my 'traditional' outfits 2022

[OC Richard]

When I'm kilted it's nearly always when I'm piping at a wedding or funeral, and it's rare to get a photo. Since clients often ask for photos I took some the other day.

Here are three looks with my Drummond of Perth kilt in House of Edgar's "muted" colours.

L-R

1. Mackie black Balmoral, ex-hire Prince Charlie, unknown modern seal sporran, Henderson & Horner 1950s kilt pin, Argyll hose.

2. Mackie fawn Balmoral, Geoffrey (Tailor) charcoal Argyll, Margaret Morrison sporran, Cheviot ancient blue hose.

3. Gun Club check Argyll, 18th century style brass buckle bought in the 1970s stamped Made In England, Lochcarron fawn (?) hose from the 1980s.



Four looks with my Isle of Skye (Lochcarron) kilt.

L-R
1) old Lovat Green Argyll, Lovat Green Lochcarron hose from the 1980s.

2) Gun Club check Argyll, fawn (?) Lochcarron hose from the 1980s.

3) Prince Charlie, Edwardian goathair sporran, castellated diced hose.

4) Charcoal Argyll, Cheviot ancient blue hose.

[FossilHunter]

When I'm kilted it's nearly always when I'm piping at a wedding or funeral, and it's rare to get a photo. Since clients often ask for photos I took some the other day.

Here are three looks with my Drummond of Perth kilt in House of Edgar's "muted" colours.

L-R

1. Mackie black Balmoral, ex-hire Prince Charlie, unknown modern seal sporran, Henderson & Horner 1950s kilt pin, Argyll hose.

2. Mackie fawn Balmoral, Geoffrey (Tailor) charcoal Argyll, Margaret Morrison sporran, Cheviot ancient blue hose.

3. Gun Club check Argyll, 18th century style brass buckle bought in the 1970s stamped Made In England, Lochcarron fawn (?) hose from the 1980s.



Four looks with my Isle of Skye (Lochcarron) kilt.

L-R
1) old Lovat Green Argyll, Lovat Green Lochcarron hose from the 1980s.

2) Gun Club check Argyll, fawn (?) Lochcarron hose from the 1980s.

3) Prince Charlie, Edwardian goathair sporran, castellated diced hose.

4) Charcoal Argyll, Cheviot ancient blue hose.

Excellent examples of how just changing the jacket/hose can give a completely different look without a need for a dozen different tartans.

[McMurdo]

A great example of 2 kilts 7 looks. Really well done.

[Troglodyte]

When I'm kilted it's nearly always when I'm piping at a wedding or funeral, and it's rare to get a photo. Since clients often ask for photos I took some the other day.

Here are three looks with my Drummond of Perth kilt in House of Edgar's "muted" colours.

L-R

1. Mackie black Balmoral, ex-hire Prince Charlie, unknown modern seal sporran, Henderson & Horner 1950s kilt pin, Argyll hose.

2. Mackie fawn Balmoral, Geoffrey (Tailor) charcoal Argyll, Margaret Morrison sporran, Cheviot ancient blue hose.

3. Gun Club check Argyll, 18th century style brass buckle bought in the 1970s stamped Made In England, Lochcarron fawn (?) hose from the 1980s.



Four looks with my Isle of Skye (Lochcarron) kilt.

L-R
1) old Lovat Green Argyll, Lovat Green Lochcarron hose from the 1980s.

2) Gun Club check Argyll, fawn (?) Lochcarron hose from the 1980s.

3) Prince Charlie, Edwardian goathair sporran, castellated diced hose.

4) Charcoal Argyll, Cheviot ancient blue hose.

A splendid set of examples of 'What the well-dressed Highlander is wearing this season...'

As close to faultless as it gets...

[Jock Scot]

A splendid set of examples of 'What the well-dressed Highlander is wearing this season...'

As close to faultless as it gets...

Although, as a wee observation. I am not so sure that a balmoral would be worn by the locals too often. Bare headed would be the choice of many up here, unless the elements get too rough and then anything will do.

