Who, what, when, where and why? When: Established in the 17th Century, Kilts (originally called “little wrap” in Gaelic) were the first steps in a separation of the Celts, as prior to this Irish and Scottish Gaels wore similar fashions. During the Jacobite uprising of 1745 there was a “diskilting” act enacted as they were seen as a symbol of rebellion and primitive savagery, the only exception being for those serving in the military. This is perhaps the lifeline of the moder

This blog post examines the Campbell Clan, looking back at their History, studying their Clan Crests and a glimpse at the associated clan tartans! The Campbell Clan is one of the largest Scottish Clans and historically one of the most powerful. According to the 2001 census, ‘Campbell’ was the 4th most common surname in Scotland. Clan history It is thought that the Campbell’s originally hailed from the Strathclyde area on the west coast of Scotland, with strong connections to

Recently a customer came into our shop with material he had collected from his recent trip around Africa. He asked if we could make the traditional cotton African cloth into a traditional Scottish Kilt, and we accepted the task! (Click on the Images to Enlarge!) There were a few challenges to overcome to make this African Kilt a reality – the material provided wasn’t in the usual dimensions we use to make a Kilt, so the Kiltmaker had to carefully work out the best way to cut

This article examines the Anderson Clan, looking back at their History, studying their Clan Crests and a glimpse at the associated clan tartans! Clan History The Anderson Clan has links stretching back to St. Andrew, the Patron Saint of Scotland. Anderson literally means ‘Son of Andrew’. The name Anderson was recorded as early as the 13th century. As the name Anderson is so wide spread in Scotland, it is hard to narrow down to a specific area where the Anderson’s originally h

This article examines the MacDonald Clan, looking back at their History, studying their Clan Crests and a glimpse at the associated clan tartans! Clan MacDonald Hail from the Isles. They have many associated Tartans, here we see the Ancient Clan MacDonald Tartan. Clan History Clan MacDonald is historically the largest of the Scottish Clans. Their roots can be traced back to the 12th century, with Domhnall mac Raghnaill (Donald, Son of Ranald) often being cited as the first in

When picking the Tartan for your Scottish Highland Kilt Outfit it can be quite a daunting task as there are over 14,000 Tartans to choose from. In this guide we make it easy for you to find the perfect Tartan for your Kilt – don’t worry if your family name doesn’t have a linking pattern, there is a Tartan for Everyone! Where to start! How to Choose a Tartan for your Kilt - There is a Tartan for Everyone! 1. The first place to start when looking for a Tartan is with your famil

An Aerial Shot of the Glasgow Garden Festival Houston Kiltmakers owner Ken MacDonald is a well renowned Tartan Designer. As well as offering a personal tartan design service for customers, Ken has also produced prestigious tartan designs for Kilt outfits for royalty and dignitaries. Over this series of posts we will pick out some of Ken’s design and take a closer look into the story behind them. We have already looked at his Bute Heather range, this week we will put the spotl

A Mix of Kilts in the Bute Heather Range Tartans Houston Kiltmakers owner Ken MacDonald is a well renowned Tartan Designer. As well as offering a personal tartan design service for customers, Ken has also produced prestigious tartan designs for Kilt outfits for royalty and dignitaries. Over this series of posts we will pick out some of Ken’s design and take a closer look into the story behind them. This article will put the Bute Heather Tartan range under the spotlight. The B

After the dark times of the 1746 Dress Act which saw the wearing of Tartan, Kilts and Highland wear outlawed in Scotland, the 1800’s and beyond saw a reversal of fortunes for the Kilt. The 1746 Dress Act was repealed in 1782, with a representative of Parliament proclaiming: King George IV in a Kilt “Listen Men. This is bringing before all the Sons of the Gael, the King and Parliament of Britain have forever abolished the act against the Highland Dress; which came down to the

Houston Kiltmakers have the largest and best range for of Kilts for hire in the West of Scotland, with over 130 tartans, 20 styles of super lightweight jackets with three different button options and over 120 ruche tie colour. We also Hire Kilts overseas for special occasions. (Click on the Photos to Enlarge!) Many of our customers come to us with the problem, ”We are getting married in England/Europe/Overseas, but we still want to have the Wedding party kitted out in Kilts,

