Highland dress is among the most recognisable symbols of Scotland. It has historical roots in the display culture of medieval Gaelic society. During the 18th and 19th centuries this living tradition was reinvented to suit the social,…

Our collections contain a rich array of Highland dress costume and tartan fashion from the Georgian era. Discover a range of kilt suits from 1790 to 1830.

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…

Beyond the realms of Highland dress tailoring, Scottish tartan emerged as a popular fashion fabric in Georgian Britain. The cloth found its way into a variety of everyday and occasional garments, such as women’s cloaks, gowns and…

From military style jackets to informal housecoats, three tartan coats in our collection demonstrate the range of styles and uses of these garments in Georgian Britain.

'Fire' was woven by Prickly Thistle Scotland for use in its sustainable clothing line. It represents an unconventional approach to tartan design and manufacturing in the 21st century. Unlike most tartans available in Scotland today, it has…

The ‘Bumble Kilt’ is named for its distinctive yellow and black colourway. It is made from vintage and deadstock fashion fabrics,creatively combined by kiltmaker Andrea Chappell of Acme Atelier to create a single garment. This sustainable…

The kilt suit collected from Chisholms Highland Dress epitomises the traditional approach to Highland wear, familiar to many both within and outside Scotland. This formal silhouette is a popular choice among consumers. It is often…

The suit of Highland dress acquired from Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers, Edinburgh, captures the company’s distinct approach to Highland wear for hire. The hire package centres on the ‘John Muir Way’ tartan. This pattern was designed by, and…

This casual kilt outfit from 21st Century Kilts illustrates a change in the Highland wear industry. Pushing the traditional boundaries, the kilt is repositioned as an accessible form of everyday dress for men.Kilts are traditionally made…

The ‘Homeless’ tartan was designed by Brian Halley of Highland dress company Slanj, Glasgow in 2018. It was developed to raise funds for the charity Shelter Scotland. The pattern gained national recognition during the Covid-19 pandemic,…

National Museums Scotland holds an extensive collection of 19th and 20th century tartan swatches and design ephemera. In the past, it was usual for tartan manufacturers to design patterns using gridded paper, coloured pencils, inks,…