What is a "philabeg"?

At nearly every Highland Games gathering there are vendors selling tartan items, whether tailored kilts, blankets, scarves, ties, or tartan fabric. By far the greatest proportion of their sales in the category of Highland dress are related to "modern" Highland attire, especially the modern tailored kilt and its accessories. Yet the belted plaid is seldom seen today at gatherings of highlanders, and even knowledge of this garment is not widespread.

The present-day Highland Games trace their origins back to the early 19th century interest in matters related to Highland culture. This interest manifested itself in various reconstructionist events purportedly designed as a celebration of that earlier Gaelic Highland and Celtic culture, but such cultures never wore garments like the modern tailored kilt.

The modern short kilt is called féileadh beag ("little wrap"), and often Anglicized to philabeg or filibeg, with various spellings. Its origins are still debated; what is clear is that the philabeg developed from the belted plaid sometime in the early 18th century, or perhaps somewhat earlier. The philabeg consisted essentially of the lower half of a plaid, gathered or pleated and held around the waist with a belt. Later, the gatherings were stitched down to hold them in place, and thus originated the modern tailored kilt.