Ghillie brogues advice

[MacThomas]

I've just found this on the net:

http://www.ghilliebrogue.com/shop/

I only wear brogues a few times a year but consider "investing" if advised. Please can somebody advise me on the differences of quality of those proposed brogues.

Apart from this, I will be in the Inverness area during the 1rst week of August so if anybody has an idea of a specialized shop for this, don't hesitate to advise me or contact me for a drink in a pub or else.

Hope you have a nice summer wherever you are

[MacCathmhaoil]

I'd suggest just buying a pair of well made regular brogues and forget about the ghillie brogues. If you buy regular brogues they can be worn with virtually anything while the ghillie brogues will be collecting dust most of the time. I'm personally not a fan of ghillie brogues and it just doesn't make sense to me to spend $100 - $150. on a pair of shoes that will be rarely, if ever, used. Spend some extra and get a really good pair of proper brogues, if looked after they will last you a lifetime!

[KD Burke]

I'd suggest just buying a pair of well made regular brogues and forget about the ghillie brogues. If you buy regular brogues they can be worn with virtually anything while the ghillie brogues will be collecting dust most of the time. I'm personally not a fan of ghillie brogues and it just doesn't make sense to me to spend $100 - $150. on a pair of shoes that will be rarely, if ever, used. Spend some extra and get a really good pair of proper brogues, if looked after they will last you a lifetime!

I'd second that advice. As a piper, I own and wear ghillie brogues for pipe band commitments. That's the only use they get. Frankly, they are a pain in the rump! The laces are impossible to keep tidy forcing me to re-tie my shoes multiple times in a day. For every occasion EXCEPT band commitments, I wear regular brogues or other shoes appropriate to the circumstance. .

[Father Bill]

Never owned them, never wanted them. Love my regular brogues and wear them a LOT! New soles and heels every once in a while and they just keep going!

[JohntheBiker]

I have a pair of Ghillie brogues that I wear once, possibly twice a year. Dressed formally, I could easily substitute them for my regular brogues, well pollished and well maintained. You won't be out of place whichever choice you make.

However, if you like the look, by all means get them. This is as good a supplier as any. They sell Thistle brand, which is pretty common and they have choice in styles (as well as widths!). Extra width can be handy with bulkier kilt hose. The "Comfort" shoe seems to have a slimmer sole, which would be my preference. The "Executive" style has a leather sole and takes a higher shine. Both have an optional wider width which most shops don't stock.

[WalesLax]

I will step in and hopefully keep the conversation going. I am a new piper; recently moved from chanter to pipes, so I have time before I will be competing with the band, but I am going to need ghillie brogues. To add intrigue (and why I want to keep this going), I have had a number of foot problems, from a fractured heel to plantar fasciitis, and if I don't wear the right shoes or sneakers, the of comes back. With all of that in mind, I would love to hear everyone's ghillie brogue recommendations and/or advice!

Rob

[MacThomas]

Thanks for all these first replies, this is more tricky than I thought. So I continue to investigate.
Don't hesitate to step in. Any views will be helpful!

[robbiethepiper]

I've just found this on the net:

http://www.ghilliebrogue.com/shop/

I only wear brogues a few times a year but consider "investing" if advised. Please can somebody advise me on the differences of quality of those proposed brogues.

Apart from this, I will be in the Inverness area during the 1rst week of August so if anybody has an idea of a specialized shop for this, don't hesitate to advise me or contact me for a drink in a pub or else.

Hope you have a nice summer wherever you are

As with most things in life , you get what you pay for. Cheaney do a very nice pair but they cost over £250......Since I retired from piping I have never worn them, and recently gave them away

[OC Richard]

I've been wearing Ghillie brogues regularly since around 1977, and I will respectfully disagree with the opinions voiced above.

My first pair, Keltic brand, were lightweight, pliable, and extremely comfortable, some of the most comfortable shoes of any kind I've ever owned. At the time I bought them the salesperson pointed out that Keltic brogues were available in two weights, the thinner lighter ones I bought, and heavy stiff brogues.

I wore these for around 30 years, at which time (having been re-soled a half-dozen times) the uppers were starting to look a bit ratty so I switched to my "new" pair, which I bought in the mid-1980s, identical Keltic brand lightweight Ghillies. I still wear these all the time. They have been re-soled a number of times and still look and feel good.

I also have a pair of Thistle brand Ghillie brogues. These are thick and rather stiff but quite comfortable. The problem is that the soles are merely glued on, and a number of pipers I know have had the soles simply fall off, often at inopportune times.

About the laces, I tie them quickly and accurately without much thought, it being second nature from long use. I never have the laces come undone because I double-knot them (just as you would do for a toddler's shoes). I also double-knot the ordinary dress shoes I wear every day at work, and my trainers.

About the issue of Ghillie brogues and Pipe Band dress, most bands wear black hose nowadays and it doesn't matter what sort of shoes a bandsman wears since they all look the same at distance. Back in the day of white hose if somebody in the band was wearing ordinary shoes it stood out, but today I don't see the point in wearing Ghillie brogues, as long as black hose are the norm.

Besides in the Army they wear ordinary Brogues

[MacThomas]

For more formal wear, I used to wear my ghillie brogues that I bought secondhand 50 pounds ro a Scot a few years ago but unfortunately there are unconmfortable as there are slightly too short for me. The mistake I did was to try them with ordinary socks (;-)
As Johnthebiker, Robbiethepiper and OG Richard, I like their look, especially for more traditional formal occasions but for casual wear, I would wear ordinary brogues that also work for daywear.
Thanks to all for your support in this thread, I would consider any option you could advise me.