Without a sporran

[Cavebear58]

When I was a kid I was given to believe that only women wore tartan without a sporran and that I should always do so. So it came as a bit of a surprise, when I began to get back into wearing the tartan, to discover that many WW1 soldiers routinely didn't wear them.

Around the house is one thing, but out and about?

Does anyone know what the historical line is on this? Do you wear a kilt without a sporran often and under what circumstances?

Best wishes
Graham.

[beloitpiper]

The only time I don't wear a sporran is when I'm doing yard work.

Soldiers did wear sporrans, but also kilt covers that went over the kilt, partly for camouflage, partly to keep the kilt not as dirty.

[macneighill]

Hi Graham ,
There was some discussion, not too terribly long ago on this very subject. I'm not sure as to the "historical line" but, quite a few on this forum "shared" when they wore sporrans (out and about, while at home, etc.). You may want to check that out at: click here. It may be a start, outside of replies from this point . Take care.

[Jock Scot]

I always wear a sporran, unless I am wearing the kilt(a rare event I grant you) deer stalking. For early season grouse shooting I will wear a sporran with the kilt.

[macwilkin]

The only time I don't wear a sporran is when I'm doing yard work.

Soldiers did wear sporrans, but also kilt covers that went over the kilt, partly for camouflage, partly to keep the kilt not as dirty.

Sporrans were not worn with a kilt apron, though Greg. By the First World War the aprons had a built-in pocket which served the same purpose as the sporran.

Mike Chappell's The Scottish Units in the World Wars (Osprey Pub.) also shows a number of "field-expedient" sporrans made from gas mask bags. There is a great photo of two Seaforth Highlanders with said "sporrans" on page 8, and another photo on page 9 of the massed pipes and drums of the 152nd Infantry Brigade, 51st Highland Division, and not one man is wearing a sporran.

Regards,

Todd

[O'Callaghan]

I think it's more to the point that only women tend to carry a handbag. Nowadays there are even some exceptions to that, but not so many, because most men like to keep both hands free.

I think that modern waist packs are far more practical than a sporran, which is really a relic of the nineteenth century, and some others like to use a waistcoat with pockets, plus there are now even some kilts with pockets. A sporran looks more formal, but that's more or less the same as saying it is a style from another age.

If you go back the other way in history, I think you'll find that kilt wearers just continued the medieval practice of tying a draw-string purse around their waist, just as everyone else did when they wore knit hose (called trews in gaelic, but worn by sassenachs too) rather than trousers with pockets. Sporran just means purse anyway. The drawstring type would now be called a 'Rob Roy' sporran, although I'm not sure if that's historically accurate.

I don't think it was worn in the middle at the front originally, either, because that really isn't a practical place to have it IMHO. You can see a simple drawstring purse worn at the side in old pictures. Sporrans probably migrated to the front position when they started wearing outlandish fur creations and other fancy sporrans that they wanted to show off, and after kilts were no longer worn on an everyday basis, so they didn't have time to get fed up with it hitting them in the n*ts, LOL!

Time marches on.

[george7]

I don't know how you could go out without a sporran in a tartan kilt. In a Utilikilt or something likewise, you have pockets, but that doesn't qualify under the topic.

[macwilkin]

I don't know how you could go out without a sporran in a tartan kilt. In a Utilikilt or something likewise, you have pockets, but that doesn't qualify under the topic.

The Jocks in the First World War did, from all of the photos I've seen.

T.

[Highlander31]

I wear a sporran when I go out. At home it sits on the shelf with my wallet, keys, etc. ready to go when I head out.

[Monkey@Arms]

I don't know how you could go out without a sporran in a tartan kilt. In a Utilikilt or something likewise, you have pockets, but that doesn't qualify under the topic.

Plenty of pics on these boards of Riverkilt out in his many fine tartan kilts sans sporran. He prefers to carry his gear in the pockets of a vest (waistcoat).

Best regards,

Jake