modern "Semi Dress" sporrans

[OC Richard]

People getting into kilt-wearing since the 1980s have been presented, by the established makers such as WE Scott (Edinburgh) and L&M Highland (Nova Scotia), three genres of sporran: Day Dress, Evening Dress, and Semi Dress.

Yet in the catalogues I've seen and owned, ranging from Edwardian times up through the 1960s, the styles of sporran now called "semi dress" don't appear. There are Day sporrans and Evening sporrans, and the Day sporrans are brown.

This is backed up by hundreds of photos of men in Highland dress throughout the period.

Interesting is a 1983 catalogue which offers the usual suite of brown leather Day sporrans with a footnote stating that some of the styles are available on special order, at a higher price, in black.

The same catalogue, on a separate page, does show four sporrans they call "Day/Evening Wear". Two are ordinary all-leather Day sporrans in black leather, while two are what we would call "semi dress" being traditional Day sporrans done in black, with ball & chain seal Evening tassels added.

Since the appearance of black Day sporrans coincided with the explosion in popularity of Kilt Hire, I infer that these sporrans were created to be hired with the suddenly ubiquitous black Prince Charlie coatee.

I just now made this evolution chart showing how the makers quickly cobbled together things to meet the sudden demand for sporrans less expensive than seal & silver traditional Evening sporrans, were black to match the Prince Charlie, and had just enough bling to not look as out-of-place as a traditional brown Day sporran.

The left column has three traditional Day sporrans which have been around since the 1920s.

The centre column has the traditional Evening sporrans from which bits were appropriated.

The right column has the newly created neither-fish-nor-fowl "semi dress" Kilt Hire hybrids.

[figheadair]

Neither-fish-nor-fowl sums up 'semi dress' nicely. Being less tactful one might ask what the point of them is. I guess they are aimed at those who did not grow up with the terms: Casual; Smart Casual (a great military term); Cocktail; Formal etc.

Semi-dress = when one forgot to put on some item of clothing.

[Jock Scot]

In my youth, there was style of sporran that could be described very much by all, as general purpose and was in those days, regarded as acceptable by all and for all events, but these days they are never seen, as modern sensibilities and legal protections have rendered them as almost extinct.
I am talking about the full mask with a almost a full body of fur style of sporran and were quite large when compared with modern sporrans. With most native animals that were used in decline added to modern public sensibilities and scarcity issues, they are now heavily protected by law and for mostly good reason, I cannot ever see that particular style of sporran ever returning. Yes, there are furs still used for sporrans from some animals, but the style of sporran is much smaller these days and with the dimensions very much like the sporrans of today.

[Father Bill]

In my youth, there was style of sporran that could be described very much by all, as general purpose and was in those days, regarded as acceptable by all and for all events, but these days they are never seen, as modern sensibilities and legal protections have rendered them as almost extinct.
I am talking about the full mask with a almost a full body of fur style of sporran and were quite large when compared with modern sporrans. With most native animals that were used in decline added to modern public sensibilities and scarcity issues, they are now heavily protected by law and for mostly good reason, I cannot ever see that particular style of sporran ever returning. Yes, there are furs still used for sporrans from some animals, but the style of sporran is much smaller these days and with the dimensions very much like the sporrans of today.

I've one of these and love it:



They've several more, and yes, they are slightly larger than many. https://www.landmhighland.ca/products-page/full-mask/

Our own XMarks Advertiser https://highlandleatherworks.com/ also linked below, is a former taxidermist and makes some excellent examples.

[ShaunMaxwell]

In my youth, there was style of sporran that could be described very much by all, as general purpose and was in those days, regarded as acceptable by all and for all events, but these days they are never seen, as modern sensibilities and legal protections have rendered them as almost extinct.
I am talking about the full mask with a almost a full body of fur style of sporran and were quite large when compared with modern sporrans. With most native animals that were used in decline added to modern public sensibilities and scarcity issues, they are now heavily protected by law and for mostly good reason, I cannot ever see that particular style of sporran ever returning. Yes, there are furs still used for sporrans from some animals, but the style of sporran is much smaller these days and with the dimensions very much like the sporrans of today.

I'm a fan of mask sporrans and sometimes wear them to the various Highland games I attend, or to our annual Burns Supper. Only one of mine would fall into the "quite large" category you mention. Mine are mostly made from creatures which are often consider a nuisance, and have never elicited a negative comment (which I've heard!). Of course, folks in my part of the world are generally accustomed to taxidermy...

I'm surprised to hear that they're so seldom scene in your part of the world.

Cheers,

SM

[kilted redleg]

I can personally attest to the craftmanship and beautiful work done by Don at highland leather works. You cannot, cannot go wrong with his sporrans. I purchased at a very reasonable price a full mask wolverine sporran it has enough room for my wallet, glasses [in case] keys and whatever else I need to put in there. Highly recommended.

[ShaunMaxwell]

I can personally attest to the craftmanship and beautiful work done by Don at highland leather works. You cannot, cannot go wrong with his sporrans. I purchased at a very reasonable price a full mask wolverine sporran it has enough room for my wallet, glasses [in case] keys and whatever else I need to put in there. Highly recommended.

Highland Leatherworks made the bobcat mask sporran in my post above!

Cheers,

SM

[OC Richard]

Neither-fish-nor-fowl sums up 'semi dress' nicely. Being less tactful one might ask what the point of them is. I guess they are aimed at those who did not grow up with the terms: Casual; Smart Casual (a great military term); Cocktail; Formal etc.

Semi-dress = when one forgot to put on some item of clothing.

My theory is that "semi-dress" sporrans were rapidly cobbled together, and gleaming white hose created, to be hired along with black Prince Charlie coatees. (One question: did the shoe makers start putting extra-long shoestrings on the Ghillies so they could be laced all the way up? My Ghillies don't have laces that long.)

[OC Richard]

About animal-mask sporrans, I have dozens of vintage photos showing men wearing them, and as best I can recall all show them being worn with outdoor dress.

This photo is typical.



In the old catalogues they're always listed and shown with Day sporrans.



I'll search through my photos but I can't recall offhand seeing an animal mask sporran being worn in Evening Dress, for which the standard sporran in the old days was a white long-hair sporran with silver top.

An interesting military analogy: The 93rd Foot's sergeants and officers wore animal-mask sporrans, of badger, but officers only wore these with spats on parade with the troops, or with service dress. With long diced hose and buckled brogues, for Levee Dress, they wore long white hair sporrans.

[MacKenzie]

One question: did the shoe makers start putting extra-long shoestrings on the Ghillies so they could be laced all the way up? My Ghillies don't have laces that long.

I have seen the claim the the original ghillies laced above the ankle so the shoe would not pull off in the mud and/or the long laces could be used to hold up the socks - or rather lower leg coverings pre-elastic.