Spats and Glengarry

**Sean D** · 25th April 14, 12:46 AM

Apparently spats were used as protection against snakes and most probably the hard canvas was thought to be adequate against snake bite my guess would be the leggings or gaiters would have served as protection as well

**Tobus** · 25th April 14, 05:22 AM

Originally Posted by Benning Boy

I wish I had bookmarked it, but I distinctly remember an old B&W photo being posted here in which the "traditional" gentleman in a kilt was wearing low spats. Given the photo I deduce they were a medium shade, certainly not white or light colored.

Not sure if this is the one you're thinking of, but it certainly meets the description. I really like the look.

However, just for the sake of caution, it should be noted that this is a posed studio photograph in Edinburgh. Apparently there were a lot of "play dress up" portraits done by tourists and other non-natives, or lowlanders who were not native kilt-wearers. Many of which contained blatant errors and mistakes in putting on their costumes. I don't know if this photo can be taken as 'evidence' of any sort without knowing who the gentleman is or under what circumstances the photo was taken. But it's interesting nonetheless.

**Livercunian** · 25th April 14, 07:23 AM

Great picture,I also like the fact that the subject is wearing Argyll Hose with the spats.

**Benning Boy** · 25th April 14, 01:54 PM

Tobus, the guy in the picture isn't the one I remember. But I like his spats. I did find another photo of a kilted gentleman in spats, but it still isn't the one I'm thinking of. Here it is:

Highland gentleman with spats.jpg

**Tim P** · 26th April 14, 10:14 AM

I consider spats to be a uniform item myself. Be that a military or a band type uniform. That is not to decry your choice in any way.

**OC Richard** · 27th April 14, 05:40 AM

Sorry but spats have, as far as I can see, a long history in civilian dress too. Of course most of the things we think of as being 'military' in Highland dress began in civilian dress.

Nothing 'military' about these gents

Or this fellow

Back to the OP's kit, there is an odd juxtaposition of things, odd nowadays anyhow, but not in the old days.

-Glengarry: in the old days Glengarries were quite popular amongst civilians, but nearly always plain. (No civilians wearing diced Glens appear in HOS).
-Jacket: one does see long jackets worn with kilts in the old days, but the fronts are cut so as to angle back and not hide the sporran.
-sporran: the modern-ness of this sporran works at crosspurposes to the vintage look of the Glengarry, long jacket, and spats.
-spats: one often sees civilians wearing these in the old days, but civilian spats are some shade of grey or brown, not white. (They loved to slap pipeclay on stuff, in the army.)
-diced hose: another thing quite common amongst civilians in the old days.

So were the Glen switched to plain, the spats switched to grey or brown, and the sporran switched to a vintage style (long hair, or animal mask) we would have a fairly typical costume from the 2nd half of the 19th century.

Were it my kit I'd dye the spats and cut down the jacket.

But! Here's a quite authentic c1860 fellow wearing a long jacket

**OC Richard** · 27th April 14, 05:51 AM

Originally Posted by Tobus

Apparently there were a lot of "play dress up" portraits done by tourists and other non-natives, or lowlanders who were not native kilt-wearers.

I don't believe that photo is one of those. The 'play dress up' photos don't start until somewhat later; that one is quite early, probably 1860s.

And the 'play dress up' photos are usually easy to spot, containing obvious errors, exaggerated poses, goofy expressions, and the like.

I do have a couple photos, only a couple out of hundreds, that I'm not sure about, that fall right in the middle. Is the man a regular kiltwearer who just happens to have an eccentric way of wearing his bonnet? And so forth.

Sometimes men who are obviously lifelong kiltwearers will wear something in a way that strikes us today as sloppy or wrong, in old photos.

**Sean D** · 27th April 14, 05:55 AM

Richard , I agree with you all the way , spats are no less traditional civvie wear than ghillie brogues are of course there is no doubt the military adopted them to their own use , I believe ( and I stand to be corrected ) that the Highland soldiers in India were among the first to wear spats and obviously they are regarded today as military uniform however that said they are known to have been worn with civilian wear and its my hope that they will once again be worn . Thank you for your time in researching and posting the pics

**Father Bill** · 27th April 14, 06:19 AM

I guess the question that keeps going through my mind is whether anybody - kilted or otherwise - wears spats today. That puts the wearer squarely into either the "costume" or "re-enactor" category and limits the application in public use.

**Sean D** · 27th April 14, 06:32 AM

Father Bill , in some quarters the same could be said about anyone seen wearing not only spats but kilts as well ,my job does not permit me to wear a kilt as I am in FD uniform however often after a band gig I have had to do a bit of shopping or even meet my fiance for a meal previously I got stared and sometimes much to my chagrin I would be asked to pose for pic or 2 however I no longer get the stares I think the wearing spats could one day also become as regular as kilts are now . There are quite a few blogs dedicated to boot spats as the blog is called .