dirk

[taplin001]

Hi all im getting married in october to a wonderfull scottish girl and will be wearing a kilt for the first time,her dad has sorted it all out regards tarten and stuff,we are also having a hand fasting ceromany later in the evening,i have been out and with the help of her dad have purchsed a dirk,i just want to know if it is ok and acceptable to wear my dirk hanging off my kilt belt,we are wearing prince charles jackets and 3 botton waistcoats.

[creagdhubh]

Personally, I would not wear a Highland dirk and frog with the Prince Charlie Coatee and matching waistcoat. However, with that being said, that is my honest opinion and being a failry staunch traditionalist and purist, is to be expected. If you indeed plan to wear a dirk with the PCC, I would wear your belt over your waistcoat with the buckle centered appropriately above your sporran.

You then have the option of placing the frog (the loop of black leather that securely holds the dirk in place on your belt) in two different positions on your belt: first placement option is on the front part of the belt, close, but not touching your buckle. In this fashion, the dirk will hang vertically down the front apron of your kilt and will run parallel to your sporran-you often see the dirk being worn in this manner in many 19th-century tin types, photographs, and paintings of various Highland men; the second placement is more along the lines of tradition within the ranks of the Royal Regiment of Scotland,and that is to position the frog on your right hip, which allows the dirk to hang at your right-hand side, with the handle 'popping' out over the right-hand side of your PCC.

I tend to think that both manners of wearing the Highland dirk look wonderful and are correct. However, the dirk does look better, in my opinion, with the fullest-of-full Highland evening attire, i.e.-lace jabot with lace cuffs, coloured velvet or black barathea single/double breasted doublet of some sort, the Sheriffmuir, or perhaps the Regulation Doublet. I like to see the PCC and the Highland accessories worn along with it, to be as simple and understated as possible. I hope I helped...good luck...and congratulations (remember to utilize the lucky, silver wedding horse shoe and Scottish white heather if you and your bonnie bride wish!)!

Slainte,

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I don't think there's much of a problem with wearing a dirk with a Prince Charlie (as long as you remember it is worn on the right side of your body-- the sword goes on the left side). I think Kyle has made a good point about wearing a jabot and (if you want) lace at the cuff, especially if the groomsmen are going to be kilted and in black tie.

One of the things you will want to check is the rise of your kilt (an inch or so above you navel) and that your waistcoat comes well over the top of your kilt-- you don't want any "gaposis", especially if you are wearing a dirk as it will only accentuate the problem.

And as Kyle has pointed out, the dirk belt goes over your waistcoat, snug around your waist, not loose and resting on your hips.

[creagdhubh]

Quite right Scott, and thank you for referencing my input, by no means do I claim to be an "expert", however, I think that you and I are experienced enough with the habitual wearing of Highland dress-in both a very handsome and traditional aspect-in order to determine what looks smart versus what looks problematic-for lack of a better word!

Cheers,

[Nighthawk]

Listen to these two gentlemen- they know what they're talking about! The only thing I would add is that the dirk is worn on the right hand side and the sword on the left because the vast majority of people are right handed. The sword is meant to be used in the dominant hand and the dirk in the submissive- meaning that if you're right handed, the sword be a right-hand draw (therefore on the left side of the body) and the dirk a left handed draw (therefore on the right side of the body.) If you're left handed, they would be reversed, meaning the dirk would be a right handed draw and the sword, a left. (This is a general rule for all Western martial arts, which is different from Eastern martial arts, where all techniques are taught ambidextrous. Read the Book Of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi.) Now weather this has made it's way into modern formal wear or not, I can't say. But I do know that it was done that way when the weapons were used, as a matter of practicality.

[EagleJCS]

(This is a general rule for all Western martial arts, which is different from Eastern martial arts, where all (emphasis mine-JCS) techniques are taught ambidextrous.)

Actually, Nighthawk, that's a very broad generalization. Most, if not all, of the Japanese sword techniques are right-handed only. (I study Aikido, which utilizes some sword training to inform the open-handed movements. Open-hand techniques are trained both ways. I also have it on authority from some Kendo practitioners.) Not that one couldn't also do weapons training on the left side, but that could put one at least at a disadvantage fighting a right-handed opponent, if not into some truly dangerous positions, depending on the attack/counter.


As far as the OP. I concur with the other gentlemen that have posted. Dirk on the right hand side, belt over the waistcoat.

[Nighthawk]

Actually, Nighthawk, that's a very broad generalization. Most, if not all, of the Japanese sword techniques are right-handed only. (I study Aikido, which utilizes some sword training to inform the open-handed movements. Open-hand techniques are trained both ways. I also have it on authority from some Kendo practitioners.) Not that one couldn't also do weapons training on the left side, but that could put one at least at a disadvantage fighting a right-handed opponent, if not into some truly dangerous positions, depending on the attack/counter.


As far as the OP. I concur with the other gentlemen that have posted. Dirk on the right hand side, belt over the waistcoat.

When I say they're all taught ambidextrous, that is indeed an oversimplification without getting too deep into the actual technique. Truth is that all the instructors that I have ever talked to have said there is no such thing as weapons techniques for lefties- you're right handed weather you are or not. But the techniques are taught to be as effective with the left hand as the right. And as you said- depending on the situation. I just didn't want to highjack the thread. (And by the by, I study Shotokan karate and Jui Jitsu. I'm going to PM you so as to not highjack further!!)

[OC Richard]

At my wedding I wore the dirk at the reception, but not at the actual wedding ceremony.

I was wearing a Prince Charlie. I suspended the dirk from the cloth belt of the belted plaid I was wearing, something I often did back then.

I wore the dirk at the reception because, sort of as a joke, I drew it to cut the cake. Makes for some interesting wedding photos.

[JSFMACLJR]

I wore the dirk at the reception because, sort of as a joke, I drew it to cut the cake. Makes for some interesting wedding photos.

Hardly a joke. It's done quite often. You might think it funny, but some of us might think it's a pretty handy way to cut cake!

[Nighthawk]

Hardly a joke. It's done quite often. You might think it funny, but some of us might think it's a pretty handy way to cut cake!

I have actually had couple ask to use mine for exactly that! I don't wear it to officiate, of course, but I make no bones about my living history involvement, as anyone visiting my Facebook page can see, so couples looking at my personal photos know I have a dirk. I've actually bought a cheap dirk as a "loaner" for cases where the couple wants to cut the cake with one of those "little swords."