Introduction

Summary

Although Scotland has long had a romanticized place in the public imagination, limited published scholarship currently exists concerning the clothing of the Scottish lowlands in the sixteenth century. Most authors have focused on highland dress and the question of the kilt (when it originated, how it was worn, and most importantly, whether clan tartans can be traced back before the eighteenth century). The scholarly community seems to agree that there was a difference in fashions between the lowlands and the highlands, and this is supported by a letter written by a priest to Henry VIII in 1542, in which he explains how the practice of going bare-legged outdoors in the highlands had led to Scots from that region being known as “red-shanks.” He follows with this caveat:

And althoughe a greate sorte of us Reddshankes go after this manner in our countrethe, yeit never the les, and pleas your Grace, whene we come to the courte (the Kinges grace our great master beinge alyve) waitinge on our Lordes and maisters, who also, for velvettis and silkis be right well araide, we have as good garmentis as some of our fellowis whiche gyve attendaunce in the court every daye.

A few articles and chapters do deal with lowland dress in this period. For example, three articles focus on the clothing of specific people, a chapter revolves around a particular accessory, and another article discusses makers and the system of production.

Pictorial and documentary evidence about clothing in sixteenth-century Scotland is scarce as well, especially compared to sources regarding England. Few portraits survive, mostly due to Scotland's political and religious upheavals and the mid-century war with England, and images of Scots by people in other countries are rare and usually unhelpful. In addition, many documents and images were likely lost to the vagaries of time and chance. However, one surviving source contains numerous and detailed references to clothing and textiles: the Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland (fig. 1). These accounts report monies disbursed by the royal treasury and detail for whom and on what the money was spent.