Ghillie boots?

[Ulan]

I just wanted to point out that this is Alexander McQueen, the renowned fashion designer and so probably has significantly more artistic licence than the layman to stray from the traditional. It is an interesting get up though, I would have granted him that.
Also slight aside, it was a CBE he received as opposed to an OBE.

[LKM]

I normally see these in a more renascence or medieval setting. I think they have a place, yet I do not think they are what I would wear for anything formal.

[Friday]

Also slight aside, it was a CBE he received as opposed to an OBE.

For those of us that are not familiar with The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. It is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Its purpose is rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the Civil Service. The Order is comprised of five classes.

1. Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE)^[
2. Knight Commander or Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE or DBE)
3. Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)
4. Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE)
5. Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE)
   
   In My Humble Opinion the British always have done things with class, except maybe the Gillie Boots in question.

[Tobus]

I just wanted to point out that this is Alexander McQueen, the renowned fashion designer and so probably has significantly more artistic licence than the layman to stray from the traditional. It is an interesting get up though, I would have granted him that.

I had never heard of this fellow or his fashion line until reading this thread, so I don't want to assume anything about his knowledge or his background. However, just based on what I see, several things jump out at me.

Knowingly straying from the traditional is one thing, but I am at a loss to understand how a person who deals in fashion could possibly commit the faux pas of wearing a low-waist kilt with a jacket which is clearly meant for a high-waist kilt or high fish-tail trousers. The amount of white shirt showing there is garish, bordering on a sartorial obscenity (if I may be so bold). Even for a modern non-traditional look, if that were truly his intent, it just sort of assaults the senses. Do we really think he intentionally did that for artistic flair, or did he simply put components together without fully understanding the finer points of wearing these items? After all, being a fashion designer does not automatically equate to being an expert on evening dress or Highland dress. Again, without knowing much about the man, I'm genuinely asking. Is it possible he just made a rookie mistake with the jacket/kilt combination?

It does appear, however, that he didn't make his wardrobe choices completely uneducated. The glengarry worn at a jaunty angle with a feather in it, coupled with the choice of necktie and hair sporran, suggest that he took some inspiration from MacLeay's portraits of Highlanders in the 1800s. The sash and ghillie boots may have been an artistic fantasy addition of his own to create a personalised anachronistic retro-Highlander look with a pinch of Brigadoon for flavour.

The wearing of a feather in his cap, though, is treading on thin ice with respect to tradition and good taste. Either he was intentionally veering close to the edge there, or he simply didn't know better. I'd like to think it's the latter.

My first reaction to his ghillie boots was that they were indeed the Ren-faire type mentioned earlier in this thread. But upon closer inspection, they do seem to be more refined. Despite the fact that they are untraditional, and I don't care for the look much, I am curious where they came from. They must be custom.

*edited to add: As for Alan Cumming's outfit, I remember when that first happened and we discussed it here. I thought it was over-the-top at the time. Over the years, though, I've really come to appreciate the genius of it. If one is going to stray from the traditional and do it in style, that's how it's done!

[FossilHunter]

I had never heard of this fellow or his fashion line until reading this thread, so I don't want to assume anything about his knowledge or his background. However, just based on what I see, several things jump out at me.

Knowingly straying from the traditional is one thing, but I am at a loss to understand how a person who deals in fashion could possibly commit the faux pas of wearing a low-waist kilt with a jacket which is clearly meant for a high-waist kilt or high fish-tail trousers. The amount of white shirt showing there is garish, bordering on a sartorial obscenity (if I may be so bold). Even for a modern non-traditional look, if that were truly his intent, it just sort of assaults the senses. Do we really think he intentionally did that for artistic flair, or did he simply put components together without fully understanding the finer points of wearing these items? After all, being a fashion designer does not automatically equate to being an expert on evening dress or Highland dress. Again, without knowing much about the man, I'm genuinely asking. Is it possible he just made a rookie mistake with the jacket/kilt combination?

It does appear, however, that he didn't make his wardrobe choices completely uneducated. The glengarry worn at a jaunty angle with a feather in it, coupled with the choice of necktie and hair sporran, suggest that he took some inspiration from MacLeay's portraits of Highlanders in the 1800s. The sash and ghillie boots may have been an artistic fantasy addition of his own to create a personalised anachronistic retro-Highlander look with a pinch of Brigadoon for flavour.

The wearing of a feather in his cap, though, is treading on thin ice with respect to tradition and good taste. Either he was intentionally veering close to the edge there, or he simply didn't know better. I'd like to think it's the latter.

My first reaction to his ghillie boots was that they were indeed the Ren-faire type mentioned earlier in this thread. But upon closer inspection, they do seem to be more refined. Despite the fact that they are untraditional, and I don't care for the look much, I am curious where they came from. They must be custom.

