![A mannequin wearing a red and cream tartan shawl.](https://nms-supercool.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/Images/Discover/Regional-Highlands-wear-for-women-in-the-18th-century/Tartan-Arisaid-H.SMA2.jpeg?w=570&h=426&q=100&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.4811&fp-y=0.2008&dm=1722865466&s=7722931c5e20ea4d5ceeb070651a2bd2)
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Regional Highlands wear for women in the 18th century
News Story
An arisaid was a popular form of regional dress for women in the Scottish Highlands during the 18th century. They were seldom brightly coloured, often combining a plain white or cream ground with alternating bars of red, yellow, blue, and black.
Typically composed of two lengths of heavy plaiding material joined by a central seam, the wearer could comfortably enclose themselves within its ample folds to stave off the cold and damp. Many had a second life as household textiles, reused as blankets and bedding. It was common practice for owners to sew their initials into their arisaid.
Image gallery
![Detail of a red, green, and cream tartan fabric with embroidered initials.](https://nms-supercool.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/Images/Discover/Regional-Highlands-wear-for-women-in-the-18th-century/arisaid-tartan-H.SMA203071.jpeg?w=1123&h=670&q=100&auto=format&fit=fill&fill=solid&fill-color=000000&dm=1722865374&s=83f844845b91af7d1f097a7b3cfdf7f8)
![A mannequin wearing a red and cream tartan shawl.](https://nms-supercool.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/Images/Discover/Regional-Highlands-wear-for-women-in-the-18th-century/Tartan-Arisaid-H.SMA2.jpeg?w=1123&h=670&q=100&auto=format&fit=fill&fill=solid&fill-color=000000&dm=1722865466&s=831f3a9609fcbf452dd6f4e82fc036fd)
![Side view of a mannequin wearing a red and cream tartan shawl.](https://nms-supercool.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/Images/Discover/Regional-Highlands-wear-for-women-in-the-18th-century/side-view-artan-Arisaid-H.SMA2.jpeg?w=1123&h=670&q=100&auto=format&fit=fill&fill=solid&fill-color=000000&dm=1722865554&s=c0b543eeb7abd405fa5464730df9e551)
![Back view of a mannequin wearing a red and cream tartan shawl.](https://nms-supercool.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/Images/Discover/Regional-Highlands-wear-for-women-in-the-18th-century/Back-of-tartan-arisaid-H.SMA2.jpeg?w=1123&h=670&q=100&auto=format&fit=fill&fill=solid&fill-color=000000&dm=1722865740&s=49ea3cad5bb771c5971ff24d268a38e2)
![Side view of a mannequin wearing a red and cream tartan shawl.](https://nms-supercool.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/Images/Discover/Regional-Highlands-wear-for-women-in-the-18th-century/side-Tartan-Arisaid-H.SMA2.jpeg?w=1123&h=670&q=100&auto=format&fit=fill&fill=solid&fill-color=000000&dm=1722865610&s=e169816bd08c38b695b0ad94c55cd8c4)
![Detail of a mannequin wearing a red and cream tartan shawl.](https://nms-supercool.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/Images/Discover/Regional-Highlands-wear-for-women-in-the-18th-century/detail-Tartan-arisaid-H.SMA2.jpeg?w=1123&h=670&q=100&auto=format&fit=fill&fill=solid&fill-color=000000&dm=1722865667&s=4922011efa17dd99b9ecc3fcffccaca2)