The King’s Own Scottish Borderers had lobbied to wear this pattern of tartan from 1881 onwards, but were ordered to issue their trousers in government tartan. However, from 1898 they were permitted to adopt the Leslie Green Modern sett. The word ‘trews’ is usually applied to this garment, but the original trews were tight‑fitting leggings for mounted Highlanders. Most paintings and prints depict the tartan incorrectly, so it is useful to see an actual pair of trousers as worn by the rank‑and‑file for more than a hundred years.
The photo and information come, with the author’s kind permission, from Borderers in Uniform from 1689 by Hiram Dunn (2018).
