Figure 1.-- This cabinet card portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken during the 1880s. The photographer was Gosney's Art Studios which had studios in Sherborne, Yeovil, Crewkerne, and Gillingham. These are all towns in Somerset and Devon. Two of the boys wear Highland kilts with cut-away jackets. We are not sure why the third boy did have a kilt outfit.

We are not sure if there were any pronounced regional trends concerning kilts in England. One might think that kilts were most popular in northern England, closer to Scotland. But we have not yet noted that. Kilts seem particuilarly popular in London, presumably because it was the fashion center of the country. Many affluent families lived in London and believed in dressing their children stylishly. Wearing kilts was not, however, just a London sttle. We have, however, noted boys wearing kilt outfits in many different English cities. What ever was popular in London was soon copied throughout the country. One question we are not sure about is to what extent kilts were worn in the country's Celtic fringe--Somerset and Wales. Of course we treat Wales as a separate country, but the issue still stands as to weathrer kilts were more common in the Celtic fringe of westrern Britain. Somerset of course would be the area of England the furthest from Scotland.

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Created: 7:05 PM 6/30/2008
Last updated: 7:05 PM 6/30/2008