Brown sporran with eveningwear?

[RichardtheLarge]

I’m curious what the rabble thinks about sporrans with brown leather components being used for eveningwear (black tie, in this case). I’ve seen a couple of examples of this type of sporran lately:

https://thehighlandshoppe.com/produc...dress-sporran/
https://www.kinlochanderson.com/shop...-chain-tassels

Yea or nay? If one wore this with a black bow tie, how would he do it? Black or brown shoes? Black or brown sporran strap/belt? Could one wear it with a black barathea jacket/vest, or would one need a blue, green, or burgundy jacket to play with these earth tones for formalwear?

[revdpatience]

In my opinion, the first example you show would work for evening dress with no changes to any other component of the outfit -- black tie, black jacket, black shoes. The reason? It's a metal cantle with fur body and only a little bit of leather that happens to be brown.

In my opinion, the second example wouldn't work at all because the brown leather body with a brown leather flap is a daywear style (as opposed to the metal cantle).

Those two opinions, plus two dollars, still won't buy you a cup of coffee.

Yea or nay? If one wore this with a black bow tie, how would he do it? Black or brown shoes? Black or brown sporran strap/belt? Could one wear it with a black barathea jacket/vest, or would one need a blue, green, or burgundy jacket to play with these earth tones for formalwear?

[Luke MacGillie]

Are you having some confusion on terms? Brown sporrans or shoes are just not worn with formal attire. But not every social gathering in the evening is a formal event.

[FossilHunter]

Brown fur on a metal cantled sporran is fine for an formal sporran.

I think the flap sporran with no cantle and brown leather would only be suitable for informal day use.

[McMurdo]

I have to say I'm not the biggest fan of mixing in brown for formal wear. Having said that, if someone shows up to a black tie event wearing a brown sporran I would not think any less of them. The last black tie event we attended was the St. Andrew's Day Ball. Went through the photos posted and found a couple of examples of brown sporrans or day or semi-dress sporrans with otherwise black tie dress.





Here is someone clearly wearing a Saxon cut jacket



The thing is one tends to wear what they have whether it's strictly proper or not. For example my dad has only ever owned a simple brown day sporran, however if he needs anything else at this point I am certain he will simply borrow one from me.

[RichardtheLarge]

In my opinion, the first example you show would work for evening dress with no changes to any other component of the outfit -- black tie, black jacket, black shoes. The reason? It's a metal cantle with fur body and only a little bit of leather that happens to be brown.

In my opinion, the second example wouldn't work at all because the brown leather body with a brown leather flap is a daywear style (as opposed to the metal cantle).

Those two opinions, plus two dollars, still won't buy you a cup of coffee.

Take a look at the second sporran’s counterpart: same theme, same styling, same fur, but black leather instead of brown:
https://www.kinlochanderson.com/shop...-chain-tassels

These are both “semi formal” sporrans, which in theory could serve for both dressy daywear and eveningwear—or so most of the books I’ve read suggest. Whether the presence of brown leather immediately disqualifies the article from evening is the question.

I have an L and M full mask badger sporran, touted as an “wearable at all times” sporran, but the body of the bag is brown leather and visible from the side. The leather inserts of the tassel cones are red leather and visible from the sides and front. If black leather only is the rule, would this sporran be disqualified from evening use?

[RichardtheLarge]

Are you having some confusion on terms? Brown sporrans or shoes are just not worn with formal attire. But not every social gathering in the evening is a formal event.

I guess I’m more curious about how rigid this convention is, or should be. Here’s a fashion designer in what appears to be a brown velvet tuxedo with brown shoes and black bow tie and lapels. It breaks several “rules” simultaneously, but I rather like the overall effect:
https://smhttp-ssl-39255.nexcesscdn....es-606x900.jpg

[RichardtheLarge]

I have to say I'm not the biggest fan of mixing in brown for formal wear. Having said that, if someone shows up to a black tie event wearing a brown sporran I would not think any less of them. The last black tie event we attended was the St. Andrew's Day Ball. Went through the photos posted and found a couple of examples of brown sporrans or day or semi-dress sporrans with otherwise black tie dress.





Here is someone clearly wearing a Saxon cut jacket



The thing is one tends to wear what they have whether it's strictly proper or not. For example my dad has only ever owned a simple brown day sporran, however if he needs anything else at this point I am certain he will simply borrow one from me.

I should clarify this point—I’m aware that brown leather and yellow metals are traditional for day, and black leather and white metals are traditionally for evening. I would not wear a brown day sporran with a bow tie—but I would consider these other sporrans, ostensibly in dress or semi dress styles, with some brown “day wearish” elements.

[Father Bill]

Let's just stay aware, folks, that there are some whole different worlds out there. As soon as you say 'fashion designer' you're talking about someone whose whole life is dedicated to breaking rules and pushing boundaries.

Same applies to "semi-formal". It's really neither, neither fish nor fowl, just someone's attempt to create something different from what would have been 'out there' at the time it was created. No, it really isn't formal. It also really isn't day-wear either.

There is a tremendous movement in today's world that asks "How can we do this differently," rather than, "How can we do this well?" The same thinking has also come up with some of the strangest creations imaginable in other parts of the fashion world, in architecture, in church liturgies, in the world of work, in every place you can imagine.

The questions for us as kilties, is "When does it stop being Scottish and just create a habitation of its own," and, "Is that what we want?"

[revdpatience]

I think it's very helpful to remember that terms like "semi-formal sporran" and "weathered tartan" are marketing terms used by the manufacturers to sell more product.

The conventions are more the fruit of long experience and the slow changes in traditional fashion.

So for formal evening dress, black and silver are the conventions. They are tweaked by full-mask sporrans like the one you describe or by brown fur sporrans, or even by colorful velvet doublets. The colorful patterns of the kilts worn in Highland dress may be enough tweaking on their own.

But generally speaking, hiking boots and a brown leather sporran with brass cantle wouldn't be suitable for evening wear. Long experience and slow fashion call those items "daywear."

Now the catalog can call them "dressy night-time boots" or a "formal brass sporran" or whatever they want, but they still don't fit with the convention.

These are both “semi formal” sporrans, which in theory could serve for both dressy daywear and eveningwear—or so most of the books I’ve read suggest. Whether the presence of brown leather immediately disqualifies the article from evening is the question.

I have an L and M full mask badger sporran, touted as an “wearable at all times” sporran, but the body of the bag is brown leather and visible from the side. The leather inserts of the tassel cones are red leather and visible from the sides and front. If black leather only is the rule, would this sporran be disqualified from evening use?