Aboyne Highland Games Photos - Various

[thescot]

Very nice photos, Kyle, and thanks for posting them. I noted several items that would bear discussion; certainly informative to see how it's done in Aberdeenshire.

[chrisupyonder]

Very nice photos, Kyle, and thanks for posting them. I noted several items that would bear discussion; certainly informative to see how it's done in Aberdeenshire.

Superb. The variation in Highland dress is astounding. Thanks for posting.

Chris.

[macwilkin]

The Marquis of Huntly is looking ship-shape and Bristol fashion in those yellow hose, Kyle!

T.

[creagdhubh]

The Marquis of Huntly is looking ship-shape and Bristol fashion in those yellow hose, Kyle!

T.

I do like this particular style of loud coloured hose, but as for yellow, I prefer the mustard variant myself.

Me taking a stroll in Granville Island, Vancouver, BC.

[Jack Daw]

The Marquis of Huntly is looking ship-shape and Bristol fashion in those yellow hose, Kyle!

T.

Yellow hose aside, is that a paisley waistcoat? I'm only an occasional visitor to this forum, but I don't recall anyone else wearing a paisley waistcoat. I admit that I wear a paisley long-tie sometimes with my kilts, but I hadn't thought of a paisley waistcoat! I like it!

[CMcG]

I think this is an excellent opportunity to weigh the various gems of advice that are given around this forum against visual evidence. The value of these photos for such an exercise is that there are a whole bunch of (presumably) Scottish, kilted gentlemen wearing many variations of daywear all in row! Granted, these photos perhaps don't reflect the entirety of the attendance at this particular Highland Games, but instead show what creagdhubh considers to be the best examples of THCD.

First some things that seem quite popular and are consistent with what I have learned about traditional daywear on Xmarks:
- coloured hose
- balmoral bonnets with cap badges
- tweed jackets (with or without waistcoats)
- leather sporrans
- tartan kilts

Some things that I noticed that go against the THCD suggestions I have read on Xmarks for daywear:
- ghillie brogues
- white hose
- evening sporrans (metal cantle with fur or hair)
- waistplate belts
- kilt worn at mid knee or lower
- glengarries
- dress Argyll jacket

Of the above discrepancies, the glengarries look OK to me, if a bit military. The one dress Argyll seems to fit in well enough with the tweed Argylls, even if it is a bit more formal than the event requires. Similarly, the waistplate belts and evening sporrans look a bit too formal but are still passable.

Seeing all these gents side by side, what really doesn't work to my eye are the white hose, ghille brogues, and kilts worn lower on the knee.

Most of the white hose are just too stark and too reminiscent of athletic socks when compared with the coloured hose. These heavy, cabled, cream coloured hose, with patterned tops, however look much more appropriate to me:



Is it just me or the gents wearing ghillie brogues also the only ones wearing white hose? I'm not opposed to ghillie brogues on principal but they would stand out less against coloured hose. I think I'd also far prefer to see ghillie brogues without the laces going up the leg... looks a bit too costumey to me.

As for kilt length, I think mid knee is the lowest position that still looks ok but a bit higher is better. Without some knee showing, there is no visual break between the kilt and the hose! Here is a snip of one of the pics that shows three examples:


Furthermore, there are none of the following items (as compared to photos I have seen from outside Scotland):
- claymores, basket hilts, dirks, flint locks, etc
- diced, Argyle, or tartan hose
- formal jackets (Prince Charlie coatees, doublets)
- modern kilts (Utilikilts, Alt.Kilts, etc)
- historical or reenactment attire (great kilts, period costumes, etc)

Yellow hose aside, is that a paisley waistcoat? I'm only an occasional visitor to this forum, but I don't recall anyone else wearing a paisley waistcoat. I admit that I wear a paisley long-tie sometimes with my kilts, but I hadn't thought of a paisley waistcoat! I like it!

I have a paisley formal waistcoat that is a subtle white on white.

[Jack Daw]

...I have a paisley formal waistcoat that is a subtle white on white.

Excellent. I like the look, so I'll be on the prowl.

[MacSpadger]

Nice pics. I was first taken to the Aboyne games in 1964 as a four year old. I have lost count of the times I have been since, but it's probably in the 30's.

The lapel badges are interesting. I have a silver lapel clan badge hallmarked from the early 1920's. It has a small ring on the back of it for sticking your sprig of plant badge in. It doesnt't look like the ones in the pic though, it's more like a smaller version of the badges we wear in our balmorals.

In my younger day brown brouges were worn with tweeds, as were brown belts and plain brown sporrans. There used to be a Brown Brogues & Tweeds association that ran piping competitions. Last time I went to one of their comps was in 2005, I don't know if they are still on the go.

[gary meakin]

Note sporran height

[BCAC]

I think what these photos really show is what Jock Scot (and others) have been saying for yonks. That is if you stay in the general guide lines, you wear what YOU want how YOU want. That's like daywear in daytime, evening wear at eveningtime but otherwise you dress as yourself. Nobody is trying to dress the same. Like Jock said, we are not peas in a pod.

There are general guide lines but these are NOT "rules and regulations".