Am I being too matchy-matchy?

[TheBrus]

I've noticed an interesting dichotomy between the kilts and the trousers. There are certain "rules" trouser-wearers follow. You tend to match certain colors... socks/trousers, shoes/belt. Kilties aren't as hung-up on matching colors as their trousered cousins seem to be. One startling thing I noticed this morning in photos of HRH the Duke of Rothsie, and that's the fact that he wears black shoes and a brown sporran. Is mixing leather colors only something that bothers me? I tend toward matchy-matchiness, I'll admit, but this seems to stick out like a sore thumb. How do others feel? HRH is something of a kilted fashion-plate, and normally spot-on.

Or to rephrase the question: is there a right way to mix leather colors/textures? What are some suggestions?

Thanks!
JDB

[Tobus]

Yep, his choice has been discussed many times and is perfectly fine in THCD. Black shoes are always acceptable with the kilt, and some even say that black shoes are the only proper choice (although there are certainly plenty of examples of brown shoes being worn by traditional Highlanders). For daywear, either a brown or black sporran is perfectly fine, regardless of the shoe choice. Matching leather colours just doesn't seem to matter for daywear. Evening wear and formal wear are different, though. Black is the way to go.

As I recall, Charles's shoes are very old and are part of his personal style. The 'hunting' sporran he wears was passed down to him, and he wears it for the sake of tradition. Putting the two together is just fine, especially since they have meaning to him.

Or to rephrase the question: is there a right way to mix leather colors/textures? What are some suggestions?

I'm not sure there is a "right" or "wrong" way. Personally, I'll wear a brown sporran with black shoes but can't recall ever wanting to wear a black sporran with brown shoes. I do have a sporran that's two-tone black/brown, though, which I will wear with either colour shoes. I'm more interested in mixing interesting styles of sporrans and shoes rather than making the colours match, but that's just me.

[Jock Scot]

I think black shoes are probably the common choice, however, it is very traditional to mix leathers for day wear. Personally I prefer black shoes, black sporran and black strap, but I do wear brown shoes from time to time with a black sporran. Mind you, it is also traditional not to have many sporrans either, so making a choice is easy if one only has a black sporran to go with ones only kilt. Black shoes, or, brown shoes(dark brown is better , I think)= simple!

[artificer]

I tend to match my leathers (which isn't hard as most of my sporrans are black, as are most of my shoes), the one exception is a saddle brown sporran that doesn't match any shoes, so I tend to wear black brouges with it.

Yep, his choice has been discussed many times and is perfectly fine in THCD. Black shoes are always acceptable with the kilt, and some even say that black shoes are the only proper choice (although there are certainly plenty of examples of brown shoes being worn by traditional Highlanders). For daywear, either a brown or black sporran is perfectly fine, regardless of the shoe choice. Matching leather colours just doesn't seem to matter for daywear. Evening wear and formal wear are different, though. Black is the way to go.

As I recall, Charles's shoes are very old and are part of his personal style. The 'hunting' sporran he wears was passed down to him, and he wears it for the sake of tradition. Putting the two together is just fine, especially since they have meaning to him.

http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/artic...n-Icon-Me.html

Yup, his shoes are +40yrs old. Do we have a documented story on the sporran? I thought that I'd read somewhere that it was his uncle's.

ith:

[creagdhubh]

I tend to match my leathers (which isn't hard as most of my sporrans are black, as are most of my shoes), the one exception is a saddle brown sporran that doesn't match any shoes, so I tend to wear black brouges with it.


http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/artic...n-Icon-Me.html

Yup, his shoes are +40yrs old. Do we have a documented story on the sporran? I thought that I'd read somewhere that it was his uncle's.

ith:

I've read that too, Scott and judging by the photo below, I'd say it's a rather accurate assumption.

[Tobus]

I've read that too, Scott and judging by the photo below, I'd say it's a rather accurate assumption.

Hmm, those sporrans in the photo have metal cantles and don't look at all like the one he typically wears.

[TheBrus]

That's an awesome sporran. I would have guessed that it would have belonged to his grandfather, George VI. I thought I'd read that his George VI tartan kilt belonged to his grandfather.

[artificer]

I've read that too, Scott and judging by the photo below, I'd say it's a rather accurate assumption.

Fantastic pic, Kyle! Thank you.

Hmm, those sporrans in the photo have metal cantles and don't look at all like the one he typically wears.

Tobus, one of these would most likely be the dressier one HRH wears.

12princeST0404_288x450.jpg

Somewhere I've seen older pictures of the soft bag (all leather), but I can't seem to locate them at the moment.

ith:

[creagdhubh]

Hmm, those sporrans in the photo have metal cantles and don't look at all like the one he typically wears.

SORRY, Tobus! My mistake. Yet, HRH Prince Charles seems to wear his lovely cantled sporran featured in the photo Scott posted above, quite often as well.

[OC Richard]

photos of HRH the Duke of Rothsie, and that's the fact that he wears black shoes and a brown sporran.

When I first got into kiltwearing in the mid-1970s I got the impression, from catalogues and photos etc, that in Highland Day Dress brown sporrans were the norm and black shoes were the norm. In fact I had been around Highland Dress for a while before I saw my first pair of brown ghillies, or my first black Daywear sporran. The first time I saw a guy wearing all matching leather with Day Dress (sporran, ghillies, and waistbelt all exactly matching brown leather) it struck me as strange. (It was an American guy BTW.)

This impression has only strengthened over the years, especially now since I've begun collecting vintage Highland Dress catalogues. In the old catalogues I have from the 1920s and 1930s all of the Daywear sporrans illustrated and listed are brown leather, usually pigskin or occasionally deerskin, and all the shoes illustrated and listed are black. In other words it would not have been possible for a gent to outfit himself from one of these Highland Dress outfitters in Day Dress with matching leathers.

Now for pictures!

Brown sporrans and black shoes have been with us since the earliest clear depictions of Highland Dress, here in 1714



and in 1930



and in the 1920s




and in this 1938 catalogue you can have any colour you want, as long as you want brown