Scottish kilts originate from the 16th century， when they were traditionally worn as full-length garments by Gaelic-speaking male Highlanders2） of northern Scotland. Typically， the garments were draped3） over the shoulder or pulled over4） the head as cloaks5）. The wearing of Scottish kilts was common during the 1720s， when the British military used them as their formal uniforms. The knee-length kilt， similar to the modern kilt of today， did not develop until the late 17th or early 18th century.

Early Scottish kilts were made using self-colored6） garments， which were white or dull brown， green or black as opposed to the multicolored plaids7） or tartan8） designs recognized today. As dyeing9） and weaving techniques improved during the late 1600s， tartan patterns were developed， and these plaid designs became native to Scotland using tartan cloth.

The \"great kilt\" and belted10） plaid evolved from the tartan wrap11）， when woolen wraps and plaids began to emerge as a highly desirable form of fashion and a sign of cultural affluence12）. In time， the garments were worn gathered at the waist in what became the belted plaid. The belted plaid became a popular dress among Highland men during the 17th century and as late as 1822， when they were worn largely for ceremonial purposes as opposed to being a part of everyday dress.

During the mid to late 17th century， the \"small kilt\"， philabeg in Gaelic or \"little wrap\" developed. The pleated13） \"small kilt\" is basically the bottom half of the great kilt from the 16th century Scottish Highlands， which was belted plaid using untailored cloth. The garment was loosely gathered into folds and belted at the waist， falling to just above the knee， with a few inches of cloth overlapping14） the top of the belt. Typically， a separate length of cloth was worn over the shoulders for protection and warmth.

The philabeg was popular during the first half of the 18th century throughout central Scotland and the Highlands. However， in an effort to repress Highland culture， King George II imposed the Dress Act of 1746， which made it illegal for the Highland regiments15） to wear garments resembling any form of Highland dress， as well as the tartan kilt. King George II's opponents were threatening to replace him using Jacobite armies. In a panic， he intended to use the act's provisions to ban the kilt from Highland armies so that he could easily determine those who were supporting the Jacobite position and eliminate them.

However， the philabeg continued to be worn as a fashionable garment by the Scottish romantics and became a form of protest against the oppression from the English government. The ban was lifted in 1782， at which time the kilt became an enduring symbol of Scottish identity throughout Scotland and the traditional kilt gave way to the creation of kilt garments using tartan patterns， which represented particular clans， families， regions， or countries. Generally， when a buyer ordered a kilt， they requested a specific tartan， of which today， there are more than 3500. When making a kilt， the tartan's pattern must remain unbroken throughout the garment， therefore， it takes approximately 20～25 hours since nearly all the work is still done by hand.

Beginning in the 1790s， this style of kilt was replaced by the tailored kilt， becoming the modern Scottish kilt of today. The difference between the philabeg and the tailored kilt is that the pleats of the kilt are sewn down， as opposed to being gathered， folded， and belted. Initially the tailored kilt was worn by the military during the 1790s when they were box-pleated16）， but there was no tapering17）. Civilian tailored kilts were made sometime after， although they weren't pleated until approximately 1820， when they were pleated to the bottom hemline18）. As fashions transformed， designs of the tailored kilt progressed to linings19）， waistbands20）， buckles21）， and straps22）. Generally， modern-day Scottish kilts have 29 pleats and are made using approximately 8 yards of tartan fabric.

During the 19th century， Scottish kilts were a form of ceremonial dress and worn only for special occasions and primarily to formal events， such as weddings， sporting events， Highland games， and holiday celebrations. However， through a global cultural process of recognizing Scottish identity in America， reinventing traditions， and building the Scottish-American Heritage， the Scottish kilt is increasingly being recognized as an acceptable form of dress at informal parties， as casual wear or everyday attire23） and returning to its cultural roots. The Scottish kilt has become a required uniform for Scotland's Tartan Army soccer team and encouraged for the team's fans.

蘇格蘭裙起源于16世紀(jì)，當(dāng)時是蘇格蘭北部講蓋爾語的高地男子穿著的一種傳統(tǒng)長袍。當(dāng)時這種服裝最典型的樣式是披在肩上或是像斗篷那樣從頭上套下去。在18世紀(jì)20年代，蘇格蘭裙是很常見的服裝，當(dāng)時的英國軍隊把它用作正式的制服。與如今的現(xiàn)代蘇格蘭裙相似的及膝蘇格蘭裙直到17世紀(jì)末或18世紀(jì)初才出現(xiàn)。

早期的蘇格蘭裙是用單色布料做成的，有白色的、暗棕色的、綠色的或黑色的，與現(xiàn)在人們能認(rèn)出的多彩的方格呢或花格圖案完全不同。隨著17世紀(jì)末染色和紡織技術(shù)的改進(jìn)，花格圖案出現(xiàn)了，使用花格布料的蘇格蘭成了這些格子圖案的原產(chǎn)地。

“褶裥長裙”和有束帶的彩格呢披風(fēng)是由花格披巾演變而來的，當(dāng)時羊毛披巾和彩格呢披風(fēng)作為非常吸引人的時尚形式和文化財富的標(biāo)志剛開始出現(xiàn)。后來，人們在穿這種服裝時就在腰部把衣服打褶用束帶扎緊，使之變成了有束帶的彩格呢披風(fēng)。17世紀(jì)時，束帶式彩格呢披風(fēng)成為高地男子的流行服飾，直到1822年，這種衣服主要還是在禮儀場合才穿，而不是日常著裝的一種。

