Kilts, as we know them, were adapted from 16th century Highland garments that are believed to have been heavily influenced by the clothing worn by the Vikings and Normans that conquered the British Isles in the 8th Century. The word kilt is thought to come from the Danish word “kilte,” meaning “to tuck up” which is believed to have been derived from “kjalta,” meaning “to tuck up a garment or to secure hanging fabric with a belt” in Old Scandinavian and/or the Old Norse word “kjilt,” meaning “pleated or folded fabric layers.”

Whatever the case, kilts came to be a symbol of rebels and warriors and are still worn by Scottish Regiments of the British Army. The wearing of kilts among the Celtic/Gaelic people spread as their tribes migrated in all directions throughout Europe and around the world. Over the past 200 years, the kilt has become a potent symbol of Scottish pride taking hold in the traditions of the many cultures that experienced Celtic influence from the Dark Ages through present, particularly those wishing to demonstrate kinship and solidarity with the Highlanders of Scotland, whether or not they themselves were of Scottish ancestry. Czytaj całość »