Let's talk about ghillie brogues again: the Highland perspective

**ThistleDown** · 8th August 12, 06:59 PM

Clifford Roberts in England makes a boot called a Balmoral and I think Hermann makes something similar to the one Dale has shown. I would think they're pretty dear for wear in the barn, byre or stye and I can't think of the name of the less expensive boot that's similar. In any case, it's a long time since I've seen anyone mucking out in anything except wellies. There is a place for boots like those in the damp of the Highlands -- and perhaps elsewhere -- it's just that they've drifted out of fashion, I suppose.

**opositive** · 8th August 12, 07:41 PM

yes, i remember post 73. and i then went back through dozens of pages of "show us your vintage kilt pics" and noticed how many well composed, beautifully textured, nicely styled pics were of romantic inspired gentry, as opposed to highland kids and regular highland folk. since joining the site and recognizing my ignorance of non-u.s. history, i have watched the neil oliver's bbc history of scotland, celtic britain and history of britain by simon shama-- in addition to listening some history lectures on cd about the low and high middle ages-- and i am seeking to distinguish between romantic myth vs. history, as oliver puts it. i have a growing sense that much of the modern image of highland dress has been influenced by the scottish romantics who in turn influenced king george iv and which lead to the balmoral styled fashions, which i am sensing are not held in high regard among "the natives" yet have become nevertheless mass marketed. i want to distinguish walter scott romanticism from scottish reality.

i have grown up in and live in southern louisiana and recognize the gap between good marketing of cajun and creole culture (do not doubt that there is in fact a rabid minority of "swamp people") and mardi gras vs real day to day life of most people. i understand the essential value of image to draw tourism for the local economy and that actual (oftentimes ugly) history is not always terribly helpful thereto.

[post 101 hit some of this while i was belaboring a response--sorry. by the way, i wear a great pair of used fireman's boots for mucking about rather than wellies. ]

[and please understand that i am perfectly happy to accept something debunked. i sometimes push a point because it can be hard to distinguish between invalid conventional wisdom/myth vs history/reality.]

**Pinkrose** · 8th August 12, 08:49 PM

I'm confused. What exact are "Wellies"? Are they like the boots that Paddington Bear wears?

**ThistleDown** · 8th August 12, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by opositive

yes, i remember post 73. and i then went back through dozens of pages of "show us your vintage kilt pics" and noticed how many well composed, beautifully textured, nicely styled pics were of romantic inspired gentry, as opposed to highland kids and regular highland folk. since joining the site and recognizing my ignorance of non-u.s. history, i have watched the neil oliver's bbc history of scotland, celtic britain and history of britain by simon shama-- in addition to listening some history lectures on cd about the low and high middle ages-- and i am seeking to distinguish between romantic myth vs. history, as oliver puts it. i have a growing sense that much of the modern image of highland dress has been influenced by the scottish romantics who in turn influenced king george iv and which lead to the balmoral styled fashions, which i am sensing are not held in high regard among "the natives" yet have become nevertheless mass marketed. i want to distinguish walter scott romanticism from scottish reality.

i have grown up in and live in southern louisiana and recognize the gap between good marketing of cajun and creole culture (do not doubt that there is in fact a rabid minority of "swamp people") and mardi gras vs real day to day life of most people. i understand the essential value of image to draw tourism for the local economy and that actual (oftentimes ugly) history is not always terribly helpful thereto.

[post 101 hit some of this while i was belaboring a response--sorry. by the way, i wear a great pair of used fireman's boots for mucking about rather than wellies. ]

[and please understand that i am perfectly happy to accept something debunked. i sometimes push a point because it can be hard to distinguish between invalid conventional wisdom/myth vs history/reality.]

A Highland thank you.

**ThistleDown** · 8th August 12, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by Pinkrose

I'm confused. What exact are "Wellies"? Are they like the boots that Paddington Bear wears?

"Wellies" is the Scots familiar for rubber Wellingtons. Google is about to become your friend, Pinkrose

We live in a damp land, some even insist it's one vast bog with bits of granite and sandstone sticking up. Leather has a short life in such a clime and the discovery of vulcantisation was a sort of miracle for us. Black wellies, green wellies, tartan wellies, steel-toed wellies, ladies' wellies, tall wellies, short wellies, fur-lined wellies -- you name it, we wear it.

**Friday** · 8th August 12, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by opositive

yes, i remember post 73. and i then went back through dozens of pages of "show us your vintage kilt pics" and noticed how many well composed, beautifully textured, nicely styled pics were of romantic inspired gentry, as opposed to highland kids and regular highland folk. since joining the site and recognizing my ignorance of non-u.s. history, i have watched the neil oliver's bbc history of scotland, celtic britain and history of britain by simon shama-- in addition to listening some history lectures on cd about the low and high middle ages-- and i am seeking to distinguish between romantic myth vs. history, as oliver puts it. i have a growing sense that much of the modern image of highland dress has been influenced by the scottish romantics who in turn influenced king george iv and which lead to the balmoral styled fashions, which i am sensing are not held in high regard among "the natives" yet have become nevertheless mass marketed. i want to distinguish walter scott romanticism from scottish reality.

i have grown up in and live in southern louisiana and recognize the gap between good marketing of cajun and creole culture (do not doubt that there is in fact a rabid minority of "swamp people") and mardi gras vs real day to day life of most people. i understand the essential value of image to draw tourism for the local economy and that actual (oftentimes ugly) history is not always terribly helpful thereto.

[post 101 hit some of this while i was belaboring a response--sorry. by the way, i wear a great pair of used fireman's boots for mucking about rather than wellies. ]

[and please understand that i am perfectly happy to accept something debunked. i sometimes push a point because it can be hard to distinguish between invalid conventional wisdom/myth vs history/reality.]

Every time one of the old paintings or prints are used to describe the "proper" way to wear Scottish my mind go way way back to my days in elementary school. At that time we all knew that pilgrims in America only wore clothes of black and white. The only pictures that we were shown had these pilgrims wearing black and white and therefore those were the only clothes they wore. Imagine my surprise when many decades later I learned that it was very expensive to have you picture painted. When you sat for a painting your wore your very best clothes, as we say on this side of the pond, "your Sunday go to meeting clothes."

Most of the picture I have seen seem to be from events, painting are of Lords or Clan Chiefs ad I doubt that they are going to wear there "going to muck the stable" clothes to and event or to have their picture painted. In addition these events and painting are how old? I know for the traditionalist the height of formal wear ended almost a century ago but things change and often change but repeating prior looks.

Maybe if I am every lucky enough to get to Scotland and I am invited to a formal affair I should wear a doublet, however, I like to look of a PC and will continue to wear it here in the States. The PC may have been an invention of the rental industry, but, it is more forgiving to those of us with 24 pack abs.

**guardsman** · 9th August 12, 12:22 AM

very good point on sunday best there friday,boots,brogues and ghillies .Not a bad choice

**ThistleDown** · 9th August 12, 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by Friday

Maybe if I am every lucky enough to get to Scotland and I am invited to a formal affair I should wear a doublet, however, I like to look of a PC and will continue to wear it here in the States.

And the more power to you, Friday, for wearing what you want to wear when you want to wear it. The PC is much worn in Scotland so I hope you will be as comfortable in it here when you visit as you are in America. It is, after all, a very important fashion style in Scottish formal dress.