Ghillie Laces done up high to knee?

[OC Richard]

Ahhh, but with that logic, if you bypass the midcalf & tie it right up there at just below the knee, which is narrower than the calf, it would equally stay well as if it did the ankle? I think we can certainly say anywhere that's not actually part of the calf. Still, I am interested as I have seen a few of this arrangement of laces at renaissance fairs & the like.

Yes and you could wear your watch around your elbow!

I have a large collection of vintage photos of men in Highland Dress, and from what I see the thing of lacing up around the legs is quite modern, and not done by people raised wearing Highland Dress on a regular basis, but people to whom Highland Dress is historical costume. (The fact that Ghillies aren't seen prior to the Victorian period doesn't stop them from wearing them with quasi-Renaissance costumes, however.)

My belief is that the high-lacing-thing is done from false analogy with Viking costumes etc.

Here's a group of people who have worn Highland Dress regularly since they were youngsters. They're tying their Ghillies in a practical way, fast to do, and which will stay in place. The laces aren't for show. They're not a costume. The laces are there to tie the shoes.



What about in Victorian times? Here they're laced quite low



And here c1930 the same practical way anyone used to wearing Highland Dress would do