Dress Act 1746
Encyclopedia
The Dress Act was part of the Act of Proscription which came into force on 1 August 1746 and made wearing "the Highland Dress" including tartan
or a kilt
illegal in Scotland
as well as reiterating the Disarming Act
. The Jacobite Risings
between 1689 and 1746 found their most effective support amongst the Scottish clan
s, and this Act was part of a series of measures attempting to bring the warrior clans under government control by crushing Gaelic
culture. An exemption allowed the kilt to be worn in the military, continuing the tradition established by the Black Watch
regiment.
The law was repealed in 1782. By that time kilts and tartans were no longer ordinary Highland wear, ended by enforcement of the law and by the circumstances of the Highland clearances
, but within two years Highland aristocrats set up the Highland Society of Edinburgh and soon other clubs followed with aims including promoting "the general use of the ancient Highland dress". This would lead to the Highland pageant of the visit of King George IV to Scotland
turning what had been seen as the uncivilised outfits of mountain thieves into national dress claimed by the whole of Scotland.
and English announced:
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
or a kilt
Kilt
The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
illegal in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
as well as reiterating the Disarming Act
Disarming Act
After the Jacobite Rising of 1715 ended it was evident that the most effective supporters of the Jacobites were Scottish clans in the Scottish Highlands and the Disarming Act attempted to remove this threat....
. The Jacobite Risings
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
between 1689 and 1746 found their most effective support amongst the Scottish clan
Scottish clan
Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
s, and this Act was part of a series of measures attempting to bring the warrior clans under government control by crushing Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
culture. An exemption allowed the kilt to be worn in the military, continuing the tradition established by the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
regiment.
The law was repealed in 1782. By that time kilts and tartans were no longer ordinary Highland wear, ended by enforcement of the law and by the circumstances of the Highland clearances
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
, but within two years Highland aristocrats set up the Highland Society of Edinburgh and soon other clubs followed with aims including promoting "the general use of the ancient Highland dress". This would lead to the Highland pageant of the visit of King George IV to Scotland
Visit of King George IV to Scotland
The 1822 visit of King George IV to Scotland was the first visit of a reigning monarch to Scotland since 1650. Government ministers had pressed the King to bring forward a proposed visit to Scotland, to divert him from diplomatic intrigue at the Congress of Verona.The visit increased his popularity...
turning what had been seen as the uncivilised outfits of mountain thieves into national dress claimed by the whole of Scotland.
The Act
Abolition and Proscription of the Highland Dress 19 George II, Chap. 39, Sec. 17, 1746Repeal
On 1 July 1782 Royal assent was given to Repeal of the Act Prescribing the Wearing of Highland Dress 22 George III, Cap. 63, 1782 and a proclamation issued in GaelicScottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
and English announced: