Highland Dress/Uniform Photos - Various

[creagdhubh]

Wow! I noticed the kids on the wall too.

If you look in the background of one of the pictures there is an interesting, purple, jacket being worn.

That purple jacket is interesting, Harold! He is also wearing a day/blanket plaid over his left shoulder. Very 1950's/60's looking, but would work perfectly well today!

[kiltedsawyer]

I know Jock Scot has mentioned in the past that Americans tend to be more into matching than our brethren across the pond, but I found it interesting that there were several gentlemen who did not hold to the convention of matching their leathers. Is this also an American convention?

David

[creagdhubh]

I know Jock Scot has mentioned in the past that Americans tend to be more into matching than our brethren across the pond, but I found it interesting that there were several gentlemen who did not hold to the convention of matching their leathers. Is this also an American convention?

David

I'm an American and have never really been concerned with matching leathers, especially with my shoes and sporran. I usually always wear plain, black brogues with Highland day attire and a brown or chestnut leather sporran, or a brownish full-mask sporran. The only time that I try to match my leathers is with the leather sporran strap and the leather day sporran, but it doesn't have to be perfect. With the full-mask sporrans it doesn't really matter. And since I no longer wear a belt with the kilt (superfluous in my opinion), then I never have to worry about that particular detail.

Cheers,

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I love the outfit on the right of this photo.

(It's also seen worn in a few of the B&W photos, as well).

Why?

For one, he's wearing the Ogilvie of Airlie aka Drummond of Strathallan tartan, which I have always admired.
For another, he's wearing a patterned tweed Argyle jacket, which I also admire.
In addition, he's wearing a wonderful mask sporran - European badger, not overly taxidermied like a lot of American made ones seen today. I would LOVE to have one like that.
To top it all off, he's wearing hand knit hose with a lovely thistle pattern on the cuff.

What's not to like? This guy has my style all over him! :-)

Do we know who he is?

[DavidB80911]

The first thing that comes to mind is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. To add fuel for the rabble to comment on, see how the flashes are positioned on the calf. Some are close to the shin while others are on the side of the calf. Sounds trivial but, with those of us who were military, keeping the "Gig" line straight.
Also, the wearing and shaping of the Balmoral's, some are shaped like a Beret while others look like they are ballanceing a plate on their head. No insult but, the best way I could think of describing it.
Comments????

[ThistleDown]

The first thing that comes to mind is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. To add fuel for the rabble to comment on, see how the flashes are positioned on the calf. Some are close to the shin while others are on the side of the calf. Sounds trivial but, with those of us who were military, keeping the "Gig" line straight.
Also, the wearing and shaping of the Balmoral's, some are shaped like a Beret while others look like they are ballanceing a plate on their head. No insult but, the best way I could think of describing it.
Comments????

Flashes were originally tied garters, David, so if it is most comfortable for the wearer to contort and tie them left and right, then good for him; when he's older that will change . Most of us tie them a bit forward of that and sometimes fairly close to the shin. No rule in TCHD except don't tie them on the inside.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to how the Balmorals are worn in these pics because they all have some age on them. About the only time you will see Balmorals worn in the Highlands today is when there's a parade and the wearers are in it, or if the occasion calls for them to show their one, two or three feathers and it's not good to stick them in the ear.

[OC Richard]

Thanks for posting those! So many familiar faces, familiar though in most cases I've never met the men. Wee Donald! John MacLellan!

My first bagpipe album was John MacLellan's Folkways album, and I learned how to play from Donald MacLeod's ("Wee Donald" and you can see why) set of thick stiff black plastic records which came with his Tutor.

And my heart was struck in a bittersweet way when I saw the photo of a young Evan MacRae, our head instructor at Piping School. I met him in the early 1980s when he had just retired from LONG service in the Army, most of it as Pipe Major of the Cameron Highlanders. He was their PM during the rather short period in which they wore the Royal Stewart tartan.

Most of these people were fluent Gaelic speakers, perhaps the last generation in which most of the leading players were such.

About the fashions worn, well you're seeing the kilt worn by people raised in Gaelic-speaking areas who have worn the kilt their entire lives, the true home of Highland Dress.

Everything is lovely.

What I don't see, happily, is men wearing belts under their waistcoats such as has become so common today, especially in Kilt Hire and "tat" shops. Heck one gent there isn't wearing a belt tho he isn't wearing a waistcoat, a man after my own heart.

Interesting that Evan MacRae is wearing ordinary shoes with his Full Dress. Ordinarily he would be wearing buckled brogues with this mode of dress. (An old regimental tradition in the Cameron Highlanders was a reluctance to have their pipers in spats, so that they dressed in full hose and buckled brogues in orders of dress which would call for spats in other Highland regiments.)

This photo of Pipe Major Evan MacRae, taken in the 1950s, has got to be one of the most oft-reproduced piper photos of all time.



It's been turned into needlepoint



And a rubber stamp



And a tea towel, with a feather bonnet stuck on his head!! (Needless to say, the pipers of the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders didn't wear such.)



And even reproduced in three dimensions, as in this ceramic!

[OC Richard]

Some of the chaps above are wearing plain leather sporrans with their regimental badge affixed to the front

Good eye! Yes a couple fellows are wearing Army No2 Dress sporrans with their original badges still affixed.

[OC Richard]

Oh and here is a group of competing pipers at Oban, 1950. More lovely tweed, more Army gents!



And no white hose! Oatmeal, Lovat Blue, Lovat Green, &c.