Carrying Sticks

**arrg-isle** · 29th November 08, 09:21 AM

Don't often paraphrase ol' Striped Tony, but this photo is definitely: GRRRRREAT!
The detail I noticed most was the "pancake" positioning of the balmorals, which I guess is pretty traditional; I wear my balmoral every day, but give mine a good, firm tug over-right, sort of beret style, so my cap badge stands up nice & straight, and the toorie is off-set a little to the left side of my noggin.
I remember visiting my son-in-law (Clan Cunningham) a week after gifting him with his first balmoral, a beautiful blue one, and he was actually proud to show me how he'd cut-off the toorie!
Well, no accounting for taste, even when it's 20-something horrid; but as those first TV ads for the Wii game systems were still new & topical at the time, I did show him an aggrieved face and remarked in my best pseudo-Shaolin accent:
"Your ancestors are weeping !!"

**Thunderbolt** · 29th November 08, 10:12 AM

Again, I echo that it's a great photo.

So many times we have lively conversations about what it "right" or not. Or what is "proper".

This photo proves that a lot of us are right. Day plaids are ok, and a good thing. So are cromachs. Ghillies ARE acceptable for day wear (Even if only just!) The funny balmoral-lookinng-like-a-pancake-on-your-head-with-a-toorie, is mostly how it's done. Wear a sgian dubh. A sprig of your plant badge looks good. Other-than-dark-navy-blue balmorals seem to ok too.

Also, it looks to me like flashes may or may NOT be worn (can't really see some of them), worn at the sides OR towards the front!

And the last thing I noticed, is that the fellow out of focus in the background on the far right is wearing his plaid wrapped around him, like a pipers plaid, but a bit lower on the hip, as well as the fellow with his back to the camera on the left. Proving that plaids were actually USED!

Cool stuff. And J. Charles Thompson is dancing in his grave!

Thunderbolt

**Bugbear** · 29th November 08, 01:13 PM

Torries are fine with me; that makes the bonnet Scottish looking. However, I don't think it is aughful looking to not have the toorie up there either for a beret look.

Ehh, What do I know?

**Donnie** · 29th November 08, 02:45 PM

Now that is an awsome picture!

**An t-Ileach** · 29th November 08, 03:10 PM

I often feel that we're conducting some sort of rearguard action against the demise of the kilt into something that's only worn at weddings, special occasions, and rugby internationals. Perhaps we're having an effect, as many more people do wear the kilt far more often than they did.

Maybe it's become a duty to do the same with the balmoral and the cromag? Wearing or using those more often, maybe even everyday, would be an attainable goal right now. I have two wearable balmorals at the moment (ones the moths haven't managed to track down), so I think I'll start wearing them regularly. And I've got rather a nice horn handled walking stick I picked up at Lochranza a couple of months ago: it's not quite a cromag (I've got a couple of those too, but that may seem a bit excessive around Chiswick or Shepherd's Bush at the moment) - it'll make me feel a bit like Bertie Wooster, but never mind.

The day plaid may be a bit more of a challenge, and be seen as a bit over the top. Maybe that's the next phase?

**DTrain** · 29th November 08, 03:32 PM

All in all, a well dressed group. I notice a wide age range, from young boys probably 13 or 14 to older gents in their 50's and 60's. A great picture.

**EagleJCS** · 29th November 08, 04:10 PM

Awesome picture! Only one pair of trousers in view - and apparently on a reporter (note the camera case) on the far right.

It appears just about everyone pictured has a sghian dubh, has a cromach/walking stick, wears a Balmoral with the ribbons tied (even the boys), prefers a gauntlet-cuff argyll jacket, and favors a full mask sporran (as best I can tell). All of the grown men appear to have mustaches. As previously noted, the majority appear to be wearing regular dress shoes as opposed to ghillie's. Not many kilt pins in evidence, and the two prominent ones are much higher than today's standard (mid-apron instead of just 2-3 inches up).