[OC Richard]

Although, as a wee observation. I am not so sure that a balmoral would be worn by the locals too often. Bare headed would be the choice of many up here, unless the elements get too rough and then anything will do.

That brings to mind two things.

First, it always strikes me as odd when I'm watching a EPL or SPL match on television and despite the pouring rain most of the people in the stands are bareheaded. Many are wearing Anoraks with hoods but the hoods are invariably down.

At a US sporting event hoods would be up and/or hats worn.

Second, the traditional Highland Dress bonnets have always struck me as decidedly impractical especially in a region that gets quite a bit of rain.

The Army was quick to adapt when Highland troops were sent to sunny places. By the early 19th century visors had been attached to the Highland military bonnets and soon sun helmets replaced the bonnets.

Due to our US Southwestern sun I and most others wear hats with brims when attending Highland Games. In Pipe Bands the members don't put on their Glengarries until right before competition. An oft-heard thing is the Pipe Major shouting "hats! hats!" as the band prepares to march Up to the Line.

In any case as a working piper I need to put on a good show and a bonnet is an important part of the look.

[Jock Scot]

OCR.

I have just flicked through six or seven hundred pictures on my computer and I think that they confirm what I had thought after your post.I thought that I had better check my bonnet/hat wearing trends, which might be of use to our members.

I am not a 24/7 kilt wearer by any means, but when the mood takes and when appropriate I do wear the kilt regularly. So these are my hat wearing trends as I go about my daily life.

For non kilt attire for daily use, I wear for about 50% of the time a bonnet of some sort.

For kilt attire for normal daily use I probably wear a bonnet for about 20% of the time. In strong sun a Panama, or occasionally an Aussie Slouch hat and more normally a Balmoral or, a fore and aft.

For smart and formal events with the kilt, it depends on the weather and where the event is held(indoors---outdoors), then I might wear the balmoral or panama for about 30% of the time, outdoors.

For rule 11 stuff and fishing , mainly non kilted, I do usually wear a bonnet and most of the time this is a tweed cap, or, a fore and aft and in windy conditions I do wear a balmoral as it is surprisingly good at keeping out the rain, its warm and wind resistant(very useful at this). In passing and to be absolutely clear. I never wear a tweed peaked cap( or baseball hat style, or a John Deere style hat, or the like) with the kilt for any event and that includes rule 11 stuff and fishing..

At a guess, I think when I am wearing the kilt I probably wear a bonnet of some sort more than most.

So all in all, bareheaded is probably the usual choice of Highlanders on most occasions. At least, it certainly is for me!

[MacKenzie]

Well done OCR!

Here are three looks with my Drummond of Perth kilt in House of Edgar's "muted" colours.

L-R

1. Mackie black Balmoral, ex-hire Prince Charlie, unknown modern seal sporran, Henderson & Horner 1950s kilt pin, Argyll hose.

I'm not a fan of Argyll hose, even for formal. But those absolutely "match" the kilt... better than any I've seen. When they do match that well it really is a good look.

[JPS]

Richard, I am quickly becoming obsessed with that goat hair sporran.

[OC Richard]

Well done OCR!

I'm not a fan of Argyll hose, even for formal. But those absolutely "match" the kilt... better than any I've seen. When they do match that well it really is a good look.

Yes they did a super job! They cleverly split the diamonds to get in both sorts of blue.

You never know with Argyll hose. You have your foot, leg length, and calf width measured, you give them a swatch of tartan, and you wait to see how the hose turn out.

Those Drummond of Perth muted hose came out best of any I've had over the years. For once they're high enough (I have long legs) and big enough around (I have big calves). Generally XL hose have feet big enough but are short in the leg and narrow in the calf for me.

Perhaps now is the best time ever to get hose that match the tartan, the reason being that Highland Dancers all wear Argyll hose, there are more of them and more of those hose being made now than in the past, and recently-created tartans have a wider range of colours than in the past. Thus the hose-makers have more yarn colours to hand.