Scots border wool cloaks of the 16 century

[Stuart]

I hesitate to say tartan or plaid as that’s much later….

I’ve got some of the lovely Scot’s pike figures from Pete’s Flags, some of which have cloaks.

For want of a better word, what patterns would the wool have been for the Border region? Various natural drab colours in rough check patterns ?

My web searches are just resulting in tartan which I’m reluctant to use.

[Citizen Sade]

Hodden grey, perhaps, but it's rather dull.

[Citizen Sade]

https://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/wool/

“During this period, working folk (95% of the population) had by law no option other than to wear the harsh, thick woollen cloths, all plain or single-coloured, in which this area specialised. By the end of Elizabeth I’s reign in 1603, however, there was a rising middle classable to afford better clothes and demanding more than single-colour garments.”

Would things be much different north of the border?

[whiskey priest]

Yeah, i'd have thought it'd have been plain woolen cloaks in various shades. As far as I'm aware there weren't many examples of patterned woolen cloth in the Lowlands during that period (your probably better looking for images of Border Reivers as they seem to be the most popular scoundrels of the period for people to research). If I remember my Pinkie history, the vast majority of the Scots army was Lowlanders but with contingents of Highlanders on the flanks.

[Emir of Askaristan]

Tweed of course! 

Joking aside - Simple earthy colours what don't show up dirty marks and waterstains. Wool swells as it gets wet and if it still has the oils from the fleece can be reasonably waterproof. Fancier types could have a border or a lining in a different colour.
The Osprey Warrior on border reivers has some excellent reenactor pics - I think the group are on Facebook as the border reivers too.

[OB]

Hodden Grey is just a mixture of undyed wools as I understand it.  So greys and browns, even greenish or blueish greys.  Tweed is a useful suggestion I think.  Maybe have a look a Herring bone patterns.  Wealthier folk might have some brighter colours, trade wasn't unknown in the Borders.

[Codsticker]

Interesting from the Wikipedia page (link):

They were recognized among the Irish soldiers by the distinction of their arms and clothing ... for their exterior dress was mottled cloaks of many colours ..., their belts were over their loins outside their cloaks.

Apparently a quote from some one named Lughaidh referring to highanders in 1594.

[Terry37]

I would go with earthy muted tones, grays, taupe's, browns, dull reds and greens in basic checked patterns or with wide bands going one direction or crossing.

Terry

[FierceKitty]

Tartans, albeit less complex than today's, have been part of the Celtic tradition for millennia, not centuries. Don't be too shy of checked patterns here and there.

[Radar]

Here's a link to some research I did on the Scots for the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. https://www.keepyourpowderdry.co.uk/2020/10/the-army-of-montrose-what-colours-to-use.html

You might find some of it useful, if not my rambling nonsense, the links to other sites.

TL;DR avoid 'tartan' except for very rich individuals (too expensive for the majority); plain earthy colours, in particular Hodden Grey (unbleached wool made from predominantly 'white' sheep with a few 'black' fleeces thrown into the mix to give browny grey) or some of the SADD colours. Not black either (again too expensive)

[Stuart]

Thanks very much all, I’ve really enjoyed this particular rabbit hole and thanks radar that was a good read