Boot Toe Style

[JPS]

I'm looking for opinions on alternative toe styles for boots worn with kilts. I know the wingtip brogue is very popular and kind of a classic look, and unadorned toes work great both in casual and formal settings, depending on the boot.

But are there other styles you like to wear with your kilt? Split toes? Moc toes? Brogued caps even???

Let's see them, please!

[Jock Scot]

For what it is worth I don't see many civilian kilt wearers wearing boots here. The occasional kilted hiker and the "tartan Army"(Scottish football and rugby supporters) when they are out on manoeuvres. Other than that, think, rare as hens teeth. I would certainly never expect boots to be worn for smart or formal events here.

[JPS]

For what it is worth I don't see many civilian kilt wearers wearing boots here. The occasional kilted hiker and the "tartan Army"(Scottish football and rugby supporters) when they are out on manoeuvres. Other than that, think, rare as hens teeth. I would certainly never expect boots to be worn for smart or formal events here.

That's a very interesting point. I wonder why that is.

I have a pair of J&M brogue boots, like the ones pictured here, that I would consider casual (matte leather, brown, open lacing, lace hooks), but that I'm comfortable wearing to the office with a pair of khakis or jeans on a Friday or when the weather is rough, and I need some extra grip. I believe in other parts of the world, these would be called country boots.

gRRsAG.jpg

[KennethSime]

In a formal setting, I don't think boots can hang with a pair of oxfords or brogues. That said, I do wear boots quite often with my kilts, as most days I wear them casually.

Ant from The Kilt Experience often wears brogued ankle boots with a kilt jacket & waistcoat, and I think that look works quite well for "country day wear." Others wear Doc Marten plain-toe and cap-toe boots with frequency, and I think that works well for a more urban, punk rock look.

Here's a pair of moccassin toe minimalist boots from Lems that I wear quite frequently. I won't argue that they look particularly nice, but they do fit the part well enough for casual wear.

[Jock Scot]

That's a very interesting point. I wonder why that is.

I have a pair of J&M brogue boots, like the ones pictured here, that I would consider casual (matte leather, brown, open lacing, lace hooks), but that I'm comfortable wearing to the office with a pair of khakis or jeans on a Friday or when the weather is rough, and I need some extra grip. I believe in other parts of the world, these would be called country boots.

gRRsAG.jpg

Generally speaking I think boots with the kilt would be considered as rather agricultural and unnecessary for normal kilt attire over here. Yes there is a time and place for boots, but not often. A good pair of brogues would do the job much better and with rather more style.

[OC Richard]

Highland Dress fashion has gone through various transformations over the centuries, in a Punctuated Equilibrium sort of way.

What we generally think of today as "traditional Highland Dress" arose in the first decade of the 20th century, and has changed hardly at all since.

There's a large divide between 20th century "traditional Highland Dress" and historical Victorian Highland Dress, and ankle-boots are part of it. Ankle-boots were very popular in Victorian times with Highland outfits, but for whatever reason fell from favour at the close of the 19th century.

Ankle-boots are making something of a comeback recently, though if the ankle-boot thing only takes root outwith The Highlands it will become yet another difference between Highland and non-Highland Highland Dress.

In any case, a typical Victorian Highland outfit with ankle boots.

[kingandrew]

Richard,

I believe ankle boots and high-button shoes were pretty much the norm for footwear during the Victorian era, for Saxon dress as well as Highland wear. It's funny to think how something so ubiquitous then fell so completely from favor, but it happens to clothing items over time (think of the Elizabethan's ruffs, which were everywhere for a couple of centuries and seem bizarre to us now).

And I am definitely seeing more men wearing lace-up boots that are styled like dress shoes, rather than just the hiking, cowboy, and combat boot styles that have always been popular for more casual wear. So it would stand to reason that men who wear kilts are likely to experiment with these styles as well.

