Young boy in 1883 wearing a Scottish kilt in 1883. Kilts caught on in America in 1855.

Queen Victoria's young sons in the early 1850s appeared at a series of public functions wearing full Scottish Highland outfits which, like the prince's miniature sailor suit, set off a fashion craze. All Europe began wearing Scottish clothing. Scotch plaids, kilts, and accessories had caught on by 1855 in the United States as well. The uniform appealed to many American parents by invoking images of the British aristocracy.