Figure 1.--Here we have a photograph of an unidentified Scottish boy photographed at home in his kilt. Judgeing by his hair cut, we would say the photograph was taken in the late 1960s. It is a little hard to assess, but it appears that many Scottish boys in the 1960s had kilts for dresswear. This seems to have been most prevalent among boys from niddle-class and affluent families.

Some information is available on personal experiences reported by Scotish boys. These are memories submitted to HBC by men looking back on their childhood. These Scottish readers report widely varying experiences over time. Sone boys objected to wearing kits. Other boys had no objection to doing so. Boys wore kilts as a school uniform, for formal events, or even for play or Scouting. HBC also hopes to add accounts from biographies or autobiographies as well as pertient photographs.. Please let us know if you recall interesting Scottish accounts.

Snipets

Some short references noted by HBC or submitted by HBC readers are compiled here. Detailed information is not available here for a full page. many Scottish boys clearly had similar experience, but each reports unique experiences. HBC has little information on how common it was for Scottish boys to wear kilts in the late 19th and early 20th century, but by the 1940s only a few boys wore them--most commonly boys from affluent families.

Living with Gran (19??)

I lived in the east end of London until I was 8 years of age. Like most boys I was a tough kid and was always seen running around in dirty grey shorts and tank top, like the other kids. I was happy and had many friends. It was the summer of my eighth year that my life was to change. My mother was taken very ill and after a hard fight died. I was heart broken and my aunt took charge of me temporarily whilst arrangements would be made as to who would look after me from then on. It was decided that my Gran who lived in Scotland would take me into her house and look after me until my adulthood.

Page Boys (1950s)

When my cousin announced that she was getting married, it was decided that her youngest brother and myself would be page boys. That was bad enough I thought, but it was also decided that we would both wear kilts. I was 11 or 12 at the time, and my cousin a year older. I hadn't worn a kilt for a couple of years or so, but he regularly wore one, so it was no major fuss for him.

My Scotish Kilt (1950s)

I was wandering through the fascinating HBC site and was just coming to terms with the fact that boys of the last century often wore skirts and dresses of what today would be considered to be a girls style when I came across the photo of a boy of the late 20th century dressed in a rather well cut powder blue skirt/suit. More to the point he doesn't look as though he's much bothered with it! I was about to be impressed with his non-chalons when I remembered my boyhood in the 1950s.

Scottish Village (1950s-60s)

I of course am Scottish and I grew up in the 1950s and 60s in Scotland. I don't really have much knowledge of how wide spread the wearing of the kilt was throughout Scotland, as I said before our horizons as children were very close. I can only tell you about my family and village. My mother was a big believer in the kilt. Both my sisters and I wore kilts. I wore short trousers as a small boy, but my mother preferred the kilt and through most of my boyhood that was what I wore.

Scottish Brother and Sisters (1950s-60s)

I am course am Scottish and I grew up in the 1950s and 60s in Scotland. My mother was a big believer in the kilt. Both my sisters and I wore kilts. I wore both short trousers and kilts, but for dress occasions my mother generally preferred a kilt.

Visiting Dutch Boy (1960s)

My parents were interested that I learn English. As a result, I spent several summers in Scotland with friends of the family. I'm not sure how many people learned English in Scotland, but I did. Our friends lived in Kinrossshire, several of the boys there wore kilts when they dressed up. I never did, but as they wore their national costume, I often wore my lederhosen as it was summer which was as close to a national costume as I could get, altough of course lederhosen are really German and not commonly worn in either the Netherlands or Belgium.

Dress-up Clothes (1960s)

Here we have a photograph of an unidentified Scottish boy photographed at home in his kilt. The Scottish boy here looks to be about 12 years old. wearing a Scootish tartan kilt and sporan (figure 1). Notice the white shirt and tartan tie, which perhaps is the same tartan as that of the kilt. This means itwas adress outfit for the boy, for church or other formal occassion. He also The boy wears woolen knee socks and shoes that seem to zip up on the sides. Many boys had tweed jackets to go with their kilts. The photograph could date from the 1950s. Judgeing by his hair cut and shoes, however, we would say the photograph was taken in the late 1960s. It is a little hard to assess, but it appears that many Scottish boys in the 1960s had kilts for dresswear. This seems to have been most prevalent among boys from niddle-class and affluent families.

American Boy in Scotland (1980s)

I was 11 years old when my dad got a job in Scotland in 1983. I was a typical American boy in the 1980s. I grew up in jeans and "T" shirts. I did occasionally wear short pants during the summer, but I never had a short pants suit or ever wore kneesocks. I had never even heard of a kilt. I grew up in Houston, Texas and knew nothing about living abroad.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing kilt pages:
[Return to the Main Scottish kilt page]
[Return to the Main national kilt page]
[Kilt suits] [Scottish kilts] [Scottish boys clothing] [Scottish school uniform]
[Highland dance] [Scottish pipe band]
[Irish kilts] [Irish boys clothing] [Irish step dancing]
[Greek kilts]

Created: October 14, 1999
Last updated: 9:17 PM 7/16/2006