Figure 1.--This CDV portrait shows Robert Stanley Mitcheson. (The handwriting is indestinct.) The portrait is undated, but the pose and furniture/background looks like the early-1870s to us. Rober has an elaborate Highland outfit, complete with a feather in his Glengary cap--although it does not look like an eagle feather. Robert even has aagger. Only his socks are not appropriate, they are striped rather than plaid. We suspect plaid socks were hard to get in America at the time. The portrait was taken in Philadelphia by Studdards & Fennemore. Robert looks to be about 5 years old. Note the ringlet curls.

While Highland outfits were not very common, they were worn in both the 19th and 20th centuries. We have found several portraits of American boys wearing full Higland regalia, most commonly in the late 19th century up to about the turn-of-the 20th century. Many Scotts setled in America, but we do not believe many commonly wore kilts. And we do not have any ecidence that Americans of Scottish ancestry wore kilts in the early- or mid-19th century. We think Highland outfits for boys primarily sparked by the British royal family. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert began dressing the royal princes in Higland kikts (1840s). We are unsure just when this fashion was picked up in America. We are not yet sure about the 1840s-50s. The earliest Highland suit we have found so far dates to about 1870. We think it is likely that there there were boys wearing Highlamd kilts before this, but they wre not very common. And they all seem to bev formal portraits. We are unsure just to what extent the boys wore these outfits outside of having a portrait taken. We cintinued to see Highland kilts into the 1930s, but after World war II, most boys wearing Highland kilts did so as part of Scotting ethnic events.

The 18th Century

Substantial numbets of Scotts-Irish emigrated to the United States, we think primarily in the 18th century. The Highland clearanves and the suppression of the Higland Clans forced many Scotts to emigrate in the 18th century. These immoigrants would play a major role in the Revolutionary war. We do not know at this time to what extent immigrants from Scotland wore kilts after arriving from Scotland. We have no evidence at this time that the kilt was worn to any sun\bstantial extent in America.

The 19th Century

We have found several portraits of American boys wearing full Highland regalia, most commonly in the late-19th century up to about the turn-of-the 20th century. Many Scotts setled in America, but we do not believe many commonly wore kilts. This was true when they first settled as well as subsequent generatiins of Scotts, at least in the 19th century. And we do not have any ecidence that Americans of Scottish ancestry wore kilts in the early- or mid-19th century. We think Highland outfits for boys primarily sparked by the British royal family. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert began dressing the royal princes in Higland kilts (1840s). When Queen Victoria dressed the princes in Highland kilts during the 1840s, she popularized the kilt as a boy's outfit. She created a fashion sensation. The style spread to Europe. We are unsure just when this fashion was picked up in America. We are not yet sure about the 1840s-50s. Some reports suggest that American mothers who looked to England an Europe for their fashion inspiration by the mid-1850s had begun adopting the style for their sons. We have not yet found much evidence of that in the photographic record. American fashion magazines were soon depicting kilts as fashionable boys wear and this continued until the turn of the century. Godeys Lady Book and Magazine in 1870, for example, described a Scottish outfit: "Short pleated skirt striped silk poplin. Jacket of gros grain with square-cut basques black braid trim. Full cambric shirt, no waistcoat." [Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine, January 1870, p.108.] Wealthy American families like the Roosevelts commonly dressed their boys in kilts complete with sporrans or various forms of Scottish inspired dress. Unlike boys suits and even kilt suits, they were worn with kneesocks (usually Argyles), rather than long stockings. The Higland kilt was not the most common type of kilt worn by American boys, but they were worn by boys in affuent families. They were most common in America during the late-19th Century. Unlike the kilt suit, Highland kilts were mostly worn by boys from wealthy families. While middle-class boys might wear kilt suits, it was not commonly for them to wear full Highland regalia. The earliest Highland suit we have found so far dates to about 1870 (figure 1). We think it is likely that there there were boys wearing Highland kilts before this, but they wre not very common. And they all seem to be formal portraits. We are unsure just to what extent the boys wore these outfits outside of having a portrait taken. The boys involved were not necesarily of Scottish ancestry. They were, however, mostly boys from affluent families. A good example is Franklin Roosevelt in the 1880s.

The 20th Century

We continued to see Highland kilts in the 20th century. We see the sane formal portraits in the early-20th century. Highland kilts were not commonly worn by American boys after the early 20th century, especially after World War I (1914-1918). There were, however, some exceptions. Malcolmn Forbes was dressing his boys in kilts even in the 1950s. His son and presidential candidate, Steve Forbes and his brothers didn't like it one little bit. Especially when their friends would tease them. We no longer see this after World war II. But we so see boys wearing Highland kilts as part of Scotting ethnic events. They were boys of Scottish ancestry. Highlan dancers wore quite formal outfits. Other boys at the Highland gaterings would wear kilts, although commonly with informal outfits, even "T" shirts. A factor here is that the Highland Gaterings ikn the United states were often held in the Summer or early Fall.

The 21st Century

Sources

Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine (January 1870),

Created: 4:45 AM 12/9/2009
Last updated: 4:45 AM 12/9/2009