In the 1900s, touring Scottish singer/entertainers turned up all over the world with their songs and anecdotes, and often wore the kilt. Men AND women, that is.
Overseas, this spelled ‘Scottish Highlands’, even if the singer was actually a Lowlander.
At home, opinions on women wearing short kilts were less polite. Like this:-
“Man, she’s a bit bonnie lassie, and has a gude pipe [= good voice]; but to see her puir porritch-sticks o’ legs keekin’ out below the kilt …’ [= her poor porridge-stirrer sticks of legs peeping out below the kilt] And here a spontaneous and hilarious burst of laughter completed the sentence.
Southern Reporter newspaper, 1911
Aye, right!
Karen McAulay, Musicologist 