About dirks and civilians

[Sir Didymous]

Okay, I'm just making sure that my reading page after page of search results on here isn't waisted on my misinterpreting the findings. As it relates to formal kilt attire, a civilian wearing a dirk should be on equal rarity to one wearing a fly plaid. Is this correct? But the actual question I have is what about non-formal situations? As a medievalist, I wear my reenactment garb every chance I can get. It has pretty much became my day wear. As a result I am rather fond of having a medium to large fixed blade on my hip at most times. I feel almost naked without it. At job number two (a butcher), I even carry my sharpening steel through a baton ring on my belt for the weight of it. When serving in my ministerial capacity I always have a pocket knife handy when I'm not wearing attire that allows for my dress dagger. (My church family has come to like my eccentric taste in attire and formal renaissance fashions seem nice to me. Suits are reserved for weddings, funerals and ecumenical services.) I wear vestments occasionally for weddings where the couple wish. Sorry for the tangent.

The question to the rabble is how common is it for a person to carry a dirk as part of day wear? And does anyone know any place one could pick up a non-formal style dirk?

[David Thorpe]

...how common is it for a person to carry a dirk as part of day wear?

Think blue moon, free money and hen's teeth.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Think blue moon, free money and hen's teeth.

You left out rocking horse poop.

[mookien]

Think blue moon, free money and hen's teeth.

It's hard to beat David's reply, so I'll just add that I have never noticed anyone wearing a dirk with day wear. I have only seen one modern photograph of a fellow in formal wear wearing a dirk.

[TheOfficialBren]

I don't own a dirk nor do I see the purpose of owning one but to each their own.

[Harold Cannon]

I have been known to wear one with my kilt version of our fire department uniform. I also would think that they would be reserved for white tie functions. I am not a fan of the look with black tie. I have seen some daywear dirks that I like and it is really depending on the look and what you are trying to pull off, say if you are going for a historical look them it may be fitting. Other that that I say uniform or white tie!

[Jock Scot]

Think blue moon, free money and hen's teeth.

Nicely put and appropriate.

[creagdhubh]

Thanks, Rex!

[Dale Seago]

I'll wear a dirk -- generally the handmade one you can see at the top on my website -- if I'm wearing my historic (circa 1745) Highland attire, as pretty much every Gaelic male wore one all the time even if too cash-poor to own a sword. I'll also wear it while hiking/camping, whether kilted or not; and often when I'm NOT in (modern) traditional Highland daywear but AM kilted.

In THCD, though, no dirk as it's no longer a part of Highland tradition.

Perhaps strangely to some, I also would not wear a dirk with formal dress, for the simple reason that those made to go with formal attire today are merely dirk-like objects, masculine bling.

EDITED TO ADD VISUAL EXAMPLES:


I'm wearing a dirk here, up front above/beside the sporran:





Wearing a dirk here:





And NOT wearing a dirk here -- though my friend Russell is wearing one at his left hip, and I am wearing a stag-handled sgian dubh:

[Panache]

I have a dirk I made myself that I carry when I wear my belted plaid to the Renaissance Faire.

Beyond that I never wear it, even when I have the honor of presenting Burns' "Address to the Haggis" I have it sitting on the table in front of me.

I like Dale's comments about bling, and to be honest they just get in the way and tend to spoil the clean lines of one's attire. Not to mention they would get in the way if one were dancing! A sgian dubh is fine for me.

Cheers

Jamie