What is Traditional Highland Dress?

[BoldHighlander]

I don't think anyone here, even the most traditional of traditional thinkers have ever said that one could not adapt Highland attire to suit the weather conditions and you are quite correct in thinking that there are sometimes far better options than traditional Highland Scots head wear. Would that make the result traditional? Well no it would not, but so what. If the adaptation works then that is precisely what any sensible Scot would do in the circumstances.

Just for the fun of it I just had to toss the following pictures in (besides it'll make Jamie happy ith

Cheers!

2nd (Angus) Volunteer Bn - So Africa 1900:



3rd (Dundee Highland) Volunteer Bn - So Africa 1900:

[ThistleDown]

I find the hat discussion most interesting, but let me digress.

Let's start with the deerstalker; others have said it would serve. Can someone post pictures of Highland Dress with a "fore and aft" or deerstalker? I can't find any.

Failing that, I haven't been convinced that the Balmoral or Glengarry serve well, though the New Worlds have tried to make them work. One, it seems that they are either out-of-place or over-used as "Traditional Highland Dress". Two, they don't really serve as weather protection. I realize the following cap is considered paramillitary, but wonder if it isn't one of the more practical adapations while in the field? If not this, then what? Are we not to make adaptations for time and place appropriate for the New Worlds?

You know, Mark, the only "traditional" Highland headwear is the Balmoral. The Glengarry is just never worn in the Highlands because it doesn't keep the weather out. A good Barlmoral does, so it has become the traditional thing to cover your head. The deerstalker is a standard bit of head gear for the hills. Much more versatile than the Balmoral, but it has not become traditional with Highland dress. There's just a borderline acceptance of it.

Jock you may want to chime in here, but I think the reason is that the fore-and-aft and deerstalker came out of 19C ghillie and keeper tradition and not from Highland dress tradition. With some exceptions (of course) the two have not mixed well in the last century and a half. Yes, we know about Landseer, but he liked the Glengarry on his models, too

It is very rare to see Highland dress worn to shoot, to stalk or to fish because there are all sorts of better bits and pieces of clothing out there. Among them is the deerstalker instead of the Balmoral.

And you are probably quite right about the life expectancy of the Balmoral, too. It's still seen in the Highlands today, although far less often than just twenty years ago. It's a dodo in the making, I think. A replacement will be found, and that will address changing climate and a change in kilt-wearing. It could be something like the pic you showed, but knowing Highland society I think it is more likely to move further away from military fashion and in the direction of a narrow-brim trilby or....

Rex

[davidlpope]

Sorry, but we own the tradition. We love that you want to borrow it and even adopt it as your own, but the tradition is that of the Highlands of Scotland and not subject to the whims of somebody from somewhere else. It has evolved over time and it will continue to do so. It may even adopt some fashions or features developed elsewhere in the world as it evolves (rubber soles for our brogues comes to mind .

Rex,

Despite being an outlander, I agree with your statement. The necessary corollary, though, is that Americans are dependent on Highlanders for "informing our sensibilities" concerning Traditional Highland Civilian Dress (THCD). I'm appreciative of the guidance provided here on XMarks, and covet those rare trips to Scotland, but perhaps some brainstorming for additional ways that the word can be got out is in order...

I did have a question raised when I read this section:

Traditional Civilian Highland Dress does not include flat caps or pith helmets (sorry, Jamie) or claymores or targes or deer-hide shoes or so-called Jacobite shirts or regimental ties or tiers of badges and medals.

I recall many photos of individuals wearing THCD, in the Highlands, which featured regimental neckties. I understand that one should only wear neckties one "rates"(regiments/ branches of service one has served in), but shouldn't they be considered an acceptable aspect of THCD even if they are not a required aspect of THCD? Please help me to understand the distinction here.

Cordially,

David

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Rex,

Despite being an outlander, I agree with your statement. The necessary corollary, though, is that Americans are dependent on Highlanders for "informing our sensibilities" concerning Traditional Highland Civilian Dress (THCD). I'm appreciative of the guidance provided here on XMarks, and covet those rare trips to Scotland, but perhaps some brainstorming for additional ways that the word can be got out is in order...

I did have a question raised when I read this section:



I recall many photos of individuals wearing THCD, in the Highlands, which featured regimental neckties. I understand that one should only wear neckties one "rates"(regiments/ branches of service one has served in), but shouldn't they be considered an acceptable aspect of THCD even if they are not a required aspect of THCD? Please help me to understand the distinction here.

Cordially,

David

I think what Rex was referring to was the (mostly US) custom of wearing regimental ties by those individuals who have no entitlement to the tie; ie: they never served in the regiment.

In the photos you've posted all of the gentlemen have an indisputable entitlement to wear their regimental tie. I doubt that Rex, Jock, or any of the rest of us would have a problem with anyone wearing a striped tie with their kilt-- but wearing a regimental tie... well, that's a stripe of another colour.

[Brian K]

On the hat topic I have long extolled the virtues of the Panama as perfect hot weather attire with the kilt . The Tilly hat and the Australian "slouch" hat also spring to mind. I venture to suggest that they may be a better option than the one you suggest. Each to their own.

Jock,

I like the way you think! Last year I came into possession of a Panama hat that my grandfather had given his father-in-law about 60 years ago. My grandfather was in government service in the Far East and had purchased it in manila for $20.00. Apparently my great grandfather Anderson never wore this hat because until last year it resided in a large bamboo tube, never having been blocked or having a band or ribbon applied.

