Sporran Dress Code Opinion

[Dixiecat]

Sporran: Evening pattern with plated metal top or leather to be worn.

This quote came from the SOBHD (Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing) Dress Code for Highland Dress for Males. My dance community has a new male dancer and his parents were asking if a rabbit fur sporran was acceptable. I'm pretty sure it is as long as it has the plated metal top, but before I voiced this I was hoping for opinions and/or examples of evening pattern sporrans.

(you can see the full dress code here: http://sobhd.net/downloads/pdfs/Dress%20code%20v2.pdf )

(I did do a search, but was easily distracted by the thread on white tie....)

[slohairt]

I'm sure it probably is. The description sounds like any type of cantle sporran.

[McClef]

With a cantle should be no problem at all.

[Dixiecat]

Thanks.

We've generally interpreted the code as this:
A sporran with a cantle is considered an evening pattern, therefor a rabbit fur sporran is fine as long as it has a cantle. Only a full leather sporran would be acceptable without a cantle.

Sound good?

[slohairt]

There are sporrans with leather cantles called 'Hunting' sporrans. They are the same shape as an evening sporran.

[Dukeof Kircaldy]

Sporran: Evening pattern with plated metal top or leather to be worn.

If it's fur and has a cantle, it's OK. Any fur will do ya: rabbit, fox, seal, faux, etc.

I am not sure what they mean by "or leather" as most formal sporrans aren't leather. The possible exception is the hunting sporran slohairt mentioned. I thought they were semi-dress though.

Rabbit is an inexpensive fur which is more than acceptable for a formal sporran.

[Dixiecat]

Thanks for your replys. The SOBHD dress code can be vague at the best of times. You should see the fun we have with the jig costume guidelines. While we like to conform to the code to the best of our abilities, I'm sure that seeing a male pre-premier dancer will excite any competition judge no matter what his sporran.