Kilts are often thought of as men’s garments—iconic, pleated tartan wrapped around the waist with a sporran and hose. But plenty of people ask, “Can a woman wear a kilt?”
The answer is a straightforward yes. Women have worn kilts for centuries, though the styles and traditions differ somewhat from men’s Highland dress. Today, women’s kilts are both accepted and genuinely celebrated, in traditional and modern forms alike.
Women in kilts: a historical glimpse
While the great kilt (féileadh mòr) and tailored tartan kilts were traditionally associated with men, women have worn tartan garments of their own for just as long. The arisaid was a long tartan drape worn by women in 17th- and 18th-century Scotland, belted at the waist much like a kilt. Women commonly wore tartan shawls or skirts representing their clan colors too. And by the 20th century, tailored tartan skirts and pleated kilts had become a standard part of women’s Highland dance uniforms. The idea of women in tartan isn’t new at all—it’s rooted in centuries of its own tradition, running parallel to the men’s version rather than borrowed from it.
Women’s kilts today
Modern fashion has fully embraced kilts for women, spanning both traditional tartan designs and more contemporary twists. Our women’s tartan kilts mirror the pleated, wrap-around styles of men’s Highland kilts. Utility kilts for women bring functional, everyday design with pockets and modern fabrics. And formal wear options cover weddings, ceilidhs, and clan events specifically.
Why women wear kilts
A few different reasons drive it. Heritage and pride — honoring clan identity and Scottish culture directly. Fashion and versatility — kilts pair easily with blouses, jackets, or modern tops well beyond traditional styling. A broader shift toward Highland wear no longer being bound by gender the way it once was. And performance — women in Highland dancing and piping have worn kilts as part of that tradition for a very long time.
Some well-known examples
Women competitors at Highland Games and festivals often wear kilts with real pride. Female pipers and drummers in military bands wear tartan kilts as part of their standard uniform. And in fashion more broadly, designers including Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen have both reimagined kilts for women in their runway collections over the years, bringing the garment well outside its traditional context.
Bottom line
So, can a woman wear a kilt? Yes — and she always could. From historical arisaids to modern tartan kilts, women hold a genuine and rightful place in Highland dress, not a borrowed one.
If you’re ready to explore tartan for yourself, our women’s kilts collection covers where tradition meets modern style.