Quote Originally Posted by OC Richard View Post
Pipe Major Scots Guards

What impresses ME about the Pipe Major's attire is just HOW many weapons he wears.

On my first visit to Scotland, my first stop was the Edinburgh Castle Museum. One or two days before, I'd been to the Verdun WWI Memorial that SCREAMED its pacifistic message in the starkest possible terms. At the Edinburgh Castle, what amazed me was how strong the message was of "yes, we know them English have trampled on us over and over, but just give us one more chance with our Claymores, Dirks, and Sgian dubhs against their nukes and jets and we'll slaughter 'em all."

For someone who grew up listening to Harry Lauder instead of Elvis and the Beatles, the militancy of those exhibits REALLY surprised me.



Four men in "day" tweed in The Highlanders of Scotland, no visible flashes, no kilt pins, no sginean, three of the four wearing ordinary brogues.

Perhaps the question about flashes is one of "just how much is TOO much multicolor. Once one gets past the orthogonal kilt, the on-the-bias waistcoat, and the diced hose worn by the guy on the left, there's no ROOM left on the body for any additional patterning.

I'm being a bit too emphatic, of course, but I suspect that here in the USA, where many people have never even SEEN a kilt, the specter of one of those four at an event where the attendees are supposed to "look good" would be just "WAY too much—too many colors, too many patterns." I'm NOT suggesting it's "wrong," just not what Americans are accustomed to.

I've been wearing kilts now for about a decade, but my wife still trembles a bit when she knows I'm going to do so for an upcoming event. She has a stepbrother about to be married in rural Texas, I KNOW I'll be one of only 2 or 3 people NOT topped by a cowhand's Stetson and shod in cowboy boots. Likely, all with those endowed with Y chromosomes will all be wearing respectable suits in between, but before my wife would even consider letting me unleash a simple modern barathea jacket and vest from Kinloch Anderson above a tame Robertson ancient hunting tartan kilt I had to obtain enthusiastic "permission" from multiple relatives of the bride AND groom that they would not be offended. Let's face it: "matchy matchy" IS the American way of trying to look elegant or formal.

I do love the diced hose. I have none. My dad did, and pretty closely matched the "look" of the Clan Chieftain in photos at a couple clan gatherings in Pitlochry.

Maybe that's the one element of Highlands attire I should search for on eBay.