Quote Originally Posted by Tartan Hiker View Post
Here's a point that I don't remember anyone dealing with up to this point.

Whether they "dressed up" for the occasion with their own gear or borrowed gear or even if the artist totally made up the outfit (which no one has suggested and which I think is not likely!), we are dealing with real gentlemen who were actually there, posing for posterity (surely they knew that the images they were posing for would be a representation of themselves into the future). Would they have dressed in a way that they themselves knew to be silly or "over the top" or just plain wrong? I think not. To suggest that they would totally negates any assumption of pride or deportment on their part, and I'm not willing to accept this. Did the painting take longer than a few seconds? Obviously. Did the gentlemen look over the artists' shoulder from time to time to see how things were going? Surely. Would they have objected if he were not portraying them accurately? I would certainly hope so. Would they have objected if he attempted to dress them in an unusual or atypical or unacceptable way. Again, I would certainly be surprised if they did not!

Obviously these portraits illustrate gentlemen turned out in their best raiment. Possibly some of the items may have been borrowed or secured for this event. Surely this is not how they went about daily. But just as surely I think it is safe to view these portraits as a guide to what was "acceptable" or "within bounds" in formal highland attire at the time when these images were made.

Here here! I agree completely and disagree mostly with Jock Scot. No need to bicker gents.