Trews

Sir John Sinclair by Henry Raeburn, 1794–95. Sir John wears leather-trimmed trews of fabric cut on the straight grain.

Trews (or truis, Scottish Gaelic: triubhas) are men's clothing for the legs and lower abdomen, a traditional form of tartan trousers from Scottish Highland dress. Trews could be trimmed with leather, usually buckskin, especially on the inner leg to prevent wear from riding on a horse.

Tartan trews shared the fate of other items of Highland dress under the proscription of the Dress Act of 1746, which banned men and boys from wearing the truis ("trowse") outside of military service. The Dress Act lasted until 1782 when it was repealed under the reign of King George III.


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