Even in the Hebrides

[Markth]

You don't need to go back 28 years to experience this style of dress at a Scottish wedding. Any wedding in any Scottish town nowadays will see the majority of kilted guests dressed in exactly this way. I don't really think that the majority of Scots give a moments thought to the niceties of Highland dress in the way that it is examined, criticised and pontificated about in a Forum such as this.

I would agree with this. In town yesterday we saw 2 couples heading off to a wedding. Both lads wore kilts first wore what I would consider to be a traditional outfit and the second was almost entirely dressed in black, kilt, shirt, hose, belt etc. I thought both looked good. My father wears his kilt outfit in a different way to me and young lads often choose a more modern approach than mine. I think most folk here accept the evolution whilst respecting the traditional look as well. So it is not unusual to see many variations at a wedding and no one really cares.

[CMcG]

As I understand it, there are at least three problems with the "kilt hire PC" look. First is the break with living traditions, such as the rise of formal wear during the day, wearing other clan's (or non-clan) tartans, and the use of cheap, thin, white hose. Second is the uniformity, which goes against the flair and individuality that are such an important part of THCD. Third is the lack of attention to detail demonstrated by things like a dirk belt hanging askew under the waistcoat, pre-tied bow tie, too little knee showing, or thick-soled pipers ghillie brogues with the laces tied all the way to the calf. There are probably other issues, but I think these should suffice for the question I would to ask.

Let's imagine that someone really likes Prince Charlie coatees, light coloured hose, and ghillie brogues. A LOT. Is it possible to do this much-maligned-on-Xmarks outfit in a way that can look good or at least not rankle the traditionalists too much?

First of all, this hypothetical rig would only be worn to formal events in the evening. Of course! It would also need to feature a self-tie black bow tie, no belt under the waistcoat, a decent amount of knee being shown, and a tank in one's own clan tartan.

As for the other accoutrements, what if they got a PC like the one from Kinloch Anderson that has functional (or at least functional looking) buttons on the front?

http://www.kinlochanderson.com/the-k...-special-order

Or one in a nice, dark, green velvet?


How about hand-knit, ecru (not white) hose, like the ones from USAkilts?

http://www.usakilts.com/hand-knit-hose.html

Or these ones from McCarthy Highland Services?

http://www.mccarthyhighland.com/inde...t_detail&p=205

What if they wore dress ghillie brogues, with thin leather soles, tied with short laces, and well-polished? Something like these from Xmarks own Tobus:



In my estimation, this would break the undesirable cookie cutter mould of the kllt hire style and look quite sharp, while still using the same basic elements. It also turns the look back towards a more THCD approach.

What do you think?

[TheOfficialBren]

Colin, that just makes too much sense.

[xman]

It does seem that the Anglo attitude to formal attire has infected kilting. Just as all tuxedo clad gents strive to look very similar, so too does the accepted THCD become standardised. This turns against tradition, but every kilted gent who sees me in coloured hose gets to wish he was as bold as I, and maybe next time he will be. I am the change.

[Jock Scot]

Xman.

So really with your coloured hose you are, perhaps, more THCD than you thought you were! Interestingly, in my youth there were no white hose, no argyll hose and no diced hose worn with the black tie in this area of the highlands, just plain lovat green or lovat blue knitted with finer wool than day-wear hose. I am not sure if the shortages after WW2 may have had an influence there, but I think not. The "fancy coloured hose with patterns" only put in an appearance for white tie events.

[Orionson]

A very interesting thread, indeed. My daughter married last weekend in Edinburgh and the these are photos I will always be very proud of.

Not because of my attire, but the beauty, poise and serenity of the Bride.

The next day, on our way home to Skye, we dropped off a dear friend from Raasay at her Aunties in Ardersier, Inverness. The dear Aunt is 92 and a Gaelic speaker from Skye. Gaelic was and remains her first language. We had never met before. I was wearing the same kilt with a dark brown horsehair leather sporran and heavy heather brown hand knit hose from Lewis. The first thing the dear lady commented on (in English) was that my kilt was "perfect - not too short, not too long - chust the right amount of knee. Chust right." I was pleased, but without skipping a beat she added "pity about the dark hose. Should be white."

Make of this what you will.

Cheers,
John

[ThistleDown]

I have a few pair of hose knit in the fifties and sixties by a friend of my mother in Strathglas. She referred to them as 'greasielamb'. They are still full of lanolin, soft as a lamb after all these years and although originally undyed are turning a bit yellowish in their age. I wouldn't wear them on this forum, but I do when nobody from XMarks is looking

[CMcG]

I have a few pair of hose knit in the fifties and sixties by a friend of my mother in Strathglas. She referred to them as 'greasielamb'. They are still full of lanolin, soft as a lamb after all these years and although originally undyed are turning a bit yellowish in their age. I wouldn't wear them on this forum, but I do when nobody from XMarks is looking

Those sound like lovely hose! That's a perfect example of where the categorical injunction against anything resembling white socks shouldn't be taken too far and we should be able to parse the options.

I think there is a real difference between what you've describe (or the hand knit ones I posted earlier) and the typically thin, crappy, rental/bargain examples. That difference is not only in thickness or quality of wool. The nice ones are a natural cream/ecru colour vs. the nasty ones that tend towards either bleached or dingy white.

Not that I actually own any such hose... I guess I'm just playing the Devil's advocate

[xman]

Xman.

So really with your coloured hose you are, perhaps, more THCD than you thought you were! Interestingly, in my youth there were no white hose, no argyll hose and no diced hose worn with the black tie in this area of the highlands, just plain lovat green or lovat blue knitted with finer wool than day-wear hose. I am not sure if the shortages after WW2 may have had an influence there, but I think not. The "fancy coloured hose with patterns" only put in an appearance for white tie events.

My first assumptions as to what you saw in your youth would have been, local preference, and WWII influence. Lots of military culture tends to influence civilian culture at least somewhat.

You could be right about the coloured hose habit being quite traditional, but I suppose my habit of running barefoot or sandalled while kilted would more fit an historic context. ;)

[Jock Scot]

Xman.

Barefoot would indeed be historical, although it could also be "one of those good ideas at the time" things too---------- and that is very traditional!