Why traditional?

[IsaacW]

I have never personally been accused of dressing like a laird, but I do think that statement funny.

Do you think if I dressed like this I would be accused of such...



Heck even the laird gets naked to bath... seems that there is very little I can wear and not be like a laird

[Jock Scot]

I am sure His Grace, would be more than happy to remain dressed thus, however Duty calls at his door pretty regularly. It goes with the job!

[IsaacW]

I am sure His Grace, would be more than happy to remain dressed thus, however Duty calls at his door pretty regularly. It goes with the job!

Indeed! And back to earlier statements, by the good Father and yourself... the dress should suit the situation. That is why I get a twist in my breeks when I hear the whole "dressing like a laird" comment. Even us poor folks have reasons to dress up on occasion (and the laird dresses down on occasion too). My grandfather was a farmer, and although he wore a white undershirt and striped bib-overalls every day for work, he always dressed smartly (including tie) for church (and other occasions as need be).

IW

[Elf]

I know this issue gets attacked from many angles. This is better than I could have articulated myself. Thank you for the OP.

[Alan H]

Since I'm someone who thinks that it's odd to try to "dress like the laird"... I should chime in here.

First of all, it's really the MOTIVATION that seems odd to me, not the kit, itself. If you put on clothes that you like and it so happens to work out that you rather look like that THCD smart daywear ideal, and you happen to look like M'Laird from 1954, then what the heck. I mean, I do this now and then, simply because the stuff looks nice. I don't go all the way with it, but I'm certainly tending a lot more towards the "traditional" than not.

It's when folks put on kit specifically because they want to look like M'Laird from 1954 that I find odd. It's the mental aspect of imitation that puzzles me. What if M'Laird also sported pink bloomers under the kilt, would you wear those, too?

HOWEVER, and this is a very large HOWEVER . If dressing up in a costume to look like M'Laird from 1954 makes someone happy, then go for it. Have a blast. They're not hurting anybody, and folks that do this generally look very nice. People could have much more destructive hobbies, you know? .... like drugs, fast cars, shady politics and loose women.

[Alan H]

I can see how my post will raise some hackles...

If you consciously or unconsciously put on clothes as a costume, then that's your business and there's nothing wrong with that. That even goes if the costume is "m'Laird, 1954". I know that the word "costume" will heat a lot of folks up, but that's what I think, sometimes (not always) , when I see guys who live in the USA with no close genetic connections to titled people back in Scotland, all decked out in tweed to the eyeballs, leaning on their cromach at the Games.

That said, what's wrong with dressing up like the Laird if you want to? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. If it makes you happy, then knock yourself out, mate!

I also know guys who are dressed nicely (much more nicely than I usually am) in generally-traditional kit simply because they like it and it looks nice. There's nothing wrong with that, either (d'uh!) and I do that myself, now and again.

Hope that clarifies....

[IsaacW]

I agree with 98% of what you say Alan, and as you can see in my photos above, I dress how I like (which is not like my friends or colleagues). When this translates into kilted apparel, it tends to be what most call "traditional."

I guess what I do not understand/agree with is this statement...

I when I see guys who live in the USA with no close genetic connections to titled people back in Scotland, all decked out in tweed to the eyeballs, leaning on their cromach at the Games.

Again, I do not understand why wearing tweed, dressing nicely, and using a cromach puts a person in "Laird" category. I tend to think there are plenty of other chaps, from many walks of life, that (at times) dressed (and still dress) like this and are not titled noblesse.

[IsaacW]

To add... I happen to be lounging with a beverage of choice in my house right now wearing a kilt. I have on simple hose (with holes in the feet and toes) and a plain white tee.

[Alan H]

Isaac it's not the wearing of the kilt, tweed, tie and leaning on a cromach that puts someone in the "dressing like a Laird" category.

Its' the WANTING TO LOOK LIKE A LAIRD, and then dressing like that, that puts them in that category. I want to repeat, VERY STRONGLY that while I find that to be a bit odd, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. I mean, I strap on a kilt and go throw trees. You want to talk about odd? That's freaking weird..

I mean, speaking hypothetically.....what if the person who wanted to look like a Laird was flat broke and did it very badly with an acrylic kilt, athletic tube socks, a tie that they picked up out of the landfill, and a piece of bent, gray PVC electrical conduit for a cromach? They wouldn't look the part, but the fact remains that they WANT to look like "the Laird". I, personally find that to be rather odd. However, as I said, if that's what makes them happy, then go for it. They're certainly not hurting anybody.

It's just that most gents who want to "Look like the Laird" in fact usually do a pretty good job of it. They have all the woolen kit down, just perfectly.

Do you see? It's not the clothing itself that puts someone in the "dressing like the Laird" category. It's the "I wanna be a Laird" in their heads that makes it seem very strange to me. But AGAIN...if someone wants to look like The Laird, then by all means they should go do it. There are a whole lot worse things to spend your money and time on.

Remember, nobody in their right minds goes around throwing trees, you know?

[Tenmiles]

... if M'Laird also sported pink bloomers under the kilt, would you wear those, too...

I told my wife about this and she thinks it sounds agreeable.