Ren Faire footwear

**MacWage** · 14th August 07, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by Phil

I saw these on a site somebody posted here a few days ago. Here it is - http://www.caledoniancreations.com/B...sh-Brogues.htm.

I actually saw some very old shoes looking very similar in the National Museum in Scotland so they are pretty genuine for a re-enactment if that is important. Don't know if you'd want to be spending that kind of money though. There are a few leatherworkers here who could tackle them I'm sure.

Those look rather similar to the Smoke and Fire ones. ONLY, better (esp. on the ankle portion).

I never would cite myself as a "shoe" expert, but lean HEAVILY on others, esp. Brian, in areas I don't know well.

**Phil** · 14th August 07, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by MacWage

Those look rather similar to the Smoke and Fire ones. ONLY, better (esp. on the ankle portion).

I never would cite myself as a "shoe" expert, but lean HEAVILY on others, esp. Brian, in areas I don't know well.

I am certainly not an expert, all I have to go on is a couple of old shoes in the museum. I don't have a picture, sorry, but they were simple leather ones like on the site and looked to lace a bit like gillie brogues on the top of the foot. They certainly weren't anything fancy with buckles or anything like that.

**ChromeScholar** · 14th August 07, 08:10 AM

Most of these patterns look like something I could make in a couple hours, with materials I already have on hand. The only thing I would add would be a sole to stand up to the rocks at the Ren faire.

**Alan H** · 14th August 07, 10:42 AM

If you're pushing "Ren Faire' up into say, the early to mid 1700's you could wear a pair of buckle brogues. These are usually straight-lasted...meaning there aren't right and left shoes, they're made on the same "last" (mold) and close over the top with a pewter or silver buckle. All the ones I've seen are black. The Kilt Store sells them but brace yourself for paying major $$$ for apair of shes you'll only wear to special events like this.

**ChromeScholar** · 14th August 07, 11:14 AM

Arizona Renaissance Festival is far from authentic, and covers an enormous time period, as far as costuming goes. A couple of years ago, I had a friend from the UK visiting, and took him to the Festival. He got a kick out of seeing 3 people, walking side by side, who's outfits covered over 600 years in time.

Mid-1700's would probably be a little late, but no one would get really upset by it. I think I'm going to make a pair of shoes, though. I'll post a thread in DIY when I get them finished. Like I said, for some of the pucker-toed shoes I already have everything I need on hand.

**Woodsheal** · 14th August 07, 01:48 PM

The highland moccasins (gaelic: "cuarans") are described in period writings as basically throw-away shoes. One would take the raw, uncured hide from a freshly killed deer or cow (never in short supply), trace a rough pattern around the foot, cut it out leaving the hair on, and lace it up around the foot with thongs, with the hair on the outside for "traction." They are described as being quite stenchy, and very short-lived!

I'm not sure why some current patterns on the market for "ghillie brogues" have all the carefully shaped tabs that lace up over the top of the foot, leaving long openings between the tabs that extend down to the sole. These openings allow all kinds of small stones and dirt to enter into the "ghillies", making for uncomfortable wear. It's like someone took the pattern for modern dancing "ghillies" and tried to make it look "old fashioned."

(Question: does anyone know why Scottish shoes came to be called "ghillies"? A ghillie is a person; a servant to a laird, chief, or chieftain...)

**MacWage** · 14th August 07, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by Woodsheal

(Question: does anyone know why Scottish shoes came to be called "ghillies"? A ghillie is a person; a servant to a laird, chief, or chieftain...)

What I was told (when I passed along your links- on another forum) was that "ghillie brogues" means "men's shoes," by one how studies Gaelic. As I am NOT a Gaelic speaker (which I was), I don't know if that's correct. However, if so, I could EASILY see how a non-Gaelic speaker would shorten "ghillie brogue" into "ghillie" and not know what a STUPID think they were saying. I didn't when I heard the term. Now it is in my habits and I KNOW BETTER, but still do it sometimes. I SHOULD say "brogues" and "cuarans," but people just look at me with BLANK stares (JUST like when I say "cadadh"- tartan hose made of material cut and sewn on the bias/diagonal).

**ChromeScholar** · 14th August 07, 04:21 PM

I can give you my take on it.

Keep in mind that if you were a Scottish Nobleman, you probably dressed much as an English Nobleman. Your servants (or ghillies) would dress as a common Scotsman. As such, it is not unreasonable to assume that your servant's clothes, including shoes would be named for the person who wore them. In effect, a ghillie's shoes would end up being called "ghillie shoes" and, eventually, be corrupted into "ghillies".

**Phil** · 16th August 07, 02:42 AM

This is a picture of shoes as worn in Scotland a few hundred years ago. They are the actual ones not somebody's idea of them. The picture quality is not great but what you see is a leather shoe on the left with some form of lacing and on the right is a felt inner shoe, probably to make it a bit more comfortable -

Also in the museum were these shoes dating back I think about a thousand years. All that is left are leather soles but you can see holes around the edge where an upper must have been sewn on -