First stab at kiltyness

[JMorganKuberry]

This is my first go at an outfit. I have done reenactments of several time periods but just started this kit. Royal Highlanders, 2/42nd, 9th company, during the French & Indian War. A lot of the details are not what one would expect!

[derosa]

Would not have expected them to march in that style of slipper
looks like a lot of effort put into getting the kit looking right and looks good to me.

[JMorganKuberry]

I know right? I am not going for a "right off the boat" impression, nor a dress uniform, but rather a mid to late war look, which is more suitable for reenactments and educational talks. The slippers are center seam, eastern American Indian moccasins. After they had been in North America for a time, the mocs become standard fare because they worked great in the woods and they were locally available.

The highland broadsword was replaced with a tomahawk for reasons of practicality and the swords went into regimental baggage.

The hose are reserved for parade and Indian leggings are used in the woods. The king's red coat has had leather breast pockets added. One pocket for spare bullets, the other for spare gun flints and a powder horn is carried (can't quite see it in this pic) because while the cartridge box on my belly is more than sufficient for fighting in Europe, is nowhere near enough for a campaign in New York or Canada. Lace is omitted from the coat for a number of reasons. No unit designations such as cuffs are worn due to both economy and the nature of woodland fighting.

I have a Murdoch on order. Need to get a musket, and dirk. Ideally I'll find good used options but I am prepared to order new ones if I find I like this period. So far I've had more fun at two French & Indian events than in 10 years of Civil War reenactment.

[grizzbass]

it looks great. One of my favorite periods

[JMorganKuberry]

Thanks! I will stop discussing the weapons as I now see it may get my post moved.

The tartan itself I'm not sure of. A tailor who makes and wears kilts sold me the philabeg and enough cloth for a plaid. I did a burn test on some scraps, it is wool with maybe a touch of cotton, but no synthetic. It is a dark blue, dark green and black tartan with one red stripe. It was the closest thing I could find to "gov't sett with a red overstripe". First that was for the grenadier company, then in '46 Lord John Murray made it the tartan for all companies of the 42nd until the end of FnI period. Then in the Rev war it was apparently kept for philabegs but plaids went to undifferend gov't sett.

I am finding that people don't like my box pleats or the red stripe when I go to events. People seem to want undifferenced gov't sett with knife pleats all the way back to when Hadrian built the wall, and it simply was not so.

If I manage to recruit anyone into the unit I can cut up the plaid into two philabegs. If it grows beyond that I'll have to find a reliable source for a more historically accurate tartan. Some of the ancient Murray hunting tartans are very similar to what the 42nd wore in the 1750's.

[Bruce Scott]

Photo rotated

[tpa]

Detail pulled up.

[Tarheel]

I would suggest dropping the sporran down a bit for easy access (inch lower maybe) as some personal items for ready use were kept there (tobacco, pipe, jerky, flint for starting fires, etc). All other military related items (expendables) were stowed by design of the Quartermaster's guide.

[JMorganKuberry]

Thanks for the suggestion. Right now I keep replica pre-1756 coins in it. And like, car keys and stuff

[DotDLL]

This is my first go at an outfit. I have done reenactments of several time periods but just started this kit. Royal Highlanders, 2/42nd, 9th company, during the French & Indian War. A lot of the details are not what one would expect!

Hi Morgan!

Great to see you in your new kit, and also... !