I like the look of a good boot with the kilt, myself. On casual occasions, I often wear my hiking boots with my kilt. And I have a pair of high-top dress shoes that I sometimes wear with daywear outfits.

Andrew

[JPS]

Generally speaking I think boots with the kilt would be considered as rather agricultural and unnecessary for normal kilt attire over here. Yes there is a time and place for boots, but not often. A good pair of brogues would do the job much better and with rather more style.

Having given this some thought, my curiosity has only increased. I wonder whether the "agricultural" feeling of boots with kilts reveals something about the nature of kilt-wearing, if not the kilt itself, in Scotland today. If you'll indulge me, understanding that I know very little about this...

If wearing a kilt outside the city (festivals excluded) would be seen as too much of an affectation, then I can absolutely see that situations for wearing seemingly agricultural footwear with a kilt would be few and far between.

And to Richard's point, while boots were more popular during the Victorian age, I wonder whether any of that popularity was owing to a general popularity of more military-style clothing, or whether it was just the result of a more rurally rooted population.

Now I'm a little sorry I framed my question so narrowly. Jock, I imagine you and I might be having a more helpful conversation had I asked about toe styles in general. I don't personally have a set of full-brogue shoes, though I do have a pair of black plain-toe, two-eye derbys, as well as a pair of burgundy oxfords with just the smallest amount of broguing across the toe. I'd love your thoughts on pairing these with the kilt, if it's ok to veer slightly off-topic.

[Jock Scot]

Having given this some thought, my curiosity has only increased. I wonder whether the "agricultural" feeling of boots with kilts reveals something about the nature of kilt-wearing, if not the kilt itself, in Scotland today. If you'll indulge me, understanding that I know very little about this...

If wearing a kilt outside the city (festivals excluded) would be seen as too much of an affectation, then I can absolutely see that situations for wearing seemingly agricultural footwear with a kilt would be few and far between.

And to Richard's point, while boots were more popular during the Victorian age, I wonder whether any of that popularity was owing to a general popularity of more military-style clothing, or whether it was just the result of a more rurally rooted population.

Now I'm a little sorry I framed my question so narrowly. Jock, I imagine you and I might be having a more helpful conversation had I asked about toe styles in general. I don't personally have a set of full-brogue shoes, though I do have a pair of black plain-toe, two-eye derbys, as well as a pair of burgundy oxfords with just the smallest amount of broguing across the toe. I'd love your thoughts on pairing these with the kilt, if it's ok to veer slightly off-topic.

As you are the OP then I think you are not going to "rock any boat" by going off topic, besides, you are only asking a question that arose from a post on this thread, so the conversation is just moving naturally along as any conversation often does.

I think you are taking my "agricultural"comment a tad too literally. I was not intending to limit my comment to the countryside. Although if we are talking about the countryside then as I have said that there are occasions where wearing boots with one's kilt is sensible. I am a countryman, I farmed, shoot and fish in some wonderful places and of course knowing one's ground does help with one's decision making when venturing out. A good pair of brogues will often be sufficient and if not the the wellington boot-----particularly the newer versions with cortex or leather linings-------do make life rather more pleasant. Of course if wading is required then waders are the obvious choice , although I would not be likely to be wearing the kilt in that case!

Black Brogues/low shoes with the kilt is the usual choice for most town/city or country here and one does not need to delve too deeply into colours or minute style differences, although its fair to say black is the most favoured choice. However I would say shoes built on the stout side are a lot more versatile. I am having trouble loading pictures at the moment, but if you care to go back through the pictures I have posted here in the past you will see the same black brogues being worn at weddings, social gatherings, country sporting events, in town, graduations, in the office, strolls out in the country and so on. So why wear boots?

[Panache]

Jock,

Here is a photo of me and the low boots I have taken to wearing when wearing daywear (Saxon and Highland). I don't think they look particularly bad (or good) with the kilt. In truth I wear them mainly because they are at this moment (with their Aetrex insoles) the most comfortable shoes I currently own.

Cheers

Jamie