My sister, who lives in LA has a friend who wear Panamas a lot (they're great in Southern California) and he sent it to Brent Black for blocking. It's in the Optimo style (the one with a ridge down the middle) which was a favorite in the British colonial service. Some would call it a Charlie Chan hat. It has a 3 3/8" brim and I have to say it looks pretty good on me. The nice thing is that a good Panama hat looks fine with almost any level of hot weather dress - from ultra casual to very formal. As an added bonus, Mr. Black said that if he had bought a blank of that quality from Montecristi (he's one of the few who deals directly with the weavers there) he'd have to charge $4600.00 for it. It has too much sentimental value for me to ever sell it, but it's nice to know it's of the highest quality.

Now I know it will also work just fine with a kilt! What more could I ask for?

regards,

Brian

[ThistleDown]

Rex,

Despite being an outlander, I agree with your statement. The necessary corollary, though, is that Americans are dependent on Highlanders for "informing our sensibilities" concerning Traditional Highland Civilian Dress (THCD). I'm appreciative of the guidance provided here on XMarks, and covet those rare trips to Scotland, but perhaps some brainstorming for additional ways that the word can be got out is in order...

I did have a question raised when I read this section:



I recall many photos of individuals wearing THCD, in the Highlands, which featured regimental neckties. I understand that one should only wear neckties one "rates"(regiments/ branches of service one has served in), but shouldn't they be considered an acceptable aspect of THCD even if they are not a required aspect of THCD? Please help me to understand the distinction here.

Cordially,

David

Thank you, David. You will have experienced this "rising up" on the forum before now. Those of us who do the rising thing are always just a tad embarassed after the fact, even though we know that many of you understand our frustration and the need to vent. Brainstorming will help all of us, I am sure.

You asked me to explain my comment on regimental ties. I did try to include other things like badges and medals and the like in my little list but I suppose I was not very clear, was I? You struck the nail quite squarely, however. There are some exquisitely beautiful regimental and school ties out there and some of us are even entitled to wear one or two of them (our own Jock you have shown, Duart and, of course, HRH). They are just ties, after all. On board here, however, there are many who think that it is an honour to the regiment (or school) if they wear that regiment's or school's tie. In Highland tradition that is presumtuous and even insulting. It is not far distant from wearing medals to which you are not entitled.

[Micric]

Jock,
Thank you for putting me right (a coupl of pages back!) on when you would and would not wear a for and aft, etc.
I mistook you. Thanks again for setting me right!

Richard.

Re the practicality of tam/balmoral, I think I'm just used to mine. It was 21C today, but I just twist it sideways so the overhang is at the front, or at the sunny side. when it's at the front, it looks like a cap with a toorie on the top.
I was sowing oats ...(No,..Not wild ones!) ..and my old tractor has no cab.
When it gets real hot though, I dig my bush-hat out.

[Jock Scot]

I am not sure of the history of the deerstalker and the fore & aft, but yes, I think you are right Rex, the game keeping ,ghillie, and perhaps shepherd route is the obvious thought. Considering the desire for our recent ancestors to wear everything and anything Scottish that they could whilst enjoying the various outdoor pastimes, they were an obvious choice.

THCD----- thank goodness some one, David I think, had the wit to shorten things down, well done!

Traditions do not have to be X number of decades old before they qualify, no wrong word,---- emerge as a tradition. They all had to start sometime and that could be today, tomorrow, next year who knows when. That is why I say,"I know it when I see it" rather than relying on some written down something or other, which in fact don't exist in most cases.

The genuine Regimental, university, school, club tie is traditionally regarded as a " wear by right" by those that belong or belonged to that particular group in the UK and whilst not a hanging offence to wear a tie that you are not entitled to, it is very much regard as a social no-no here by most. There are many, particularly from the military side of things , rightly in most people's UK(the Commonwealth too) eyes, do take serious exception to people wearing a tie that, well yes quite rightly in this case, they are not entitled to do so.

Now there are plenty of "regimental,school,etc" style ties about, that will offend no one, that look very much the part and if that is the look that is required by you. In my view that look is very much THCD.

[OC Richard]

Wowza.

Two things really strike my eye about these photos:

1) PC has some very nice Highland Dress. Excellent taste is being shown. Is it all his own, or does he have a Gentleman's Gentleman or other person who chooses or helps choose his dress?

2) CPB is obviously striving to match in with PC's dress, with varying degrees of success.

Her Lovat Green dress works OK. Appears to be made from the same cloth as PC's jacket. In my opinion it would be better to wear a colour that harmonises with PC's overall look than to match one specific colour. Perhaps a muted green somewhere between the colour of PC's jacket and PC's kilt would have been best.

Her ensemble with the tartan jacket looks awful juxtaposed onto what PC is wearing. (In other words it might look OK if he weren't standing beside her.)

Likewise the ensemble with the skirt and jacket which matches what PC is wearing is just too much, coming off almost as a parody. Much better I think to wear a skirt of the same tartan but wear a jacket which contrasts with PC's jacket.

Only the reddish dress which picks up on the stripes in PC's kilt works well to me. Though it also displays her unfortunate penchant for tartan lapels.

Co-ordinate rather than match should be the keyword.

[Jock Scot]

The Prince has an extensive staff. He is, however, widely known for his exquisite taste in clothing which is ably demonstrated time and time again wherever he goes and in the pictures above.

To my eyes, I cannot see anything untoward with the Duchess's outfits either.