With the 2014 FIFA World Cup currently being held in Brazil now seems like the ideal time to look back over the years at some examples of Football Kits here in Scotland that have taken inspiration from the iconic Scottish design, Tartan.  The links between Tartan and Scotland’s favorite pastime over the years have been infrequent but leave a lasting impression when they have collaborated on a Kit design. One of the first time that Tartan has been used in a Football Kit was ba

Kilts and tartan were not always prosperous in Scotland and sometimes their development was restricted. 1746 saw the implementation of the Dress Act 1746, which put the future of Highland wear, the Kilt and Tartan into jeopardy. The end of the 17th century and the first half of the 18th century was filled with political and religious turmoil around Scotland. Jacobitism was gaining popularity in Scotland in a stand against the Union. From 1688 to 1745 several uprisings from th

It would be difficult to talk about the history of the Kilt without talking a little about the designs that were on them. Tartan, as the designs are known, was first seen as far back as the 3rd century with the discovery of ‘The Falkirk Tartan‘. This early check design is credited as being one of the first instances tartan. Perhaps not as colourful as some of todays tartans, the check design is clear in the early 'Falkirk Tartan' Through the years tartan has developed. The ba

With the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games fast approaching, an event that will be touched throughout with a Scottish Tartan Spirit, there hasn’t been a better time to look forward to how tartan will be incorporated into the Glasgow 2014 Games. The Official Glasgow 2014 tartan will be used for the Medal Bearer's Dresses Hosting a sporting event is always a chance to showcase parts of the local culture and traditions, and the Commonwealth games is no different. Two new tartans h

The next stop on our ‘Where to Wear’ journey takes us to perhaps one of the most popular occasions to wear a kilt, a Wedding. Whether you are the groom looking to make your big day extra special or part of the wedding party looking to stand out, a kilt can add a special touch to the wedding day. The popularity of wearing a kilt to a wedding is at an all time high and wedding dresses featuring tartan for the bride are also popular. While there are no rules on what tartans some

In this series of posts we will be looking at events where Kilts are often worn, and will be taking a closer look at some of the more traditional settings for Kilt wearing. To start off we shall look at an event than can take place throughout the year, though they tend to be partnered with certain occasions such as Burn’s night, Weddings and during the festive period. That event is the Céilidh. Set's of 6 dancers whirling around A Céilidh, is a traditional Gaelic social gathe

It’s a great time to be Scottish folks! Well its always great being a Scot but there are just so many exciting things happening right now!  There has been a big yellow ball up in the sky for sometime now and its turning all us pasty Scots a bit pink and freckly! We are of course referring to THE SUN! Anyone who has visited Scotland will know that sun is a rare phenomenon in our country but it has made wedding season all the better in Scotland! There is nothing better than the

Your wedding day is thought to be the biggest day of your life and we understand that can be a very daunting process! With weddings now costing an average of £20,000 in the UK there is a lot to think about when planning the big day! GASP! Not to fear Houston’s are here and we have comprised a wedding checklist with useful hints and tips to keep on top of your plans and stress free! An easy way to incorporate all plans for a wedding is think of the 5 F’s! Family, Friends, Food

Wedding season is in full swing in Scotland! Having sorted out men across the world with their wedding kilts for the last 100 years we like to think we are the experts on both highland wear and wedding etiquette. What kind of Kiltmakers would we be if we did not pass on our words of wisdom? The groom is the man of the hour, but just like every superhero needs their sidekick, every groom needs their best man! The role of best man is a great honour, and you will forever be reme

Its prom season in Scotland! High school and University student are finishing their exams, completing their final submissions and counting down to party time! We are rushed off our feet with numerous prom and graduation Highland wear bookings. The majority of young men wear a kilt to the prom or grad ball. Well lets face it, a guy wearing a kilt in Scotland is hardly out of the ordinary! We were however STUNNED to hear that a young man was banned by his school board from wear