*edited to add: As for Alan Cumming's outfit, I remember when that first happened and we discussed it here. I thought it was over-the-top at the time. Over the years, though, I've really come to appreciate the genius of it. If one is going to stray from the traditional and do it in style, that's how it's done!

From a quick google search, here is an example of Alexander McQueen's work:



I think it would be a safe assumption that even if he knew the ins and outs of highland fashion, he could easily not care and make decisions entirely with his artistic vision in mind. I mean we don't know what anyone is thinking just from a photo but his work is pretty extreme in some cases so knowing who he is now, I can't really judge his choices through a TCHD lens.

I think Alan Cumming's outfit works because it basically is traditional daywear. Or at least recent historical. Necktie, plain brown leather sporran. Even if tartan suits are uncommon, they are not unheard of and I personally like the ones in less flashy tartans (like McMurdo's wildcat tartan suit) and as I mentioned with the boots, while they may not be modern according to our resident Highlanders, they have a recent historical basis and plain black lend a conservative touch to the whole look. As Jock frequently points out, personal flair is an important aspect of Highland dress.

[Jock Scot]

From a quick google search, here is an example of Alexander McQueen's work:



I think it would be a safe assumption that even if he knew the ins and outs of highland fashion, he could easily not care and make decisions entirely with his artistic vision in mind. I mean we don't know what anyone is thinking just from a photo but his work is pretty extreme in some cases so knowing who he is now, I can't really judge his choices through a TCHD lens.

I think Alan Cumming's outfit works because it basically is traditional daywear. Or at least recent historical. Necktie, plain brown leather sporran. Even if tartan suits are uncommon, they are not unheard of and I personally like the ones in less flashy tartans (like McMurdo's wildcat tartan suit) and as I mentioned with the boots, while they may not be modern according to our resident Highlanders, they have a recent historical basis and plain black lend a conservative touch to the whole look. As Jock frequently points out, personal flair is an important aspect of Highland dress.

Yes "personal flair" is almost an essential aspect of kilt attire, but it is a fickle thing, not only for the person wearing the kilt, but also for those viewing the attire. Of course one keeps ones views, good or not so good, to oneself in normal day to day situations, but on a kilt website such as this, photographs do add an educational element to the process. So comment here, in educational terms, are in my view fair game.

So for what it is worth, in my view all three kilted gentlemen in the pictures in this thread exceed in varying degrees, the acceptable limits of "personal flair".

[CollinMacD]

IMHO the way you present yourself is a direct reflection upon you and your character. In my case, I am traditional, conservative, and within the confines of my own limits, love the flair and finer items, but not the look of being outlandish or a trend-setter. So, as my own personal flair, I will stay with traditional shoes, and keep the style cowboy boots with my jeans. High fashion to me is weird, to far over the top, and the people in that business do things and wear items to make statements and draw attention. The Scottish black Ghillie Boots apparently are traditional, but not my taste or personal flair, I would rather purchase a real nice set of hose, or sporran then invest in boots. Sometimes I wear a pair of 18th century reproduction buckle shoes, that are very traditional but lace up boots, have to pass on that one. I prefer wearing items that really don't make a statement, other than I prefer tradition. Cheers all.

[Baeau]

The one truth about, what some consider, High Fashion. Most of it, never makes it off the Fashion Show Runway. If something OTT is produced (for the masses, not what Jock Scot posted), & doesn't sell, it eventually makes it to one of the many discount retailers specializing in shifting unwanted, overstock, & at times...fashion blunders. This, learned from surviving, years of shopping trips with three daughters.

[jthk]

I would add that a lot of fashion is inherently for looks and personal self-expression and isn't necessarily practical. Fortunately, clothing can be both fashionable and practical and that's usually where I tend to focus my money. From what I can see, a fashion designer's job is to put out different ideas and looks to a certain community which sometimes then trickles some of the ideas to the mass-market clothing industry. Rarely have I seen runway looks replicated entirely on the street. It appears that fashion's job is to push boundaries and ideas.

My job, however, is to go make another coffee.

The one truth about, what some consider, High Fashion. Most of it, never makes it off the Fashion Show Runway. If something OTT is produced (for the masses, not what Jock Scot posted), & doesn't sell, it eventually makes it to one of the many discount retailers specializing in shifting unwanted, overstock, & at times...fashion blunders. This, learned from surviving, years of shopping trips with three daughters.

[FossilHunter]

Yes "personal flair" is almost an essential aspect of kilt attire, but it is a fickle thing, not only for the person wearing the kilt, but also for those viewing the attire. Of course one keeps ones views, good or not so good, to oneself in normal day to day situations, but on a kilt website such as this, photographs do add an educational element to the process. So comment here, in educational terms, are in my view fair game.

So for what it is worth, in my view all three kilted gentlemen in the pictures in this thread exceed in varying degrees, the acceptable limits of "personal flair".

Mr. Cumming is a man with a lot of flair though. His tartan suit is actually a lot more conservative than other fashion choices of his that I have seen.

;)