Outlander Wardrobe and language

[Calgacus]

you're not the only one. I've been looking for knee length linen shirts. no luck as of yet.

It's not easy. My linen shirts are just about long enough, but only because they only button to the waist, with a solid panel below. They are thus much more hygenic in a 'regimental' setting than a shirt which buttons all the way down. They were made by Fat Face, but are no longer available.

[creagdhubh]

Oh, you simply MUST find the time to go! The stretch of the north west from Ullapool to Tongue is the jewel in the crown, as far as I'm concerned.

I couldn't agree more, Richard. I've had some fabulous walks and rock scrambles around Stac Pollaidh, Assynt, and Kyle of Tongue - a glaciated landscape at its finest. Absolutely breathtaking scenery.

[terry dresbach]

Sorry, see below.

[terry dresbach]

Terry,

My understanding is that the colour scheme favoured at the time was much more vibrant, drawing upon bright reds and greens. Can you explain the artistic or practical reasons behind choosing a muted colour scheme characterized by greys and browns?

Certainly. We wanted to steer away from the clan tartans of the Victorian era. It just starts getting very complicated in a LOT of ways, too numerous to go into. The very first time we had all of our Highlanders walk on set, someone said, "they look like they just grew up out of the ground". scotland herself is a character in the show, and we wanted to honor her, and tell her tale and the tale of the people who so intimately lived on the land. Ron also wanted the only red in the show, to be on the Redcoats, the invaders of the land and its people.

[Nathan]

Certainly. We wanted to steer away from the clan tartans of the Victorian era. It just starts getting very complicated in a LOT of ways, too numerous to go into. The very first time we had all of our Highlanders walk on set, someone said, "they look like they just grew up out of the ground". scotland herself is a character in the show, and we wanted to honor her, and tell her tale and the tale of the people who so intimately lived on the land. Ron also wanted the only red in the show, to be on the Redcoats, the invaders of the land and its people.

Thanks for the interesting reply. I agree that you'd certainly want to stay away from any manufactured clan tartans from Highland Revival era such as the Sobieski-Stewart's spurious tome and other later creations etc...but I do find it interesting that, notwithstanding the fact that red was a prominent feature in the (pre-clan tartan era) tartans of the mid 18th Century, you chose earth tones.

The explanation that you wanted to make the people look "of the land" is a fair one from an artistic perspective. That said, the natural vegetation of Scotland made very vibrant dyes indeed. I would also add that the land itself looked very different back then than it does now. Prior to the arrival of the Cheviot sheep and the ecological and demographic havoc their boom created, Highland territory that is today earthy brown and covered in bramble was then lush and green. The sheep ate all the good grass and changed the look of the Scottish Highlands forever.

Your comment about having a colour scheme for one side versus the other does make sense though. It harkens back to cinematic traditions like white vs. black cowboy hats etc...

I do appreciate your response, Terry.

[Elf]

It hardly seems I can read this thread as fast as it keeps growing. I want to add my thanks to Terry for all the time spent writing and responding to it all.

[terry dresbach]

Thanks for the interesting reply. I agree that you'd certainly want to stay away from any manufactured clan tartans from Highland Revival era such as the Sobieski-Stewart's spurious tome and other later creations etc...but I do find it interesting that, notwithstanding the fact that red was a prominent feature in the (pre-clan tartan era) tartans of the mid 18th Century, you chose earth tones.

The explanation that you wanted to make the people look "of the land" is a fair one from an artistic perspective. That said, the natural vegetation of Scotland made very vibrant dyes indeed. I would also add that the land itself looked very different back then than it does now. Prior to the arrival of the Cheviot sheep and the ecological and demographic havoc their boom created, Highland territory that is today earthy brown and covered in bramble was then lush and green. The sheep ate all the good grass and changed the look of the Scottish Highlands forever.

Your comment about having a colour scheme for one side versus the other does make sense though. It harkens back to cinematic traditions like white vs. black cowboy hats etc...

I do appreciate your response, Terry.

No worries. Ron really did not want vibrant colors. That is provided by the redcoats. You are right, VERY cinematic!

[figheadair]

I get the cinematic thing, I really do but I just find it a shame that no-one ever seems to wants to reflect the reality of tartans of the period. Going for almost neutral browns and grays is a bit like making the Red Coats' coats blue - might look okay but it rather misses the point.

A clarification of the reference in post #85 - the Sobieski Stuarts are generally regarded as sitting outside the Highland Revival era which was roughly 1780-1840 although one could argue that they non-published 'draft' of the Vestiarium, The Cromarty Mss, does fit the period.

[Laird_M]

Very interesting thread, especially as we have someone 'on set'.

Just wish they'd sindicate so I could watch it on Sky...

[terry dresbach]

I get the cinematic thing, I really do but I just find it a shame that no-one ever seems to wants to reflect the reality of tartans of the period. Going for almost neutral browns and grays is a bit like making the Red Coats' coats blue - might look okay but it rather misses the point.

A clarification of the reference in post #85 - the Sobieski Stuarts are generally regarded as sitting outside the Highland Revival era which was roughly 1780-1840 although one could argue that they non-published 'draft' of the Vestiarium, The Cromarty Mss, does fit the period.

We want to make things as authentic as possible. But we are making a dramatic television show with a creative vision to aspire on one side, and real limitations on the other. There is no way we are going to make everyone happy. Some people are upset that Claire has too many changes (we have been too good at making three outfits look like six), some people are unhappy that there is no evidence that they would have had knitting needles big enough to knit Claire's pieces. But if we made it intensely accurate, there would be another set of people who would say that it was too dry and academic.
We want everyone to like all of our choices, but it is not realistic to expect to meet 3 million expectations. We just do the best we can to make good, respectable television that we can be proud of and hope most people enjoy.
I am sorry that you are missing the colors you feel should be there, I really am!