Why are Ghillie brogues so expensive?

[DTrain]

I find there are so few occasions for me to wear true ghilles that it wasn't worth it. That being said, an enterprising person might want to DIY some ghillies--all that is required:
One pair brogues (black wingtips)
Black shoe polish
Black boot laces (at least 60", preferably 72")
Stout scissors or exacto knife

Cut the tongue of the shoe out, then cut out every other eyelet on the top. Use a touch of black shoe polish to darken the raw edges and lace up with black boot laces. If you want tassels, look for black tassels in the drapery section of the local fabric store.

BTW, this wasn't my idea, I read it in a thread here somewhere. . .

[Bugbear]

Somewhere I saw something about a company that would convert your regular brogues into Ghillie brogues and send them back to you for a bit of money. I don't like wearing Ghillie brogues or any kind of wingtip, but if they had round-ish Ghillie, I might wear them. Hope you're able to get what you want.

[Chef]

Somewhere I saw something about a company that would convert your regular brogues into Ghillie brogues and send them back to you for a bit of money.

The conversion is actually quite cheap. About $27. Unfortunately the postage is probably a killer. the company is in NZ! The link is HERE

Personally I'm not a big fan of ghillies even though I own three pair. Wide ones are difficult to find and when you do find then they are always the expensive ones. Only plus is a good pair will last a lifetime. One pair of mine have the full steel taps in the heel. I have them replaced about every five years.

Actually my favourite pair are the brown ones I own. Now that seems like a bit of an oxymoron to me since ghillies are supposed to be for more formal attire and brown obviously isn't formal. However the look just seems to work better for me if I am dressed during the day. I like the look of the brown ghillies with a loden jacket and hose, and an ancient coloured kilt. Somehow it works better in my mind than the black ghillies. However most of the time if I am dressed I just wear brogues, black or brown depending. Of course always with a high buff

[Riverkilt]

Hear hear for wide shoes....I'm a 4E and think that's not uncommon for folks of Scottish descent...

I'm amazed that its dang near impossible to buy a shoe for wide feet anymore. Like shoemakers just harvest the easy pickin's.

I spent a long time looking for a source of wide gillies and had no luck.

Grumble...

Ron

[McMurdo]

Ron, you could check here kiltstore has them.

[Riverkilt]

Thanks McMurdo,

Back to the price issue, and shipping my one and only order with them was a LOT....but I wonder why they don't say, "HOW WIDE?"

Have seen resellers call D widths "wide."

Thanks for the research...guess I'll email them and see what they have to say about the exact width...what's to hide?

Ron

[Chef]

Ron,

Your spot on about the lack of wide shoes. I live in NY and it can be difficult. Now, Church's are easy to fit but they are very expensive. What bugs me is finding more casual shoes (or more inexpensive shoes) in wides. I have almost given up looking for certain styles. The only decent source I have found is Macy's. Other than that I wait till I go home and head to the nearest Clark's store.

"A wide in that sir, no problem"

[David Dalglish]

I wear Ghillies, but They are not necessery, a good pair of dress shoes will do
http://mytartanshop.co.uk/ you could try this site

[James MacMillan]

I only own one pair of Ghillies, and they are very low quality (cheap) therefore, I hardly ever wear them. Like you, I thought that the price didn't justify purchase of a higher quality pair.

Now that I see a place that would do a conversion, it has given me food for thought. I now intend to search out a cobbler who would be willing to remove the tongue from a regular pair of shoes - of appropriate style - and/or make the tongue into the bottom lace holder. What do you call the lower leather loop anyway? Then find a long shoe lace, and I'm set.

This would seem to be the best solution to fit into my frugal mind-set.

Good thread!

Thanks!

[irishrob]

Jay:

I bought laces at the Kilt and Thistle in Salem OR. http://www.kilts.com/retailstore.htm

and... they are super folks also!

Rob