1 kilt 10 looks: John Burgess

[OC Richard]

Well not quite, but you get the idea.

I was looking over the various threads about the distinctive attire of Pipe Major John Burgess, and I couldn't help notice that he was usually wearing a Ross Hunting kilt (either Modern, or Ancient).

Though there have been many Burgess threads, I thought it would be nice to gather on one post a number of different "looks".

Plain dress (or about as plain as he goes... look at that fantastic sporran!)



In relatively restrained Evening dress, with matching tartan waistcoat, another amazing sporran, fantastic hose, red laces, and whisky!



Here with a red waistcoat, red-trimmed doublet, and lovely vintage-looking buckle and brooch, the finery has been stepped up a notch



Fancier yet: this looks to be the same doublet, buttoned up, and worn with lace jabot. I love that fluffy Angora sporran



And the ultimate, a matching tartan doublet. Note the large oval buckle on this photo and on the one above.



Ross Hunting Modern:



Ross Hunting Ancient:

[ASinclair]

"Distinctive attire" indeed. Thanks for pulling these together Richard. This is my favorite.

. . .

In relatively restrained Evening dress, with matching tartan waistcoat, another amazing sporran, fantastic hose, red laces, and whisky!


. . . .

[Profane James]

"Distinctive attire" indeed. Thanks for pulling these together Richard. This is my favorite.

I agree, looks ready to rip!

[Jock Scot]

John Burgess was a sharp dresser for sure and by all accounts a fun chap to be with, but we do need to bear in mind that he was a consummate showman and as such some of his attire edged towards----- into even--- the theatrical, therefore care needs to be taken when making one's own attire choices if one is using him for guidance.

[jfraser]

Those who are interested in other photos and finding out more about this outstanding piper, might like to look at the following web site.

http://www.pmjohndburgess.net/others.html

Surely, his attire can only be matched by his piping ability. One of my all time top pipers.

You can see the military influence on how he wears the kilt etc.

[Spartan Tartan]

And the ultimate, a matching tartan doublet. Note the large oval buckle on this photo and on the one above.

Jock,
Are you suggesting that perhaps this outfit should be taken with a grain of salt, so to speak, and not so literally? Please advise, I was looking to piece this very outfit together for next Tuesday. You know, because it's the celebration of the day after Monday!

(Please, do not miss the sarcasm. I'm sure some would in fact take this single picture as justification for "how it was/is done")

[Jock Scot]

Jock,
Are you suggesting that perhaps this outfit should be taken with a grain of salt, so to speak, and not so literally? Please advise, I was looking to piece this very outfit together for next Tuesday. You know, because it's the celebration of the day after Monday!

(Please, do not miss the sarcasm. I'm sure some would in fact take this single picture as justification for "how it was/is done")

You take my point exactly as I intended. Internet pictures-----even ones as stunning as the example given---- should all carry explanations , particularly when kilt attire is involved!

[OC Richard]

Here's a fellow probably around 1870 wearing checkerboard hose like Burgess'

[OC Richard]

John Burgess was a sharp dresser for sure and by all accounts a fun chap to be with, but we do need to bear in mind that he was a consummate showman and as such some of his attire edged towards----- into even--- the theatrical, therefore care needs to be taken when making one's own attire choices if one is using him for guidance.

Yes indeed. And Gordon Walker is the present-day equivalent.

These men, one could say, earned the right to dress as they please, with their musical accomplishments. If a mediocre piper were to show up dressed in tartan from head to toe, with dirk and powder-horn, "the piping community" would have a different view of their dress!

Though I will point out that PM Burgess' dress in the top photo, with charcoal-grey tweed jacket, plain hose, and Hunting sporran, is hardly flamboyant. I couldn't imagine anyone going wrong in using that photo as guidance for their attire choices. (You'll pay a pretty penny for the sporran!) Yes one might object to the Glengarry and Ghillies but these are nearly universal amongst pipers, and are viewed as being quite ordinary in the piping community.

[OC Richard]

I'm sure some would in fact take this single picture as justification for "how it was/is done"

Yes I do take that single picture as showing how it was done, in that specific time and place.

What we don't know, from one single obviously posed photo on this thread, is what PM Burgess' own perception of the function of that outfit was, for example for what occasions he intended to wear it or actually wore it. I doubt that he would purchase such an expensive kit for a single photo-op. In other words he had to have had in mind, when he purchased that kit, some repeated function for it.

The photo of PM Burgess with whisky and smoke in hand is another story, because the photo tells us that he wore that kit at some social function.

I realise that what you probably mean is "how it was done regularly by the majority of kiltwearers" but I myself am very careful to take vintage photos at face value but not go beyond what is seen. I would never take what's seen in a single photo and project it to other people, times, and places.

It happens regularly that when I post a vintage photo people will infer or make the claim that

1) I am advocating that people nowadays dress like that or

2) I am claiming that what is seen in the photograph was universal or common at the time the photo was taken.

I myself do not advocate any such thing or make any such claims.

This is a different matter from seeing the same thing in a thousand photos, and coming to the conclusion that that thing was common. I will post a photo sometimes saying that such-and-such a thing is commonly seen in vintage photos. When I say that it's because I have seen hundreds of photos showing whatever the thing is. If challenged I can quickly post a dozen, two dozen photos from my own collection showing the thing was often seen. If, after I post ten photos from the 1860s showing people wearing something, somebody says it didn't exist, well, then they're just inventing history rather than being guided by the evidence.