17世紀(jì)中晚期，“褶裥短裙”（或者“短披巾”）出現(xiàn)了。這種裙子在蓋爾語中叫“philabeg”。有褶的“褶裥短裙”基本上就是起源于16世紀(jì)蘇格蘭高地居民的蘇格蘭長裙束帶式長披風(fēng)的下半部分，是用未經(jīng)剪裁的布做成的。這種衣服是將布松松地收攏形成褶裥，用束帶扎在腰間，下擺剛好及膝，有幾英寸的布與腰帶上部互相褡褳。通常，高地人還會在肩上再披一塊布來護(hù)身和保暖。

18世紀(jì)上半葉，褶裥短裙在蘇格蘭中部和蘇格蘭高地很流行。然而國王喬治二世為了壓制高地文化，于1746年強制實行“著裝法案”（編注：又稱“禁裙令”），禁止高地兵團穿任何形似高地裙裝的衣服，花格短裙也包括在內(nèi)。當(dāng)時，喬治二世的反對者威脅要借助雅各比派的軍隊推翻他。喬治二世驚慌之下，試圖用該法案的這些規(guī)定來禁止高地軍隊穿格子裙，好讓他毫不費力就能確定那些支持雅各比派立場的人并除掉他們。

然而，褶裥短裙在蘇格蘭一些浪漫派中仍然很流行，并成為一種反對英格蘭政府壓迫的抗?fàn)幮问?。這一禁令于1782年被取消，當(dāng)時褶裥短裙在整個蘇格蘭成為蘇格蘭人身份的持久象征，而傳統(tǒng)的裙子也被花格樣式的裙子取代，不同的花格樣式代表不同的族群、家族、地區(qū)或國家。通常，買主訂制一件褶裥短裙時，都會要求一種特定的花格樣式。如今這樣的花格樣式已經(jīng)有3500多種了。制作褶裥短裙時，整件衣服的花格圖案必須保持完整，因此，做一件褶裥短裙需要花費大約20～25個小時，因為幾乎所有的制作工序現(xiàn)在都仍然依靠手工完成。

從18世紀(jì)90年代起，裁制版的褶裥短裙取代了這種類型的褶裥短裙，演變?yōu)槿缃竦默F(xiàn)代蘇格蘭裙。褶裥短裙和裁制版的褶裥短裙之間的不同在于后者的褶裥是縫制的，而不像褶裥短裙那樣是把布攏一攏、折一折再用腰帶系上而自然形成的。裁制版的褶裥短裙最初是18世紀(jì)90年代的軍隊制服，當(dāng)時的褶子還是工字形，沒有上細(xì)下寬的樣式。平民穿的裁制版褶裥短裙出現(xiàn)得稍晚，而且當(dāng)時這種裙子上也沒有褶子，一直到大約1820年才在裙子底端邊線加了一些褶子。隨著潮流的變化，裁制版褶裥短裙的設(shè)計也有了進(jìn)步，有的加了襯里，有的加了裙帶，有的加了搭扣，還有的加了皮帶。通常，現(xiàn)在的蘇格蘭裙每條有29個褶子，由大約8碼長的格子花呢布料制成。

19世紀(jì)時，蘇格蘭裙成為一種禮服，人們只在特殊的場合上穿，主要出現(xiàn)在一些正式活動上，如婚禮、體育賽事、高地運動會、節(jié)日慶典等。然而，通過在美國識別蘇格蘭人身份、改造傳統(tǒng)以及建立蘇格蘭裔美國人文化遺產(chǎn)這一全球文化進(jìn)程，蘇格蘭裙作為非正式聚會上一種可以接受的服裝形式、一種休閑服、一種日常服裝正逐漸被人們認(rèn)可。這正是對其文化本源的回歸?，F(xiàn)在，蘇格蘭國家足球隊的球迷聯(lián)盟已經(jīng)將蘇格蘭裙列為球迷標(biāo)準(zhǔn)著裝，鼓勵球迷們穿著蘇格蘭裙。

1.kilt [k?lt] n. 蘇格蘭褶裥短裙（蘇格蘭高地男子或英國蘇格蘭兵團士兵所穿，通常用格子花呢縫制）

2.Highlander [?ha?l?nd?（r）] n. （蘇格蘭）高地人

3.drape [dre?p] vt. 將……披掛于

4.pull over： 從頭上套下去

5.cloak [kl??k] n. 斗篷；披風(fēng)

6.self-colored： 單色的；原色的

7.plaid [pl?d] n. （蘇格蘭高地人穿的）彩格呢（或布）披風(fēng)；彩格呢；彩格布；格子圖案

8.tartan [?tɑ?tn] n. 格子呢（尤指蘇格蘭格子呢）；方格花紋（或圖案）；格子呢服裝

9.dyeing [da???] adj. 染色的

10.belted [?belt?d] adj. 束帶的

11.wrap [r?p] n. [舊] 披巾；披肩；圍巾

12.affluence [??flu?ns] n. 富裕；豐富，充裕

13.pleated [?pli?t?d] adj. 有褶裥的

14.overlap [???v??l?p] vt. 與……部分重疊；和……互相搭接

15.regiment [?red??m?nt] n. 【軍】團；一大批（人或物）

16.box-pleated： 工字褶

17.taper [?te?p?（r）] vi. 一頭逐漸變細(xì)

18.hemline [?hemla?n] n.（衣裙等的）底邊沿，底緣，下擺

19. lining [?la?n??] n. 內(nèi)襯；襯里

20.waistband [?we?stb?nd] n. （縫在裙子上的）裙帶

21.buckle [?b?kl] n. （皮帶等的）搭扣，扣環(huán)

22.strap：請參見P53注釋20

23.attire [??ta??（r）] n. 衣著；服裝