The history of what we call Ghillie Brogues (or "Ghillie ties" as I've also heard them called) is difficult to trace.
I can't find any images of them prior to Victorian times.
In
The Highlanders Of Scotland, watercolour portraits of 56 kilted men painted in the late 1860s, the footwear seen is as follows:
"Mary Jane" style brogues: 25
"Ghillie" style brogues: 11
ordinary shoes 10
"buckle loafers" (my term) 5
ankle boots 3
hybrid shoes halfway between Mary Janes and Ghillies 1
spats 1
Of the 11 pairs of Ghillies, 9 are tan rough leather, 1 is smooth taupe leather, 1 is smooth black leather with decorative nonfunctional buckles added.
None of the shoes are laced high.
Here's one of the 9 pair of rough tan Ghillies
Here's the sole (!) pair of black Ghillies, the laces are a bit high
It helps IMHO to think of the Ghillie laces as you would a wristwatch.
Common sense dictates that both stay in place best if they're positioned at the narrowest part of the limb.
Put your wristwatch partway up your forearm, and it's going to end up down at the wrist. Tie the Ghillie laces partway up your calf and they're going to end up down at the ankle. Keep in mind that Highland Dress is clothing, and the traditional way to wear everything is the way which generations of wearers have found most practical.
Originally Posted by OC Richard
The history of what we call Ghillie Brogues (or "Ghillie ties" as I've also heard them called) is difficult to trace.
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