The Lordship of the Isles

Although most people would think of Gaels as proud wearers of the kilt since time immemorial, this is false. The kilt is a recent invention, and tartan was not how a man's clan could be discerned from his appearance.

The Lordship of the Isles, like its forerunners, was a very advanced civilisation - as said, it was a socialist melting pot of races and cultures, with races and genders of equal rights (if not status), with an effective government.

Its ancestors could boast the oldest oral tradition and finest architecture possibly in the whole of prehistoric Europe.

But what did they wear? What would the average clansmen and women wear, what was the attire of the soldier, and what would the rich flatter their figures with?

The Production of Clothing

Clothes were produced at home by the families of whoever needed them. They were usually easy to make with wool, and colours could be found naturally, if they were even needed, in things such as seaweed.

It was usually women that were responsible for making clothing, but servants and male children would also have been involved, and the men would be responsible for getting whatever was needed to make them

The Clansmen

The plaid, although folded cleverly to create pockets, was nothing more than a piece of wool which could also be used as a blanket. It was heavy, and was the main piece of clothing a clansman would own.

Warm and often the same colour as the sheep's wool, it was durable and would resist the elements. It is the attire upon which the kilt is based, although there was no tartan.

Also, the fashion of the later Highlands when plaid patterns (the origins of tartan) and wool were wrapped around the waist and over the shoulders did not appear until the middle of the sixteenth century.

The leine was a knee-length shirt, usually coloured with saffron, and was long enough to be tied between the legs when plaids were taken off before battle.

It seems to have been loose, and relatively comfortable, although for warmth a clansman would either don another or throw part of his plaid over his shoulder.

Trews were an alternative to the plaid, used for saddling a horse mainly, and were loose trousers, usually brown.

As for jewellery, the brooch was not popular, although may have still been worn as it was in Pictish society.

But the Gaels, since their arrival in Ireland, were keen on cleanliness, and all men would have kept only a moustache to make themselves easier to clean. Long hair was popular - prehistoric finds in Ireland suggest that even mohawks had been the fashion at one point. Whether this was true of the clansmen by the time of the Lordship of the Isles is not known.

The Influential Men

Although tacksmen and sons and daughters of chiefs would have not been distinguished from the clansmen as far as dress is concerned, the chiefs and more powerful men would definately have made an effort to make themselves appear all that they were.

Many would have dressed themselves in beautiful ankle-length cotton robes, coloured with a bright colour such as red. This would have been in contrast to the rim of the sleeves and hem, which were not only a different colour but also decorated with artistic twirls and interwoven patterns and Pictish mystical designs (especially the combinations of animals).

They would have worn conical helmets with coloured feathers even when not in battle, and would have made even more of an effort to keep their facial hair to a minimum (besides the moustache, of course) than their clansmen.

The Pictish brooch and jewellery were not entirely lost, and neither were the knee-length Pictish belted robes with plaid designs, but these were casual clothes and most likely just for militant leaders, or leaders on campaign who could not afford chainmail to wear beneath their robes.

The Influential Women

Women who were important figures in the Lordship of the Isles would probably have worn the same sort of robes as the men, probably with even more decoration and colours.

But instead of a helmet, the headdress would have been more appropriate attire. Whether this included a veil or any decoration like the feathers worn in the helmets of the men is unknown.

Also, the hairstyles of important women is assumed to be much like those of the clanswomen, although the influential would have had longer hair, no doubt.

Again, women would have worn brogans more than the men, and probably would have worn the Pictish robes for saddling a horse.

The Clanswomen

The clanswomen likely would have worn a lighter plaid, which could be worn normally whilst wrapped around the waist and over the shoulder, as well, and a kerchief.

Trews do not seem to have been worn by women.

It seems that women also wore the style of robes that were more common in the upper classes, although without such intricate decoration. This was unisex attire.

Hairstyles seem to have been rather intricate, as well, in Pictish fashion with pins and twirls in something of a bun. This seems impractical with the kerchief, however, which either means that headdresses were worn as well or that this was only done for formal occasions.

Women were much more likely to wear brogans - simple shoes, similar to moccassins, with holes to allow water to exit if it entered.