wearing the sporran

[Snowbear]

I really like my horse hair sporran, but could never convince myself to let the hairs hang lower than my kilt. It just seems odd to me.

[OC Richard]

I really like my horse hair sporran, but could never convince myself to let the hairs hang lower than my kilt. It just seems odd to me.

It was very common, indeed nearly universal, in the old days.

Look at photos like these for a while and it might not seem odd any more.

Here is a group of Crimean Heroes:



and a group of the 78th Highlanders:



and a couple guys with the sporrans hanging very low:





Nowadays in the Army they don't wear them that long, but still often going a bit below the kilt:

[BoldHighlander]

It was very common, indeed nearly universal, in the old days.

Look at photos like these for a while and it might not seem odd any more.

Here is a group of Crimean Heroes:



and a group of the 78th Highlanders:



Nowadays in the Army they don't wear them that long, but still often going a bit below the kilt:

I notice how the "texture" of the hair of the old sporrans is different from the new ones. Is the older ones angora rather than horse hair? (that's what they look like to me.)

And if so, I wonder when they switched?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

what is the correct hieght for a sporran?

The distance from one's waist to the top of their sporran will depend on several factors: the length of one's arms, the size of one's belly, and the length of their jacket. There is no "hard and fast" rule that sets out it is to be worn "X" number of inches below the waist, etc.

Basically you should be able to reach into your sporran without unduly having to hunch over, or having to pull it up by the strap. It should hang below the hem of your jacket and waistcoat by a reasonable distance, resting more-or-less on the flat of your stomach (or where your stomach should be flat if you are a bit on the chubby side).

Ignore photos of bandsmen and soldiers in kilts as they have to conform to regulations concerning the placement of every item of dress that do not concern civilians.

As long as the top of the sporran (the cantle) isn't touching your jacket, and as long as you can easily reach into it, your sporran is probably at just about the right height.

[OC Richard]

Ignore photos of bandsmen and soldiers in kilts as they have to conform to regulations concerning the placement of every item of dress...

The idea that soldiers wear every item of their dress according to regulation is a commonly-heard misconception.

I have a vast number of photos which abundantly demonstrate that portions of the Highland uniform were worn according to personal whim.

One example is the length of the long plaid. There are American-devised Drum Major regulations which specify exactly how long the plaid should hang. I have a large number of photos of the Pipes & Drums of The Black Watch and other regiments which clearly show the plaids' length to be quite random, some nearly touching the ground, some way up at the hem of the kilt, and everything in between, all to be seen in the same band, on quite formal Parade.

Another is how the Glengarry is worn. I've heard Americans give little lectures on the "correct" or "military" way to wear one, but I have a number of photos of various members of the same regiment, during a quite formal Parade, even indeed with Royalty present, in which the soldier's Glengarries are worn in a range of manners, some straight, some leaning to one side, some leaning to the other side, etc.

Sporran-wearing is another such area, and I have numerous photos showing members of the same regiment on parade with their sporrans at various heights.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The idea that soldiers wear every item of their dress according to regulation is a commonly-heard misconception.

Not by those of us who have served in the military. I'm sure that when you were in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard you knew exactly where every element of dress was supposed to go- from how your cap fit to how close to your shoes the cuffs of your trousers were supposed to be. That's why it's called a uniform, and it's nonsense to suggest otherwise.

Civilian attire is not as regulated or prescribed, and therefor they have far greater latitude in how they dress.

Now one can parse the issue of uniform dress regulations all they want, but it doesn't alter the fact that there are uniform regulations, and all soldiers are required (not merely expected) to adhere to those regulations. That some soldiers to a better job of it than others is obvious and beyond on-going discussion.

I am continually amazed at the amount of "justification" sought from photographs, as though a snapshot of a few individuals is proof that no regulations existed.

[BoldHighlander]

I notice how the "texture" of the hair of the old sporrans is different from the new ones. Is the older ones angora rather than horse hair? (that's what they look like to me.)

And if so, I wonder when they switched?

On reviewing photos that I've collected, I'd have to rethink my query about early military horse hair vs angora sporrans. I've noticed that some earlier hair sporrans were in fact "layered", instead of using long strands of hair (as seen today). This tended to give a wavy texture to these earlier ones that I thought looked a little like angora.

However, I'm still wondering: was angora ever used for early military hair sporrans?

[D.A. Guertin]

MacMillan has it exactly right. Put it on and grab for a dime at the bottom. You should not have to stretch, hunch, bend over or grab the sporran and shimmy it in order to be able to get to the bottom. Even with the different styles of hunting sporran that I make, I can still get to every part of it single-handedly, while toting my daughter around by the hand through a festival filled with 10,000 - 25,000 people... Wear it where it's most useful! It will all depend on the sporran in question, your build, your outfit, and what you're carrying.