Highlanders Discuss Highland Attire

[JSFMACLJR]

Jock asked me to put up the photos of Prince Edward posted in another thread, to this one, to show how the kilt should be worn. I am happy to oblige!

[Jock Scot]

Thank you Sandy. For the purposes of discussion, try and forget who is wearing the kilt in Sandy's picture. Alright not many in Scotland go about wearing that attire often these days, but when they do and they do, it raises not a comment, it is a perfectly normal thing to do.

Some might comment on the brown sporran and black shoes, again, it is quite a normal thing to do in Scotland to mix leather colours. You will note that the sporran is plainer than plain and is absolutely spot on. None of that dreadful "semi dress" nonsense, that seems to be creeping in these days. Please note that the sporran is not worn too low either. You will also note that the flashes are not flapping around like a windsock on a deserted airfield, again very traditional and smart. Also please note, the height of the hose and where the bottom of the kilt lies.

To those that are trying to modernise kilt attire and are generally failing, have a close look at the jacket. OK it is not ultra traditional, nor is it ultra modern, but quite fitting and acceptable and does show that a few modern touches can be introduced whilst keeping within highland sensibilities. If you want to use a picture for a reference guide you could do no better than use this picture.

There is one minuscule comment that I could make about the kilt in the picture and it is something that happens to kilts after sitting in a car and is quite common and unless you have a few seconds to correct it, you just have to go with it. Can you spot it?

[JSFMACLJR]

What a great thread! I have not contributed thus far, because I thought it important for the "natives" to do much of the talking. I have travelled quite a bit in the Highlands, and can only concur with the observations of our learned friends.

I am a great lover of photos, and always think they go a long way to illustrate a point. The problem might occur, though, when they become like "proof texts" in the hands of religious fundamentalists to defend their specific view on things. I am showing a few pics here (some of mine, some off the web) that show the kilt being worn in the Highlands in various situations.

1. The Stewards marching in Oban to the Argyllshire Gathering


2. A couple at a rainy Rannoch Games.


3. Some young men at a party before the Oban Ball.


4. Friends at a dance.


5. My friend Sandy and some MacLarens marching to a games.


6. Discussing the events.


7. The backside of an important Campbell.


8. Some ball-goers on Skye.


9. Sandy and others


10. Fellow ball-goer

[JSFMACLJR]

Guitarmatt enquired about the kilt being worn in the Western Isles. Here is a pic of revellers returning to Mull from Oban very early in the morning. While this pic isn't indicative of day-to-day wear, it does show men comfortable in the kilt, wearing it without fussing, and not really caring about "appropriate" outerwear. The ride across the Sound of Mull that morning (in August) was very cold...hence sweaters and tweed shooting jackets over nice velvet doublets on the smarter, more "mature" set; the young entries took no notice of the temperatures!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Sandy,

Thanks for all the lovely pictures. I understand what you mean about "proof texts." An example:



Someone might point to the gentleman in the center of the group and say, "See! Here is a photo of a gathering of gentlemen in the Scottish Highlands and one of them is wearing his belt and waistplate with his waistcoat! Therefore it is proper to wear these both together in traditional Highland attire!"

It may not matter that you could show a hundred other photos of men wearing waistcoats sans belts, that look so much better. We have this one photo, therefore someone will say, "It has been done before, no reason not to do so again."

One fact we must always keep in mind is that Highland attire is very much a matter of individual taste and expression (at least when it is at its best). I would much rather see someone dress as an individual and perhaps risk making some fashion "don'ts" along the way, than dress like a "cookie-cutter" Scotsman and look exactly like everyone else.

That is one reason why I dislike the concept of "package outfits" offered by many retailers. "This is our Argyle package" and "this is our Prince Charlie package" and "this is our 'economy' package," etc. Sounds fine to offer a whole outfit together at a small discount, but the end result is you look like everyone else who bought the same package.

