Ghillie Brogues

**Randycan** · 13th November 18, 07:50 AM

Since I won't be piping anytime soon, where can I get a decent pair of shoes when I go kilted? Don't really want to spend a $100 or more since it's not for every day.

Thanks folks!

I'm really learning a lot on this forum about kilt wear.

**Father Bill** · 13th November 18, 07:58 AM

For piping, any pair of dress shoes, Oxfords or Brogues, shined within an inch of their lives, will do and are absolutely correct. Black, slightly better than brown in the opinion of many people and you can wear them for any other dress-up event.

**pofloyd1** · 13th November 18, 08:16 AM

I am new to this also so take it for what it is worth. I picked a nice pair of black wingtips up on Amazon for $20, put a spitshine on them they look great. Plus check out Tartanista on Amazon for Ghillie Brogues the reviews (one said he was a piper) say good quality for the price.

**Tarheel** · 13th November 18, 12:27 PM

This is my first shoe of choice when I wear my kilt. I have another pair of black dress shoes (plain finish for a high shine) that I use for formal events.

Rockport can be found for under $100.00 at some stores or on line. Ex-hire patent leather shoes can also be picked up at tux rental shops during off season. Hunting is half the battle and finding the right shoe for you feels great once you get there. Good luck.

**McMurdo** · 13th November 18, 02:04 PM

I would buy these from Johnston & Murphy

https://www.johnstonmurphy.com/tabor...lfskin#start=7

**Father Bill** · 13th November 18, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by McMurdo

I would buy these from Johnston & Murphy

https://www.johnstonmurphy.com/tabor...lfskin#start=7

The link doesn't show the shoes Glen, but I agree that J & M are a great company to deal with with super quality. I have three different pairs of shoes from them.

**McMurdo** · 13th November 18, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Father Bill

The link doesn't show the shoes Glen, but I agree that J & M are a great company to deal with with super quality. I have three different pairs of shoes from them.

Tabor wingtips on sale for $99

**Father Bill** · 13th November 18, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by McMurdo

Tabor wingtips on sale for $99

And that'll be $CDN for our American pals with their big Ameribucks!

**Tobus** · 13th November 18, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by Randycan

Since I won't be piping anytime soon, where can I get a decent pair of shoes when I go kilted? Don't really want to spend a $100 or more since it's not for every day.

The title of the thread seems to be specific to ghillie brogues, but the text of your question may be open to other types of shoes. (?)

My advice is not to go cheap on shoes, with the plan to only wear them occasionally. Buy nice shoes that you can wear with a kilt or with trousers. That way, you can justify a higher quality shoe.

Ghillie brogues are not required with a kilt. Some traditionalists might even say they're a bit over the top. Regular brogues (black or brown) are perfectly acceptable - perhaps even more traditional for standard daywear - with a kilt. Plain Oxfords (black or brown) are fine too. I have Oxfords in both colours as well as brogues in both colours, and these are my standard everyday shoes that I wear to the office. So when I strap on a kilt, I'm just wearing my regular shoes.

For a plain old set of black brogues that's well under $100, I'd probably go with the "prestige" brogues from Samuel Windsor: https://www.samuel-windsor.com/buy.c.../73/yes/134365

**OC Richard** · 13th November 18, 06:18 PM

In looking over my Victorian photos I notice that Ghillie Brogues are much in the minority.

Then, as now, they're more popular with pipers than non-pipers.

Some of my vintage Highland Dress catalogues from the 1930s don't offer them. They state that black brogues (wingtip style are shown) are "correct" for Day Dress.

I have a couple photos of Massed Bands at Highland Games in the 1960s and there are no Ghillie Brogues to be seen. All the bands are wearing military-style uniforms with spats, or civilian Evening Dress with buckled brogues.

Army pipers only wear them when wearing civilian kit for competing at civilian competitions. The army brogues are black pebble-grain wingtips.

Which is all to say that there is not now, nor has there ever been, a notion that Ghillie Brogues are a "must" for Highland Dress.

It's a bit of a mystery to me how they entered Victorian Highland Dress. I think they might have been a conscious revival of the Victorians' re-imagining of ancient Highland footwear. When they first appear they're in tan roughout, striving to appear rustic.