17th Century Scottish garb

[The Thirsty Viking]

But on this point, I couldn't agree more! Really awesome tunic, Zac.

Thanks guys... My Lady made the tunic for me and did the embroidery by hand. You cant see in the pics, but I am also wearing a pair of awesome blue Rus style baggy trousers (4 yards of fabric!) that she gathered and sewed for me, along with the hat and undertunic. Basically, everything in this garb was made by her except the boots and necklace. She will be glad to hear the work is appreciated.

On the subject of bonnets, I think they both look great. I actually used to wear a JAS Townsend one when I was doing Golden Age of Piracy reenacting. And I cant wait for my hand made one from Ryan!

[Nighthawk]

Agreed and agreed, brother. I should imagine that the fabric is machine woven and then felted- a fine way to produce a quality fabric. And the bonnets are good looking.

As for the price of the STM bonnets, in all fairness, it takes about 10 hours to make one, and at a lower price, the orders were coming in much much faster than I could physically knit them.

I am not saying that they're not worth the price. Quite the contrary. Just that I can't afford them... My group is, after all, nonprofit. So as much as I would love one of those bonnets, it's not in the cards right now. Maybe next year!

[Mark E.]

Yeah, you are doing to die wearing 8 yards of fabric. I have a 4 yard long great kilt and it is a LOT of fabric to arrainge around you.

I'm using woodsheal's pic as a basis for my ren fair outfit as it is relatively cheap once you get the kilt and a lot of it can be hand made with only modest talent, plus at ren fairs in the south the less I can wear, the better

Aw, shucks. Must be a short feller...I'm one of those 8-yard wearers, myself. 100 degrees in the Midwest down to 5 degrees in, well, the Midwest.

Realize also that you are at an event that never really happened in America, and, well, where else would folk wear such get-up?

Couldn't agree more with an earlier comment-the proper accessory always helps to shift picky eyes from any clothing issues you may have...


She is a ren-fair-EEEEEEE

[Ryan Ross]

Aw, shucks. Must be a short feller...I'm one of those 8-yard wearers, myself. 100 degrees in the Midwest down to 5 degrees in, well, the Midwest.

Realize also that you are at an event that never really happened in America, and, well, where else would folk wear such get-up?

Again though, going back to the OP's original idea for the thread, we have nothing from historical sources that supports the idea that a feilidh-mor ever contained anywhere near 8 yards; this means that someone looking for historical accuracy (which the OP is) would not want to wear that much fabric. Also, very good studies by some esteemed members of this board indicate that four yard kilts are not only cooler in the heat, but also warmer in the cold; granted, you may be able to make a warmer bedroll from 8 yards, but how much time might one really spend in the field wearing this, today?

In short, for any folks who place the knowledge that they have twice the fabric in their garment as the other guys around them above comfort and historical precedent, an 8 yard feilidh-mor is exactly what they'll want. For folks that place comfort, practicality, and historicity first, four or five yards is all you're ever likely to need. To each their own.

[Mark E.]

In short, for any folks who place the knowledge that they have twice the fabric in their garment as the other guys around them above comfort and historical precedent, an 8 yard feilidh-mor is exactly what they'll want. For folks that place comfort, practicality, and historicity first, four or five yards is all you're ever likely to need. To each their own.

Yup. Not as though they had the same sizes as we apply to the mass manufactured clothing of today...Never have had a comfort issue though.

Historically...One of the reasons I got out of the scene before the 17th century-it was the devil to find a proper wig for a reasonable price, and as no gentleman of the era would be caught without one...I suppose the attitude was misplaced. One can be as historically accurate as they want to be...or not.

[Ryan Ross]

Historically...One of the reasons I got out of the scene before the 17th century-it was the devil to find a proper wig for a reasonable price, and as no gentleman of the era would be caught without one...I suppose the attitude was misplaced. One can be as historically accurate as they want to be...or not.

True... save that a poor Highland man (the type most likely, by far, to be wearing a feilidh-mor) would have been more horrified at the price of a wig than you are. I'll bet my bottom dollar on that.

...if a man can't afford the fabric waste necessary to make a pair of p@nts, we can assume that he'd settle for a bonnet, rather than a powdered thatch of horse hair. If you want to look like most gentleman of the period, the feilidh-mor isn't for you anyway.

[OC Richard]

The wearing of Victorian/modern kilts and Utilikilts at Ren Faires doesn't look right to me. But then again most of the people walking around are in blue jeans so whatever. I guess the point is, just wear your ordinary daily clothing (be it blue jeans or Utilikilt) unless you're going to participate in the theme of the event and dress the part well.

I'm a piper and I wear Highland Dress all the time when I work. But when I attend Ren Faire it's either in ordinary clothes, or in full English Renaissance costume (when I'm playing my Cornish Doublepipes).

Anyhow appropriate period Highland Dress is easy to do, and very comfortable. Get a leine (thin cloth is best if it's going to be hot) and get some non-clan-tartan plaid wool and and stout belt and wear the Breacan-an-Fheilidh. A leather poke bag will serve for a sporran (sporrans in the modern shape didn't exist then). There's a place at our local Ren Faire which makes very nice early-style ghillies, sort of halfway between a 19th century ghillie and the original Gaelic pampooties. Period-style knit bonnets are also widely available- don't wear Victorian headgear such as modern Glengarries and Balmorals.

Around 30 years ago I wore all that stuff to Ren Faire. I had found some wonderful plaid wool at a local fabric shop and I sewed a fringe of fur all around the edge. (Early depictions of Highland Dress show the Breacan-an-Fheilidh often bound around the edge with contrasting binding, and sometimes fur, demostrating its origin with the Brat.)

I could wear this "plade" either as a Breacan-an-Fheilidh or as a Brat. Likewise the leine could either be worn long (with the brat) or at the knee (with the breacan-an-fheilidh).

I also made a pair of diced hose, sewn up from plaid wool cloth, based on the hose pattern in Sketchbook 76.