Prince Charles Duke of Rothesay in kilt photos

[dfmacliam]

I have always liked the more contemporary jacket styles, myself. our own Steve Ashton and his Freedom Kilts has a contemporary jacket and vest that forgoes the cuff and epaulets..I have wanted one for sometime now.

Without causing a stir, I know the Kilkenny jackets.. the Irish style Argylls come with brass buttons, so its possible other jackets could come with them also.

I have enjoyed this thread immensely, and as stated previously, I have bought items to "copy" the way the Duke dresses.. my diced topped hose are directly a result from seeing this thread.. I plan on watching and learning to dress stylishly, while keeping it relatively simple.. as thats how I see modern Highland fashion.

[YoungMan]

A few more photos, and yes that same sporran, that was handed down.

I was wondering, from a modern Scot's view, what is the general opinion in Scotland of the white cockade in everyday wear? Is it akward that this gentleman is talking to the PoW and wearing it? I know he's not technically a Hannover, but only technically.

[MacLowlife]

I have to admit skipping a few pages, but did anyone else notice HRH seems to prefer black shoes, even in the country? And he will wear a brown sporran with black shoes in the proverbial heartbeat.

[HarborSpringsPiper]

The only time the Highland gentry wear bonnets is when they have to display a clutch of feathers; he doesn't have to do that, so no bonnet.

Unless there is some other reason behind it, seems hat wearing has then fallen by the wayside there as it has in the rest of the Western world, which is a shame. I am not sure I have ever seen Prince Charles wear a hat outdoors unless in military uniform, kilt or not. I don't know if that is reflective of his Royal status, though I know in decades past I certainly saw pictures of the Royals wearing Fedoras, top hats, etc. Off hand, I can't say if Prince Charles' forebearers wore bonnets when outdoors in Highland wear or not. Certainly there are some gentried Highlanders wearing a Balmoral without feathers in these pictures.

[MacLowlife]

OOOPS, mea maxima, y'all. Shoes discussed only one page back. I notice most of his vests, especially in later years ( greyer hair, slightly less of it) have lapels, which is a nice refined touch. About those black shoes... His great uncle liked to do things that were a little different, like suede shoes. Those things are now commonplace and considered very elegant, even cool. Maybe HRH will revolutionize "Black for town, brown for country"

Should we meet, I will ask him about it...

[ThistleDown]

JSFMACLJR and you both made some very insightful and helpful comments. Thank you.

First off, I may have been mistaken about the brass buttons. On closer inspection, they may all be a light colored bone. but they look like falt, brushed brass, and I think that might look pretty good.

Is there any place one can actually buy the jackets without the epaulets, cuffs, etc. off the rack? I've not seen them, and the overall look is very conservative. I think Kinlock Anderson might have such, but theirs are all pretty pricey.

I didn't know that fact about the bonnets. It's good to know, and I've never heard that before. I suppose a bonnet becomes a sign of the non-gentry.

I have slowly worked through many different sporrans and other items, but I have also slowly settled on certain standard pieces which are pretty conservative. I am in the process of commissioning a sporran similar to HRH's from Janet Eagleton because I want a standard, traditional look in a sporran that my grandson will still be wearing when my carcus has long since stopped being worm's meat. I intend to wear it for the rest of my life.

Again, I appreciate the comments.

You are welcome, Jim. Thank you for claifying the brass buttons, the Duke does certainly have bone and horn buttons on some of his jackets, so that may well be what you were seeing. As you say though, brushed brass and bronze would be interesting and certainly in keeping with livery styles if one were not trying to portray the laird of glenloude or some such. (edit: that was not as it came across in a re-read. Sheesh! Just to say that brass and bronze smacks of 19C livery buttons -- good, but with caution).

Most manufacturers of Highland jackets will be pleased to provide you with the less military style of today. Have a word with any of the sponsors here.

As for the Balmoral bonnet, all I meant to say was that those who wear it must do so in order to display their feathers; the Duke or Rothesay needs no such device to be recognised. Most men in the Highlands today do not wear the Balmoral and I've not seen a Glengarry worn by a "native" in years. No flatcaps, fedoras, Stetsons or ballcaps, for sure, but the odd deerstalker will be seen worn by a kilted gentleman during the day hours.

Prince Charles has many kilts, jackets and sporrans in his wardrobe -- and he does not wear Highland dress as his daily attire. Those of us who do wear the kilt most every day may be permitted to assemble an array not unlike those who have jeans, casual slacks, dress trousers, sport coats, suits, tuxedos, shorts and all and all in their own closets and chests. Regardless of the size and extent of our dressing rooms we still have our favourites, just as does the Duke of Rothesay (and his valet).

Preferences change as we change. I inherited a wonderful old wildcat sporran that is not politically correct to wear today, given that the Highland wildcat is now an endngered species; HRH has a superb sealskin he no longer wears even thought the seal is certainly not endangered and his wee pelt was taken years and years ago. That's how over the generations these collections come to be.

Oh yes, and we have to keep the HIghland outfitter economy alive and well, too

[ThistleDown]

Certainly there are some gentried Highlanders wearing a Balmoral without feathers in these pictures.

Would you mind pointing them out? There are certainly some who do -- of course -- and I apologise for lumping.

[ThistleDown]

OOOPS, mea maxima, y'all. Shoes discussed only one page back. I notice most of his vests, especially in later years ( greyer hair, slightly less of it) have lapels, which is a nice refined touch. About those black shoes... His great uncle liked to do things that were a little different, like suede shoes. Those things are now commonplace and considered very elegant, even cool. Maybe HRH will revolutionize "Black for town, brown for country"

Should we meet, I will ask him about it...

His great uncle would be -- Edvard? Best set aside as he chose to do for himself, that laddie. Sorry, way off kilter that comment (disregard, delete, ignore....)

Prince Charles' waistcoats definitely do show a personal preference in recent years, don't they? Lapels, squared waistlines and something else that is a
statement of his own style.... Not the left forefinger and thumb in the shallow pocket, not the single wild flower in the lapel -- what is it? Comfort?

[ThistleDown]

I was wondering, from a modern Scot's view, what is the general opinion in Scotland of the white cockade in everyday wear? Is it akward that this gentleman is talking to the PoW and wearing it? I know he's not technically a Hannover, but only technically.

Not a worry. There are few Scots or English who think of those days with fondness and longing. Most of us think of the white bits of fabric in the bonnets as flags belonging to folk who Darwined in the mid-18C. Or, with typical Scots' tolerance for absence of knowledge, a smile and a nod.

You did ask, YoungMan.

[JSFMACLJR]

Unless there is some other reason behind it, seems hat wearing has then fallen by the wayside there as it has in the rest of the Western world, which is a shame. I am not sure I have ever seen Prince Charles wear a hat outdoors unless in military uniform, kilt or not. I don't know if that is reflective of his Royal status, though I know in decades past I certainly saw pictures of the Royals wearing Fedoras, top hats, etc. Off hand, I can't say if Prince Charles' forebearers wore bonnets when outdoors in Highland wear or not. Certainly there are some gentried Highlanders wearing a Balmoral without feathers in these pictures.

Prince Charles wears panamas in the tropics; top hats to the races; bowlers to the proper events; tweed caps in the country. I have not seen him wear a bonnet when wearing the kilt, but who is to say he doesn't wear one in private, away from the cameras?

Their late Majesties George V and George VI most certainly did wear bonnets when wearing the kilt. I believe there is ample evidence of this fact in various photos on the Forum.