Too Traditional?

[David Thorpe]

White hose? Or the light blue Balmoral with the maroon jacket?

[Jock Scot]

White hose? Or the light blue Balmoral with the maroon jacket?

Try "white hose man". And--------------?

[CMcG]

Try "white hose man". And--------------?

OK, apart from the white hose, the things that stand out to me as being a bit off: black jacket, possibly a dress Argyll (rather than tweed for daywear); dirk worn to the side (thereby scrunching up said jacket); tartan flashes.

The claret bonnet is perhaps an unusual colour, but that's not necessarily a bad thing... his cromach seems acceptable given the location and his black leather shoes look fairly plain.

*edit MacSpadger beat me to the post!

[Jock Scot]

Well alright you all have been looking for about half an hour for things that I see in a blink of an eye. My perceptions, impressions and assumptions could all be deemed as unfair and may well be just plain wrong, and to my eyes "White Hose Man" shouts "American" and is too traditional. Or to put it another way, trying too hard. I think I should add, we are using this gentleman for educational purposes not for any criticism of him personally.

So What am I seeing?

Well, I think the white hose caught my eye first of all, then I think the unusual bonnet colour(remember we are in the Scots Highlands). Then the black jacket, then THAT DIRK, then a short stick, and finally the length of the kilt. Oh and the tartan flashes don't help either.

He is when all said and done turned out very smartly and white hose, black jacket and long kilt would probably have got him into the traditional bracket. The dirk,short stick and maroon bonnet put him in the trying too hard bracket.

So it is the overall impression that counts and individual pieces of attire are not so critical. Apart from the dirk.

A word on bonnet colours. We have retired Paras, we have retired Royal Marines, for example and as a uniform they wear maroon or green berets, but as civilians most (nearly all that I have met choose not to wear those colours with their civilian balmoral). It is something that I have noticed retired American service personal seem to do.

[creagdhubh]

A word on bonnet colours. We have retired Paras, we have retired Royal Marines, for example and as a uniform they wear maroon or green berets, but as civilians most (nearly all that I have met choose not to wear those colours with their civilian balmoral). It is something that I have noticed retired American service personal seem to do.

This makes complete sense to me, Jock. Below are Balmoral colours that I generally stick with:

Navy
Black
Lovat Green
Lovat Blue
Fawn (my favourite!)



Cheers,

[Peter Crowe]

Gentlemen,
I think that one could over-think the appropriateness of bonnet colours. For example a Mackie's fawn bonnet is very close in colour to the sand coloured beret of the Special Air Service Regiment. I would not think that any gentlemen wearing a fawn balmoral was trying to pass himself off as a former member of the SAS. I think Jock's point about the maroon balmoral is well made, in Britain (and most Commonwealth countries) that colour is very closely associated with elite airborne soldiers and has no other real association and would be considered 'poor form' to be worn by anyone who wasn't a former paratrooper. I believe that in the UK veterans are generally more understated about showing their former service, but I suspect that has more to do with a cultural reaction against both the high cost (human and economic) of the 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 wars.

[Arnot]

It is something that I have noticed retired American service personal seem to do.

He's quite correct, in my case anyway. It is a Paratrooper's balmoral purchased through Alcaig Kilts. I'm not trying to hard, I am (in my nutty little mind) still a "Geronimo".

[creagdhubh]

He's quite correct, in my case anyway. It is a Paratrooper's balmoral purchased through Alcaig Kilts. I'm not trying to hard, I am (in my nutty little mind) still a "Geronimo".

You look quite smart, Arnot! Thank you for your service as well. I particularly like your plain daywear sporran, and I can easily tell it is from McRostie's of Glasgow - very nice! As you may well be aware, Jock has the same one as you, only his sporran has the addition of three tassels. They are great sporrans (leather goods in general).

Cheers,

[Arnot]

You look quite smart, Arnot! Thank you for your service as well.

Thanks Kyle. Thanks for your service as well.

Troy.

[David Thorpe]

...to my eyes "White Hose Man" shouts "American" and is too traditional.

I have no objection to being labeled as an American. It is after all who I am, albeit one of largely Scottish lineage, both Highland and Lowland.
Being labeled as “too traditional”, “trying too hard” or any other form indicative of disrespect, ignorance, negligence or disregard for THCD is an entirely different kettle of fish which would cause me considerable consternation. That is one of the major reasons for my participation here.
In short, I am trying (too hard?) to do it right and appreciate the help.