suited themselves with good taste and so we can today.

Wearing the Sash
courtesy electricscotland.com

The manner of wearing tartan sashes or light scarves had customary significance even two centuries ago, and whilst the wearing of sashes in any particular manner has so far no legal significance, a due respect for tradition suggests that uniform practice, and implication consistent with custom, is desirable. The difference methods undermentioned to wearing such are appropriate for ladies in different circumstances. All these suggestions are based on a careful study of old portraits, prints and traditional practice, and bear the authoritative approval of the Lord Lyon King of Arms.

1. Style worn by Clan Women.
   The sash is worn over the right shoulder across the breast and is secured by a pin or small brooch on the right shoulder.
    

2. Style worn by Wives of Clan Chiefs and by Wives of Colonels of Scottish Regiments.
   The sash which may be fuller in size is worn over the left shoulder and secured with a broach on the left shoulder.
    

3. Style worn by ladies who have married out of their clans but who still wish to use their original clan tartan.
   The sash is usually longer than style 1, is worn over the right shoulder secured there with a pin and fastened in a large bow on the left hip.
    

4. Style worn by country dancers or where any lady desires to keep the front of the dress clear of the sash.
   Commonly seen made with a rosette secured with a brooch or clan badge. The style is similar to the belted plaid and is really a small arisaid. It can be buttoned on at the back of the waist or held by a small belt and is secured at the right shoulder by a pin or small brooch so that the ends fall backwards from the right shoulder and swing at the back of the right shoulder.

Note: Members of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society have been granted permission by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, to wear their sashes on the left shoulder. This is an honour bestowed upon the Society because she is their Patron.

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