More Wedding Advice

[TheOfficialBren]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your kind advice and congratulations. My bride and I are absolutely thrilled to take the next step in our lives together.

I don't really care for full mask sporrans to be honest.

Perhaps one with a leather cantle but a fur front that can still be worn for smart dress? I'm not worried about a casual day wear look. I've already got that covered with a couple of nice sporrans.

I'm not uncomfortable with formal wear but I've only worn formal wear in the Saxon style, tuxedos or military dress, and once about once or twice per year, always renting them if it's a tuxedo for civilian wear or in uniform if it's a military function. I usually wear my kilt with a dress shirt and tie á la McMurdo's and Jamie's "suit equivalent" in their "10 Looks..." thread.

Does this help to clarify?

Taking Father Bill's advice to up it a notch is just the ticket, I think.

Hmm...lots to consider.

Thank you, gents.

[Liam]

Another option is to commission a custom sporran from Artificer, Ferguson Britt or Wyvern. Any of their's are classy enough for any occasion.

[Father Bill]

Bren, you can wear anything that will please you and your lady, but I need to express a vote against a so-called semi-formal sporran; neither fish nor fowl.

[Geoff Withnell]

For formal wear I wear something like this:

http://www.usakilts.com/pipers-dress...g-sporran.html

It may not be traditional, but to my eye, a nice hunting sporran looks more "formal" than regular sporrans, even with a leather cantle.

[S Mitchell]

For formal wear I wear something like this:

http://www.usakilts.com/pipers-dress...g-sporran.html

It may not be traditional, but to my eye, a nice hunting sporran looks more "formal" than regular sporrans, even with a leather cantle.

I've also worn a hunting sporran for formal wear (mine is all leather.) It's on my list to get a more traditional, formal, dress sporran someday, but I don't honestly have many occasions to wear one.

Here I am wearing my hunting sporran with an Air Force mess jacket instead of a Prince Charlie. The sporran is a little cattywampus in this photo, but, alas, that's how life goes.

[TheOfficialBren]

I agree about semi-formal sporrans. They're neither fish nor fowl. I don't care for them but each to their own.

I'm going keep looking.

Btw, S Mitchell, that whole getup looks really nice.

[OC Richard]

All I can add would be to bring awareness to "the tradition".

The "traditional Highland Dress" as it's come down to us, in an unbroken chain of evolution, assumed its current form at the beginning of the 20th century.

It's well summed up here, in 1936. Evening Dress and Day Dress were strictly separated and each had its own range of sporran types. There's wedding dress advice, too

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...talogue-74888/

From around the 1950s sporran designs were usually along the lines of what I've called "the canon" and were still strictly divided between Evening Dress and Day Dress. Here they are

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...xamples-88489/

So if one were to follow "the tradition" they would wear, with any sort of Evening jacket, a fur sporran with silver cantle.

Animal mask sporrans were generally worn with Day Dress in the post-1900 period.

Different styles were in vogue in the 19th century, with a less-strict demarcation between Day and Evening Dress, with long hair sporrans (and less often, animal mask sporrans) worn with both.

About "semi formal" sporrans, that concept didn't seem to exist in the post-1900 tradition. Day sporrans were brown leather (usually pigskin) and might or might not have fur fronts. The addition of fur didn't change their Daywear status. Also popular for Day Dress were reproduction 18th century sporrans, brown deerskin with brass cantles.

Let me emphasize, in case anyone mis-reads my post, that I am not advocating any sort of dress whatsoever. I'm just making people aware of the norms which have existed for, now, over 100 years. People are, of course, free to follow, or ignore, the tradition.

Time for pictures!

First two pages from the standard catalogue of sporran styles used by a number of traditional makers in the 2nd half of the 20th century; all are Evening Dress except for the Hunting Sporran.

Were you to purchase Evening Dress at any point during the 20th century, from any Scottish supplier, such sporrans would be recommended, in all probability.





Here's a few of one leading maker's offerings in 1938



Here, in my early 20s, I'm following the standard traditional forms



Nowadays I'm a bit "retro" going with a late 19th century style sporran

[S Mitchell]

...Btw, S Mitchell, that whole getup looks really nice.

Thanks, Bren.

A more contemporary take on the leather hunting sporran with metal cantle (courtesy of Lothian Kilt Rentals)

I'm intrigued by that one.

[JohnClanFarquharson]

I was waiting until ny jacket and waistcoat cane into reply but it has been delayed. Was going to share a picture but ill just list, ill be getting married this October.

Lovat blue jacket/waist coat. (Argyll)
Semi formal sporran
Ancient blue hose
Farquharson ancient kilt
I have a plaid, havent decided if im going to wear or not.
Black brogues
Red Ruche tie
Red flashes

I believe itll look pretty sharp, early evening wedding.

[Jock Scot]

I was waiting until ny jacket and waistcoat cane into reply but it has been delayed. Was going to share a picture but ill just list, ill be getting married this October.

Lovat blue jacket/waist coat. (Argyll)
Semi formal sporran
Ancient blue hose
Farquharson ancient kilt
I have a plaid, havent decided if im going to wear or not.
Black brogues
Red Ruche tie
Red flashes

I believe itll look pretty sharp, early evening wedding.

I write this as an educational illustration and not a criticism of anyone's choices of attire. The above list is a fairly typical illustration of kilt attire of some from outwith Scotland and shows, I am afraid, a "hire company" mentality( also exists in todays Scotland), perhaps also formed from a myriad of ill informed internet pictures, or by following one's peers who also dress that way and perpetuate a train of thought. That is absolutely fine if that is what you want, but observations do inevitably arise from the above list.

Lovat blue Argyll. Is that tweed or some other cloth? Generally not a traditional or common Scots colour choice, particularly for a groom, or guests at a wedding. It does however, appear to be a fairly common choice outwith these shores.

Semi-formal sporran. What does that mean?

Might wear a plaid. If you do, its a very "hire company" thing here in Scotland and seems to be often a trans-Atlantic choice.

Ruche tie. Again, very "hire company" here in Scotland and seems to be often a trans-Atlantic choice.

" I believe it will look pretty sharp." Will it?