Personally I think the evolution of the sword speaks for itself - progressively moving to lighter and quicker. What's more, as I understand it, large broadswords and claymores are battle swords not duelling swords. I still think that a duellist with a rapier would have it. We can talk about blocking strength but the point is that the wielder of the claymore has first to get it to where he can swing it. Fencing is all about NOT telegraphing your moves since your opponent will see it coming.

A speedy, well trained duellist will, if he cannot block a blow, avoid it, and then for all the time it took our giant of a friend to swing one blow, he could reply with several.

Speed and skill almost always win out over size and strength.

Getting back to the main topic, I don't know about the rest of you, but I really cannot stand those new, 'fashionable' styles, which look like guys wearing pieces of cloth hanging off them, or girls wearing those tiny tartan 'belts' or overly tight outfits. One thing I love about kilts is their well crafted and flowing but crisp look. On women, kilted skirts look good because they don't appear as though the tailor ran out of material or was rationed.

The other thing that ticks me off with fashion shows in general is that a lot of the stuff is just daft - it either looks completely silly or is utterly impractical or both!