A single sporran for very casual to semi-formal?

[tundramanq]

At least with the sporran the cowards have to come from the front.
A little pepper spray or mace carried on the belt should do fine.
You are repelling a physical assault on your person.
You can't really go Bruce Lee on em with your training.... In SF!
It's odd that the city were "anything goes" allows this behavior to exist.

Maybe carry handcuffs in that sporran and cuff em to a handy pole till the police arrive. They ain't going put up much of a fight with a face full of spray and they won't get away. Then charge them with assault and property damage to pay for your time and replacement heirloom sporran if it gets damaged. Of course it is still SF - don't know how it would turn out.

[creagdhubh]

At least with the sporran the cowards have to come from the front.
A little pepper spray or mace carried on the belt should do fine.
You are repelling a physical assault on your person.
You can't really go Bruce Lee on em with your training.... In SF!
It's odd that the city were "anything goes" allows this behavior to exist.

Yes indeed.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

According to men's fashion maven Alan Flusser, the difference between "formal" and "semi-formal" evening wear is in the cut of the jacket and colour of the tie. White bow tie and tails coat are formal evening attire, short jacket and black bow tie are "semi-formal" evening attire. When the level of formality of an evening event does not rise to either formal or semi-formal, the fall back position is a dark suit, white shirt, and dark long tie. So, how does this equate with Highland evening attire? Like this:

FORMAL (white tie): Doublet or Coatee; wing-collar shirt; white tie (or jabot, depending on the jacket), white waistcoat (tartan is also acceptable); silver mounted sporran (hair or fur), and silver accessories (kilt pin, buttons, etc.); patent leather shoes with buckles; tartan or diced hose, and kilt.

SEMI-FORMAL (black tie): Doublet, Coatee, or Jacket; evening shirt with fold over collar; black bow tie, black, dark coloured, or tartan waistcoat; full mask or silver mounted hair or fur sporran (brass mounted, especially if an antique, is also acceptable); silver accessories (kilt pin, buttons, etc.); well-polished black, lace up, dress shoes (not ghillie brogues); dark coloured hose, tartan or diced hose, and kilt.

LESS-FORMAL (dark suit & tie): Argyll jacket or similar with plain or silver buttons (black barathea is the preferred fabric and colour); white dress shirt with fold over collar; conservative long tie, and high buttoned waistcoat to match the jacket (a dark coloured or tartan waistcoat is also acceptable -- a dirk belt may be worn instead of the waistcoat); full mask or silver or brass mounted hair, fur, or leather sporran (the "Rob Roy" type of sporran is probably best avoided with evening attire); silver accessories (kilt pin, etc.); well polished black, lace up, dress shoes (not ghillie brogues); dark coloured hose, and kilt.

If you look at the above guidelines it's pretty obvious that a full mask sporran is the most versatile, as is a black Argyll-cut jacket with two waistcoats. You can also get away with a brass mounted sporran, provided it has a black bag, or one of fur or hair.

It really comes down to deciding how often you are apt to require formal, semi-formal, or less formal evening attire and, based on the above suggestions, buy the sporran that will give you the most mileage.

[Ryan Ross]

Where I live, a full mask -- or merely fur -- sporran worn in public might get the wearer lynched. . .

I have a full mask silver fox by Craigie and a beaver fur Glengyle from Ferguson Britt. I never wear the former and VERY rarely wear the latter as I don't want to find myself having to injure someone.

You're in San Francisco Dale, so that sounds about right!!!

Note to self: Do not pack Pepé, when going to visit Seago Sensei. :-/

[Tobus]

MacMillan of Rathdown, just to clarify, are you saying that a full-mask sporran is not appropriate for white tie? I couldn't help but notice your emphasis on the sporran being silver-mounted. It makes perfect sense to me if so, but I was just unaware that a full-mask sporran had a ceiling on its level of formality.

Also, since you brought it up, I notice that all of your levels of formality require silver accessories (kilt pin, etc.). But if an antique brass cantle sporran is OK for "less formal" and "semi-formal", would it not be acceptable to pair it with other brass accents like kilt pin, waistplate, buttons, etc.? Maybe brass buttons on a PC would be weird, but what about a black Argyle? Or what about gold instead of brass?

