Let's talk full dress sporrans

[David]

Outrage seems like an odd response to such an idea. May I ask what it was about the idea that elicited such a reaction, and why it was the females who seemed especially outraged?

Some of the comments included "ridiculous", "horrible" "disgusting" "farm animal" "would not go with what I would be wearing". Generally, anything of an equine and bovine origin is out, as is anything that looks like the donor animal. Using this (female) logic (sorry ladies, and I know it seems stereotipical, but even after nearly 30 years of marriage I still have difficulty in following female logic), I'm surprised that I was allowed to wear my origional seal skin sporran, after all nothing generates more oohh's and ahhh's than a seal pups eyes staring at you from an HD TV screen, except other baby mamals.

[Tobus]

Generally, anything of an equine and bovine origin is out

Interesting. A wool kilt from a sheep is OK, but hair from other farm animals is not. They do know that leather shoes and belts come from cows, right?

[David]

Ha ha ha; perhaps you haven't met any of our lovely ladies from Lanarkshire who can be "forthright" in their opinions although, not necessarily, well informed!

"forthright"! thats putting it mildy. While they like the kilt to be worn, like many others, they have an opinion about it, usually based on fashion trends and how we will fit in at the wedding / office dinner dance, etc. The dress sporran is in my experience very influenced by the ladies. Perhaps its in part due to where it is positioned. Dont mention anything other than off white hose

[David]

Interesting. A wool kilt from a sheep is OK, but hair from other farm animals is not. They do know that leather shoes and belts come from cows, right?

Like I said, which man can fathom female logic. Need to go now, only get Forum access at work between 12:30 and 13:30, about to be cut off

[OC Richard]

Richard,

I don't think anyone would argue that long haired sporrans were popular in the late 19th and early 20th century but if they've fell out of common use like plaids, that's something worth knowing. If, however, Tobus is right and they are making a big comeback in the Highlands, that would also be good to know.

I don't know about making a comeback, but a vast number of photos of Scots in Highland dress taken throughout the 20th century and into the 21st show that long hair sporrans never entirely went away. Pick a decade, 1900 to now, and it would be easy to find photos of men wearing long hair sporrans with Evening Dress, and possibly dig up one or two showing long hair sporrans worn with Day tweed. Oftentimes the sporrans worn appear to be quite old, and possibly predate the appearance of the modern small pocketlike Evening sporrans.

There have been quite a few such photos posted on this very thread. One that got my interest in particular showed two young pipers in Day tweed wearing long hair sporrans which appeared to be quite old. Nothing 'military' at all about their dress.

[creagdhubh]

I don't know about making a comeback, but a vast number of photos of Scots in Highland dress taken throughout the 20th century and into the 21st show that long hair sporrans never entirely went away. Pick a decade, 1900 to now, and it would be easy to find photos of men wearing long hair sporrans with Evening Dress, and possibly dig up one or two showing long hair sporrans worn with Day tweed. Oftentimes the sporrans worn appear to be quite old, and possibly predate the appearance of the modern small pocketlike Evening sporrans.

There have been quite a few such photos posted on this very thread. One that got my interest in particular showed two young pipers in Day tweed wearing long hair sporrans which appeared to be quite old. Nothing 'military' at all about their dress.

Right you are, Richard. The above photo was taken at an annual Clan Farquharson gathering in Scotland. Lovely sporrans indeed; especially the young lad's in the middle, second from the right.

[Nathan]

I have heard some scots refer to hair sporrans as "piper's sporrans". I wonder how widespread that perception is.

[creagdhubh]

I have heard some scots refer to hair sporrans as "piper's sporrans". I wonder how widespread that perception is.

I would venture to guess that the term is quite widespread. Especially, when you consider the sporran molach's obvious and rather extensive useage in various Scottish Regiments and Regimental Pipe and Drum bands through the years and with The Royal Regiment of Scotland, today. However, I think we all know that sporrans made of horsehair or goat hair, are not specifically reserved for pipers. Kenneth MacLeay's sitters, as well as a multitude of Victorian-era/Edwardian-era photographs surely can attest to that.

[MacGumerait]

Richard , I love this sporran !! I have seen you wearing this beauty in quite a few pics and I have always admired it , very classically vintage , very traditional and not overdone . In my humble opinion , it ranks at the top of the list !

Cheers , Mike

[Nathan]

So my bro is going to make other arrangements to choose his own dress sporran so I had the rabbit faced sporran from the OP just hanging around. I came across a very nice fox fur shawl at a thrift store for a very reasonable price so I refaced the rabbit sporran with the fox fur. I like it with the fox tail tassels I had affixed to the fuzzy bunny black rabbit sporran so I robbed them. I can always swap them back in 5 minutes if I want to change up the look. Anyway, it's not perfect as I'm not a furrier, but I'm pretty happy with the result.

(top right with the rabbit front and the exposed leather around where the gusset is attached is the sporran I re furred.)

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This was the end result.
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