Sporran Selection Advice...

[Baeau]

This question may have been asked previously. However, forum searching has turned up nothing. I need to purchase my first sporran. Have the kilt, need the rest of the kit. Planning to support one of the forum partners. In the foreseeable future, I've no formal events to attend. Some local Highland Games & Gatherings. Along with wearing it out for dinners, with 'She', & not the 'no longer tax deductions'. I assume, a leather sporran would be fine for Highland Game attendance. Maybe, a bit too casual for a nice dinner out. My dear wife doesn't like the look of a hairy sporran. One of the X Marks Partners offers a rabbit fur sporran, fairly short fur. Edge trimmed with leather, silver (chrome) cantle, a studded targe under the cantle, and the standard 3 tassels. I would post a photo, but I'm not sure if that would be considered proper. Any comments? Criticizm? I don't want to appear too much of a nerk. I will be wearing this about my daughter's in-laws. Proud Brits that completely accept anyone in kilts. To them, it simply another choice in men's wear. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Ta!

[Terry Searl]

This question may have been asked previously. However, forum searching has turned up nothing. I need to purchase my first sporran. Have the kilt, need the rest of the kit. Planning to support one of the forum partners. In the foreseeable future, I've no formal events to attend. Some local Highland Games & Gatherings. Along with wearing it out for dinners, with 'She', & not the 'no longer tax deductions'. I assume, a leather sporran would be fine for Highland Game attendance. Maybe, a bit too casual for a nice dinner out. My dear wife doesn't like the look of a hairy sporran. One of the X Marks Partners offers a rabbit fur sporran, fairly short fur. Edge trimmed with leather, silver (chrome) cantle, a studded targe under the cantle, and the standard 3 tassels. I would post a photo, but I'm not sure if that would be considered proper. Any comments? Criticizm? I don't want to appear too much of a nerk. I will be wearing this about my daughter's in-laws. Proud Brits that completely accept anyone in kilts. To them, it simply another choice in men's wear. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Ta!

There is a thread on this site, ONE KILT, 10 DIFFERENT LOOKS, that is very helpful with choices of attire. It would likely answer all your questions
I enjoy both of my Sporrans'. The black one I use most often with my Charcoal grey Tweed jacket and waist coat and to me it is a bit more somber and a tiny bit more formal
The Brown Duncan Hunter Sporran I wear when I choose my lighter more brighter attire. It is also fine when wearing my kilt for casual events without a jacket and or waistcoat ........neither of them are really very Formal but I'm alright with that.......

I have only worn a PC jacket, et al, twice at two different weddings and I'm sure if I am invited to another wedding the people know me well enough that they wouldn't be offended, in the least, by my wearing my darker Charcoal Grey attire ..........
I am at the age of being most often forgiven for any of my eccentricities and not known to be totally fashion concious.....

If at some point you decide that the expense of formal attire, PC Jacket etc, is worth the outlay then you will likely get a more formal "fur" type sporran....... As stated here before, that attire is more like a Tuxedo rather than a suit,..... and how many times do you really wear a Tuxedo, versus a dark suit
Personally I don't really like the tassels that bobble around. I think are a bit annoying, but that is just my personal opinion, Father Bill has a gorgeous muskrat sporran that you might look at

image.jpg image.jpg

[David Dubh]

I would suggest a hunter type sporran like this
https://www.landmhighland.ca/wp-cont.../MSL-4300A.jpg
https://www.landmhighland.ca/wp-cont...2/MSL-4100.jpg
I’ve got a brown sporran with black faux ostrich center panel that is my go to sporran for everything but the most formal of occasions
Slainte David

[plaid preacher]

My advice would be to begin building an outfit that you will wear all the time. That means kilt, tweed jacket with stag buttons, and a leather sporran. My first sporran - and still my go-to - is a fairly plain, three-tassel, black leather sporran. The hunting sporrans above are also an option, I prefer the more classic one worn by Terry in the photos to the funky L&M products, but that is your call. The silver cantled fur variety are a more formal variant, equivalent to a tuxedo in saxon wear. Some day, you may want to go there, but for your first purchases, but something that you can wear with a tweed jacket, or just a shirt and tie, or even a golf shirt...and that would be the leather sporran. Good luck.

[FossilHunter]

I would just go with an ungilded leather sporran of whatever style you fancy. The metal cantled fur sporrans are only necessary for black tie and up so unless you’re in a Prince charlie and bow tie, plain leather will cover everything from a casual Highland games to a nice dinner outfit (suit and tie equivalent).

[Baeau]

To all, "Thank you". My concern is looking the nerk, to someone that knows about the kilted kit. Surprising how many people in our area wear kilts. As of about an hour ago, I made an acquaintance from Dumfries. Subject of kilts came up, & now a couples kilted dinner is in the works.

[Baeau]

I would just go with an ungilded leather sporran of whatever style you fancy. The metal cantled fur sporrans are only necessary for black tie and up so unless you’re in a Prince charlie and bow tie, plain leather will cover everything from a casual Highland games to a nice dinner outfit (suit and tie equivalent).

Your post, is exactly what I was wondering about. Ta!

[RichardtheLarge]

If I were to buy a first sporran over again, I might get something like this. They’re often worn as a uniform sporran among pipers, they are technically a “daywear Hunting sporran” due to their shape and configuration, but they are a bit on the dressy side of daywear due to the black and silver color scheme:
https://www.artisansofscotland.com/p...-stud-sporran/
This sporran is also a formalwear option for gents who don’t care for fur. I think it can do reasonable duty for daywear, semi formal, and formal occasions. Kinloch Anderson features this particular sporran with some of their formal jackets and doublets in advertisements.

Although—My personal preference really is brown for daywear.

[OC Richard]

The thing to be aware of, IF you're concerned about Traditional Highland Dress (which many people aren't) is that our Traditional Civilian Highland Dress as it's come down to us has, since around 1900, made a clear distinction between Outdoor/Day Dress and Evening Dress.

Each mode of dress (Day or Eve) has its own dedicated shoes, hose, sporran, shirt, necktie, and jacket.

To mix the two would like be showing up at a formal evening function wearing a tuxedo jacket, board shorts, and flip-flops.

So the first thing I would do in putting together a Highland outfit is decide which mode of dress is being put together.

For Day Dress, the traditional look would be:

-black brogues (plain or wingtips)

-selfcoloured (plain) Day hose in one of a wide variety of colours (Lovat, brown, blue, claret, etc)

-brown leather sporran with or without tassels (matching leather) and with or without fur front

-tweed Day jacket and waistcoat

-tattersall shirt or plain shirt

-necktie plain, striped, or all-over pattern

Now many will argue with some or all of these, but as I said this is the traditional look one has seen throughout the 20th century. Under various pressures it appears to be breaking down nowadays.

[Baeau]

.....To mix the two would like be showing up at a formal evening function wearing a tuxedo jacket, board shorts, and flip-flops........

Exactly, what I want to avoid. I used a similar description, in a conversation with "She". Instead of board shorts/flip flops, I added T-shirt & my green wellies. We've been watching Good Neighbours. She understood, instantly.