I guess what I'm asking is whether this is really a "uniform" or not. If one dresses to the correct level of dress, in terms of jacket, hose, tie, etc., does the colour of the metal really make or break the outfit? I would like to think it would be one of those minor details that allows some personal style to peek through without breaking the rules, but I want to be sure.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

MacMillan of Rathdown, just to clarify, are you saying that a full-mask sporran is not appropriate for white tie? I couldn't help but notice your emphasis on the sporran being silver-mounted. It makes perfect sense to me if so, but I was just unaware that a full-mask sporran had a ceiling on its level of formality.

Yup, there is a glass ceiling. White tie, whether kilted or not, has a pretty rigid dress code; probably the most concise laid down for Highland attire is that first published by C.R.MacKinnon of Dunakin in 1960, wherein he states:

"Silver-mounted fur, sealskin, or hair sporran."

If, like the badger sporran worn by an officer in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, a full mask sporran has a silver cantle, then it would be appropriate to wear with Formal Highland attire. If, on the other hand, a full-mask sporran lacks a silver cantle then it really isn't proper for white tie.

Other than "white tie" an ordinary full mask sporran is absolutely correct at any time of day.

Also, since you brought it up, I notice that all of your levels of formality require silver accessories (kilt pin, etc.). But if an antique brass cantle sporran is OK for "less formal" and "semi-formal", would it not be acceptable to pair it with other brass accents like kilt pin, waistplate, buttons, etc.? Maybe brass buttons on a PC would be weird, but what about a black Argyle? Or what about gold instead of brass?

I think that "silver" is just one of those conventions that we have to live with, as regards semi-formal attire. When you get right down to it, any formal attire, in all its permutations, is supposed to be the finest clothing one possesses, which means silver buttons and accessories, instead of brass. Now, if one happens to wear grandfather's brass kilt pin, no one will really notice-- or care. The same with an antique brass cantle on a sporran. Brass buttons, on the other hand, are a notch down on the scale. Why? Because the livery buttons worn by servants are brass. Call it snobbery if you will, but a gentleman doesn't want to arrive at dinner looking like he's pinched his footman's jacket!

Gold is a different matter. Provided it's "old" (and one is a duke) gold buttons and accessories can look quite smart. On the other hand, if one is not a duke (and especially if the buttons and accessories are new) then one runs the risk of looking vulgar. In my entire life I've only seen one Scottish aristocrat wearing gold buttons, etc., with formal Highland attire. At nearly 80 he looked exactly like what he was-- one of the great Highland magnates whose people had held the land since time immemorial. Anyone else would have looked like a jumped-up brewer.

I guess what I'm asking is whether this is really a "uniform" or not. If one dresses to the correct level of dress, in terms of jacket, hose, tie, etc., does the colour of the metal really make or break the outfit? I would like to think it would be one of those minor details that allows some personal style to peek through without breaking the rules, but I want to be sure.

It's not a uniform, but there is a uniform dress code for evening wear, hence the different levels of dress. That said, a gentleman with a sense of style can tweek things a bit to suit his individual personality.

As with everything else in life, it's all about taste, and the desire to avoid looking like Rodney Dangerfield in "Caddy Shack".

[Downunder Kilt]

MOR. In your synopsis in post 33 you advise that formal (as in white tie event) requires the attendee to wear a white bow tie. I was always under the impression that in Highland attire, it was most acceptaple to wear a black tie to such functions. Am I way off beam here?

[Tobus]

Excellent explanation, sir! The Caddyshack reference brought it all into perspective!

[CMcG]

Other than "white tie" an ordinary full mask sporran is absolutely correct at any time of day.

This is an important caveat; I learn something new on Xmarks all the time

Gold is a different matter. Provided it's "old" (and one is a duke) gold buttons and accessories can look quite smart. On the other hand, if one is not a duke (and especially if the buttons and accessories are new) then one runs the risk of looking vulgar. In my entire life I've only seen one Scottish aristocrat wearing gold buttons, etc., with formal Highland attire. At nearly 80 he looked exactly like what he was-- one of the great Highland magnates whose people had held the land since time immemorial. Anyone else would have looked like a jumped-up brewer.

This reminds me of our recent "too traditional" thread.

[Zardoz]

I was always under the impression that in Highland attire, it was most acceptaple to wear a black tie to such functions. Am I way off beam here?

That's long been my understanding.

http://www.blacktieguide.com/Supplemental/Scottish.htm