One thing you can say about the gentlemen in these photos (and the gentlemen in the stories and anecdotes that have been offered here in this thread) -- they have "owned" Highland dress and wear it with comfort and ease, and in no way as a "costume." Bravo!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

One other thing I have noticed about the photos Sandy has posted. These gentlemen somehow manage to do without all the many pins and adornments that one typically sees being sported at Highland Games in America -- and they look all the better for it!

Let me explain what I mean. It is not at all atypical to see a kilted gentleman at the Games over here who might have two or three kilt pins worn at once. One his lapel he might have his "clan society name tag" proclaiming himself as convener of such-and-such clan (I've even seen these made up for people who are simply members of a clan society, who do not hold an office). He might be wearing a button saying, "Ask me about Tartan Day." Oh, and there is the rack of campaign ribbons from when he served in the military. And a small lapel pin of his clan badge.

On his bonnet he has the crest badge of his chief. Plus the pin for the Highland Games that year. And the Highland Games from last year. And the Highland Games from the year before that. And three from the Highland Games in the next state over which he also attends. And another small pin for the military branch he served in. And an American flag pin. And a Scottish flag pin. (I am not kidding here, I have seen men whose bonnets were almost completely covered in pins).

It's all just too much. Look at the gentlemen in the photos Sandford has posted. No pins, ribbons, or decorations in sight. If they are wearing a kilt pin, they are wearing one kilt pin. That's it.

There is nothing wrong with wearing a clansman's badge in your bonnet. Or wearing a name tag at a Highland Games if you are an officer in your clan society there representing your clan. Or with wearing a small pin in your lapel. But please exercise restraint. Limit yourself to one lapel pin. One pin in your bonnet. One kilt pin.

This is really a case when less is more. Your kilt outfit should shine forth on its own. Cluttering it with too many adornments can in fact take away from the look of your otherwise well put together Highland attire.

[Jock Scot]

Matt has beaten me to the draw! But he is so right. Personal taste creeps through and variations on a theme are quite acceptable, in fact desirable. The perfectionists here could spend hours pouring over these super pictures of Sandy's picking holes in this that or the other. Don't bother! In Scotland we wear what we have,it might be too big, it might be too small or whatever, no matter, it is what it is and that is that. For those that go down the dangerous course of using a picture as "proof of something" you can have a field day, but to no real point. Ok there may well be a picture of some one wearing a belt and waistcoat, it proves just that, nothing else. Who knows a strap may have broken on the kilt as he was walking out of the door, what does any sensible person do in that sort of emergency ? Well, put a belt on!

[ForresterModern]

There is one minuscule comment that I could make about the kilt in the picture and it is something that happens to kilts after sitting in a car and is quite common and unless you have a few seconds to correct it, you just have to go with it. Can you spot it?

Jock would it be presumptuous of me to question whether the back of HRH's kilt was drooping a bit in the picture taken from his right side, as the pleats in the rear seem lower than the aprons in the front. Just my very uneducated guess, but I have noted the same thing happening to me as the day goes by and the weight of the kilt and kit tends to drag all things toward the center of the earth, unfortunately not all at the same rate.

jeff

[MacLowlife]

Thank you , gentlemen, for today's bounty.

Not being a subject, I wonder if Prince Edward's sleeves might be a touch shorter? He may like that length, but it looks wrong to me. Jock, I expect you are talking about how his kilt has crept up or down so that it slopes to the rear- is that what caught your eye?

[Jock Scot]

Jock would it be presumptuous of me to question whether the back of HRH's kilt was drooping a bit in the picture taken from his right side, as the pleats in the rear seem lower than the aprons in the front. Just my very uneducated guess, but I have noted the same thing happening to me as the day goes by and the weight of the kilt and kit tends to drag all things toward the center of the earth, unfortunately not all at the same rate.

jeff

Bingo! Very well done! Not an issue really, it happens and you live with it. It is always handy to train your girl friend, wife, or whatever to give your back view a quick glance when you have just got out of the car( or during the day) to check that the bottom of the kilt is parallel to the ground.