Accessories: same color?

[Riverkilt]

It was drilled into me too that leather colors "should" match.

Big surprise that Prince Charles usually wears his favorite brown sporran with black shoes.

But more interesting that the staff who dress him would recommend, or allow him, such mismatch...never thinking that perhaps my "rulemakers" were too uptight.

So, following the Prince's lead I'm experimenting with breaking the rules.

And, I can't recall the last time I wore a belt with a kilt. Just so much more comfy without.

So, only shoes and sporran to worry about matching or contrasting.

[Sir William]

I'm among those who likes to match the leather, but I'm not a fanatic about it.

This morning I was thinking about kilt pins and it occured to me that while a brass belt buckle is usually worn with daywear, most of the available kilt pins are in a silver colored metal. So...if one is to worry about mixing leather, then they should also be concerned about mixing metals. Too much bother...

I'm trying to take the approach that the total outfit -kilt, jacket, hose, shirt, tie, belt, sporran, hose, garters, and shoes - should all complement each other. That doesn't mean they have to match in color, but that they all work together to produce a pleasing effect.

[JSFMACLJR]

Sheesh...has anyone thought that these "rules" stating that "leathers had to match" were written not for Highland dress, but rather for "Saxon" dress?

[Paolo]

I'm among those who likes to match the leather, but I'm not a fanatic about it.

This morning I was thinking about kilt pins and it occured to me that while a brass belt buckle is usually worn with daywear, most of the available kilt pins are in a silver colored metal. So...if one is to worry about mixing leather, then they should also be concerned about mixing metals. Too much bother...

That's interesting!!! You are right, yoo much bother...

[wildrover]

I'm trying to take the approach that the total outfit -kilt, jacket, hose, shirt, tie, belt, sporran, hose, garters, and shoes - should all complement each other. That doesn't mean they have to match in color, but that they all work together to produce a pleasing effect.

Perfectly stated.

[AcuteEnigma]

What about the lady who sported 3 foot tall butterfly wings with her kilt?

Should those have matched her shoes?

lol

[AFS1970]

Ignoring the lady wearing a Kilt issue for the moment, I would assume that with wings one would not wear a fur sporran, one would not want to mix beast and bird after all.

[Red Stag]

This morning I was thinking about kilt pins and it occured to me that while a brass belt buckle is usually worn with daywear, most of the available kilt pins are in a silver colored metal. So...if one is to worry about mixing leather, then they should also be concerned about mixing metals. Too much bother...

Sport Kilt has a gold tone sword kilt pin...

I also have a stag antler kilt pin from USA Kilts to match my stag horn sgian dubh for day wear.

Neither one has a lot of weight to it though so breezes have their way with me.

[Jock Scot]

Well here I am, late again. Actually I have been keeping an eye on this thread, but thought you chaps were doing pretty well without me.

This matching thing that many seem to agonise so much about is, I am sure, just a fact that most of the "New World" are having to start with new kit. Whilst in the "Old World" we make do with Dad's kilt, great grandfather's brown sporran and silver kilt pin, uncle Jim's black kilt belt, cousin Jack's gold watch and chain and so on. So inevitably when we turn out we are never likely to have anything that matches. A good dollop of necessity, practicality, common sense and experience sees to that human frailty of vanity and thus we Scots don't fuss about matching things and somehow it works and works well.

Most of you chaps in the "New World" don't have that ancestral backup, so you have the mindset of NEW, so when you go out and buy things it is obvious that you want things to match. Just like, I suspect, my ancestors did when they started out on the kilt trail umpteen decades ago. This is where the "Old and New Worlds" struggle to understand where each other are coming from and I don't just mean on kilt matters either. Does it matter really? Well on matters of the kilt. Not one jot.

For the record, some of you might have noticed that I wear black(polished) brogues, black leather sporran and on occasion a black leather kilt belt with gold watch and chain, silver kilt pin and clan badge. That is not a conscious thing on my part, apart from I like black brogues, the rest is just what I happen to have.

[Gryphon noir]

I like your approach, Jock. I don't think we need worry that we in the New World are going to "redefine" the wearing of traditional highland garb. Most of us are part of a renaissance of kilt wearing, so we shouldn't be too surprised to discover that we are creating a living tradition, rather than a static set of rules.

That doesn't mean we should dismiss anyone's interpretation of a particular style. Micric has a good point in that there are certain social expectations associated with formal wear. I don't reject that, you just wouldn't find me wearing a tuxedo, so the formal bit simply doesn't apply in my case.

By the same token, while I might wince at the guy in the Utilikilt worn low on the hips with work boots and rolled down socks, I still accept that this is part of a cultural dynamic.