Ghillie boots?

[KiltedHope]

The ghillie boots specifically though, to be honest, I kind of hate. Just my opinion though. I don’t think they look good at all.

When I was in getting my ghillie brogues recently there were a couple pairs of ghillie boots on display. I just couldn't get my head wrapped around how I would wear them. Too formal for casual and too casual for formal is how I perceived them. I would rather wear a pair of hiking or trail boots for casual and ghillie brogues or capped-toe oxfords for formal.

[FossilHunter]

When I was in getting my ghillie brogues recently there were a couple pairs of ghillie boots on display. I just couldn't get my head wrapped around how I would wear them. Too formal for casual and too casual for formal is how I perceived them. I would rather wear a pair of hiking or trail boots for casual and ghillie brogues or capped-toe oxfords for formal.

They do something to the proportions of the outfit that I find off putting (besides the gogo boot look). It may have something to do with so much of the hose being covered.

I don’t really like tall combat boots with kilts either, probably for the same reason.

[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.

[Tony]

More of my worthless trivia. The middle image is Alan Cumming (2009). From Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland.

Well for that matter, the guy on the right is John Barrowman, originally from Glasgow but raised in the US. World renowned for playing Captain Jack Harkness in Dr Who and Torchwood.
Looks good apart from the belt.

[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.

;)

[Terry Searl]

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".

It appears a large bird flew into her windscreen

[Baeau]

It appears a large bird flew into her windscreen

Nope, the MGTC was fitted with Brooklands windscreens. Obviously, they were in the down position, at that moment.