Scottish Festival Peeves?

[Zardoz]

Well, I'd guess the pirates are just in their renifaire gear too

I mention the Houston games on our renfaire forum every year, and about every year someone asks about wearing their faire garb to the event. I tell them in as nice a way as possible that the games are not a costume event, to just wear their 'regular' clothes.
Plus at the Houston games faire garb is asking for heat stroke!

Look at it this way, most of us here have put a lot of time and money into having kilt related gear for different types of events, levels of formality etc.. Well, a lot of the rennies put just as much or more time and treasure into their garb. Just like some of us might wear Highlandwear outside of "traditional" settings, when many of them hear about a games or Celtic fest it just seems natural to dress up for it, with what they got.

Although I do wonder what some of the rennies, and indeed some of the "normal" patrons, were thinking with their getups, I'm glad they wanted to make the effort, and come out and enjoy the event. And I'd wager the organizers are happy they bought their tickets.

[SFCRick]

Of course he gets drunk...he's a Viking! And I have to ask some of the other Chicago rabble...wasn't that Viking guy at Celtic Fest this year?

You want my (long) list of pet peeves? Anybody wearing one of those poofy sleeve, laced up, utterly anachronistic "highlander" shirts; white hose on anybody who isn't a highland dancer; five foot high fifteen year old boys dragging a six foot long sword around behind them; those numpty ren-faire hooligan types who show up in ninety degree heat all wrapped in fur and leather with twenty-odd edged weapons strapped to themselves and what looks like terminal sunburn from spending waaaay too much time out acting like Robin Hood and his Merry Men; anybody who is not wearing a kilt; anybody who's wearing a checkered tablecloth wrapped around their middle and is pretending that it's a kilt; the dumbkoff who showed up at Celtic Fest with the basting stitches still in the kilt.

Waiting in line at the beer tent. Inadequate areas of shade....most of us are frickin' pale skinned, fer heaven's sake! Bagpipers acting like it's all about them. Everybody showing up for the caber toss and then not sticking around for the sheaf toss. Crappy food.

The good stuff? Listening to some remarkable pipe bands. Watching the guys on the golf course next door get thrown off their game by the sound of the pipes...and just where do you think your little game was invented?

Best part...seeing so many Xmarksers in their finery...that makes the goofy stuff way worth while.

Best

AA


and PS one more nice thing: chicks in kilts...I know that it's been debated hotly here before but I still think it's dead sexy.

with all you hate, why would you ever even go?

[Tobus]

While I'm not a big fan of the Ren-Faire gear you see sported at many of the Highland games, nor the William Wallace wanna-bes decked out in their faux period costumes and festooned with weaponry, I'm positively mystified by the pirates that I've seen (in San Antonio and Arlington). That's definitely my pet peeve.

After thinking about this a bit, I think I have to agree with this. I don't know why someone would think a pirate costume would have anything whatsoever to do with Highland Games.

I find it sad that a celebration of all things Scottish has somehow become a "costume party".

When they have cultural/historical gatherings for other cultures, I don't see people doing this. I mean, why don't we see pirates at Mexican heritage festivals? Why don't we see pixies and fairies at German gatherings such as Oktoberfest? What is it about Scottish culture that makes people think it's a free-for-all to dress up in fantasy costumes and play make-believe?

[OC Richard]

I was disappointed that you felt it necessary to include one of my beloved co-workers in this poll

[Geoff Withnell]

Not a major peeve, but I thought worth a hoot:

At the Celtic Fling in Lancaster, PA last year, I was strutting along in my Thompson Grey casual from USAK and a black t-shirt with "Real Men Wear Kilts" in white letters on the front. I noticed a fellow wearing the same shirt walking towards me in the crowd. As he came close enough, I saw his lower half was covered by...






Wait for it....







Bermuda Shorts.



I guess he was making some sort of statement.



Geoff Withnell

[artificer]

Why don't we see pixies and fairies at German gatherings such as Oktoberfest?

Have you SEEN pix of Oktoberfest? There are pictsies, fairies, the Village People, and stark naked people painted various colours... or did you mean American Oktoberfest celebrations

Not a major peeve, but I thought worth a hoot:

At the Celtic Fling in Lancaster, PA last year, I was strutting along in my Thompson Grey casual from USAK and a black t-shirt with "Real Men Wear Kilts" in white letters on the front. I noticed a fellow wearing the same shirt walking towards me in the crowd. As he came close enough, I saw his lower half was covered by...
Wait for it....
Bermuda Shorts.
I guess he was making some sort of statement.
Geoff Withnell

Great story, my 'Laugh o the Morning'. Thank you.

[OC Richard]

I wouldn't call these things "peeves" exactly, as I'm not put out by them, but I do take note, or in some cases find them amusing.

One thing not mentioned in the poll, but often seen, is the wacky mixing of the various time periods of Highland Dress, and the mixing of the various modes of Highland Dress (military uniform, Day Dress, Evening Dress).

As for time periods, a person might be wearing an 18th century belted plaid and shirt but combine this with a diced Glengarry and diced half-hose (even worn without spats, showing part of the bare leg).

Mode-mixing might include bits of Evening and Day dress.

Most interesting are when both various historical periods and various modes of Highland Dress are ingeniously combined with bits of Native American and/or Viking dress, like a Prince Charlie worn with an 18th century belted plaid and Jacobite shirt and crudely knit bonnet, modern Day sporran, cream hose, and moccasins.

[cessna152towser]

In my opinion the worst sort are the ones who turn up really looking the part with their tweed jacket, smart kilt, hose and ghillie brogues, bonnet with armiger's feather,
BUT
then they spoil the good impression by getting drunk at the beer tent and starting to abuse people who have chosen to wear a casual kilt or a solid colour kilt.

[wright]

...
Although I do wonder what some of the rennies, and indeed some of the "normal" patrons, were thinking with their getups, I'm glad they wanted to make the effort, and come out and enjoy the event. And I'd wager the organizers are happy they bought their tickets.

I think Zardoz hit the nail on the head. People are enjoying themselves in their own, albeit sometimes strange, ways. Live and let live (and besides, they just make the well dressed gents look better right? got to have some contrast).

I certainly do not let other people's attire or attitude spoil, or negatively effect, my enjoyment.
...this is not to say I dont chuckle quietly into my beer glass from time to time, but social eccentricities are what keep the world interesting!

[YoungMan]

My problem with the pirates is not so much that are dressed like pirates (I think everyone loves a good pirate now and then argh), but that EVERYONE is dressed like Jack Sparrow. Like a good kit ensemble, variety is the spice of life.

Trying to stay close to topic here, but does anyone know of a highland event in the US that's fairly traditional/conservative? More of a Scottish feel than a Renn-Faire with kilts?