The Varieties of Traditional Experience: To Jabot or not To Jabot

**Bing** · 21st November 10, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by MacMillan of Rathdown

...the late, lamented, Panache ...

You mean that metaphorically of course. I saw him logged in elsewhere on teh webz at

November 20, 2010, 04:19:49 PM

, although I have not yet discounted the possibility that he is either a kilted poltergeist or zombie.

**Bugbear** · 21st November 10, 10:23 AM

well, since you brought it up, Bing... Yes, I do believe that we can exchange pieces of our personalities with other people as we interact. The other side of this concept being, as our personalities develop over our lifetime, parts (not all) of who we sense ourselves to be, are coming from our family, community and culture. So, yes, Panache, though live and well, has been partly copied into us, and also into our extrasomatic memory stored here as the forum archive. We each have a small piece of the Panache.

The jabot was developed over generations as an item of tradition, and could be considered to record a piece of Scottish culture. By choosing to wear the jabot, one could be incorporating part of that culture into one's own self-image. A particular jabot, say a bespoke jabot of one's great-grandfather, could possibly be recording a small piece of his personality. It has "character," as we say; that would be the great-grandfather's character as he incorporated the particular jabot into his self-image. The great-grandson is now incorporating the jabot into his own self-image. The jabot has appealed to both individuals across generations and could be handed down to other generations; the same goes for kilts or jackets, hose, sporrans, and other items of Highland attire, or even concepts of Highland attire. So, we not only receive parts of who we are from our community and culture, we may be storing parts of ourselves in the community and culture as we interact with people over time...

I'll shut up now.

**Bing** · 21st November 10, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Bugbear

well, since you brought it up, Bing...

I just meant that despite the use of the descriptors late, lamented that he's not really dead.

I would have said the same if MoR had alternately used the phrase dearly departed Panache.

**Bugbear** · 21st November 10, 10:54 AM

Sorry about that.

**CMcG** · 21st November 10, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by Bugbear

<snip> So, we not only receive parts of who we are from our community and culture, we may be storing parts of ourselves in the community and culture as we interact with people over time...

I'll shut up now.

Please don't shut up, that was well said!

**Bing** · 21st November 10, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Bugbear

Sorry about that.

No need to apologize. I was aiming at the literal interpretation and you took the metaphysical. 2 sides of the same coin, as Panache is in a similar situation to Mark Twain when he wrote "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.

**MacLowlife** · 21st November 10, 03:19 PM

MacBug, I agree about incorporating parts of others, though I hope not to leave any parts of myself behind.

But for those who have repressed the memory of it, I repeat my earlier description of the circumstances and the concept of the MacLowlife Impromptu Jabot:

She: What's this frilly thing I found in your sporran. It looks suspiciously like a pair of knickers and I have mine on.

M'll ( thinking quickly) THANKS, I was wondering where that got to. It is my new jabot. (Takes garment by its length and either wraps it around his neck or pokes one end into his collar.)

Remember, someone else's close call may be your forewarning. Practice in advance, just in case.

**CMcG** · 21st November 10, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by MacLowlife

MacBug, I agree about incorporating parts of others, though I hope not to leave any parts of myself behind.

But for those who have repressed the memory of it, I repeat my earlier description of the circumstances and the concept of the MacLowlife Impromptu Jabot:

She: What's this frilly thing I found in your sporran. It looks suspiciously like a pair of knickers and I have mine on.

M'll ( thinking quickly) THANKS, I was wondering where that got to. It is my new jabot. (Takes garment by its length and either wraps it around his neck or pokes one end into his collar.)

Remember, someone else's close call may be your forewarning. Practice in advance, just in case.

**Bugbear** · 21st November 10, 05:55 PM

"That's ok , MacLowlife, Sweety, I know it's really your fancy lobster bib."

**creagdhubh** · 27th November 10, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by JSFMACLJR

Good topic, Ted!

I am an advocate of wearing a jabot. Even for black tie events. A jabot obviously works with any closed style doublet such as a "Kenmore" and "Sherrifmuir", but I find them perfectly acceptable with open doublets, if worn with a waistcoat and as long as too much white shirt front isn't showing. My experience has shown me-- and the books on Highland dress back me up-- that jabots are more common in the Western Isles and Highlands than in other parts of the Highlands.

While I see absolutely nothing wrong with wearing a jabot to a black tie event, more often than not I wear a bow tie to these functions. Why? just because I don't always like to one-up everyone else in attendance!

I occasionally will wear lace cuffs, but I find them generally to be a bother.

I agree with Sandy completely on this topic!!! Well said mate.