Why and how we express ourselves through Highland Wear.

[Shinenotburn]

I have been thinking lately, just what exactly is the reason I have been so pulled by the allure of Highland Dress,
and why do I feel compelled to express myself in this way?


Apart from the obvious family connections, I really did not have too much in my life that would lead one down this path.


Perhaps more than some as I took to wearing a kilt at a rather young age. 11 years old I believe. Bought my first bespoke kilt at 17 or 18.
I still have it and with some minor adjustments, still fits. Then came 20 or so years of Pipe Band involvement, a little Highland Dancing
and some Scottish Country Dancing. That was followed by a break for 20 years as I helped to raise my family and build an advertising business.


Even in those years when I was not actively involved in bands and that culture I still defined myself as a kilt wearing Scottish Canadian.
My people came over in 1903 and, as far as we know, my brother (a Piper) and I were the only ones that embraced our heritage to this extent.


After I retired and the family had grown up and moved away, the bug hit me again. Harder this time.
I started making my own sporrans and other gear as I learned how. The internet and Ebay had a lot to do with the feverish collecting that followed.


I gradually started to put together outfits, as a form of artistic expression. I build things from recycled materials. They were fun to assemble and wearing them always makes me feel good.
Just like finishing a painting, there is a great sense of accomplishment with each successful arrangement I come up with.
I do my homework and research what I need to know before moving forward on a new project.


As for the practicality of these ventures, I do have an outlet for their use.
My wife and I and another partner are all co-founders of an artistic hub in our community.
A great many of the artists well as all the principals involved are, or have, Scottish connections.
Over the last ten years or so we have continued to use our connections as a point of differentiation in our marketing. As most regulars here will tell you, wearing highland dress
does make you stand out. The Highland culture is infused with expressions of art in all its forms and that is what we promote.


Covid 19 may have slowed us down, but it did not dampen our enthusiasm.
This and the down time has encouraged this backlog of highland wear I present today.
Some of it has been posted before but I was encouraged to put it together in one place in order to make it easy for interested viewers
to reference.


This is not meant as a guide so much, but merely an offering of how one artist expresses his shared culture.

Part A - Casual to smart day wear