Stuart Erskine quote in and out of context

[Troglodyte]

I'm pretty sure that at the time Erskine was writing, everyone knew what was 'the done thing' and his advice would have been taken and applied accordingly.

A later writer of a similar book found it necessary to point out that Highland dress is a national costume, and certainly not 'fancy-dress' as he seemed to think it had become regarded by that stage.

King Edward VIII (he who abdicated so he could marry the American love of his life) when still Prince of Wales, came in for serious criticism when he wore one of his kiltie outfits to a fancy-dress ball. His Scottish subjects felt the insult keenly.

I wonder what these past-times writers would make of what is seen these days...

[Jock Scot]

..............................

I wonder what these past-times writers would make of what is seen these days...

Having grown up amongst a large family of kilt wearers in the 1940's, I am almost certain their comments would be unprintable on this website! I actually find it difficult today to hold my tongue, on occasion!

[OC Richard]

Though much later than Jock's early exposure to kilt-wearing in the 1940s, mine in the mid-1970s was still at a time when "kilt" only meant a traditional hand-sewn garment containing 6, 7, or 8 yards of traditional kilting cloth.

Things like Utilikilts, casual kilts, sport kilts, tactical kilts (!) etc etc were decades in the future.

Highland Dress was still at that time essentially unchanged from the Highland Dress of the 1920s.

So as late as 1975 kilt-wearers could still have read the Erskine quote from within a kilt-wearing milieu not too distant to his.

Today, not so much.

[Father Bill]

I think something similar can be said about most wardrobes these days. So many people show up in public dressed more appropriately for cleaning out the garage than for dining out, walking through a store or down the street. No class, no manners, no respect for others or self. No sense of what is appropriate under any circumstances.

[OC Richard]

Certainly my grandfather would not be seen in public without a suit, tie, and Fedora.

Even on his own stoop (c1943).

And him born in a log cabin in a holler in West Virginia, and a former Coal Miner.

[PiperPadre]

When I look at the pictures of my grandfather and his brothers and my great grandfather who were all loggers on the Chippewa River or worked in construction, they were dressed sharper than Chicago Outfit guys. There was a healthy pride in dress and comportment that wasn’t foppish.

[BobF]

I think something similar can be said about most wardrobes these days. So many people show up in public dressed more appropriately for cleaning out the garage than for dining out, walking through a store or down the street. No class, no manners, no respect for others or self. No sense of what is appropriate under any circumstances.

I have been volunteering with our local opera company since 1989, and my perpetual complaint is that many men show up looking as though they had just come in from mowing the lawn or working under their car. Worn-out madras short-sleeve shirts and shorts seem to be standard uniform. A little better is a polo shirt and more formal shorts. The women dress a bit better, but invariably douse themselves with unhealthy amounts of perfume, which often gag me even when I’m all the way up in the projection room running supertitles. I wonder if they’d be less inclined to wear perfume if they realized just how much it affects the singers.

[Jock Scot]

There is also another side of the coin here and the "garage cleaning" comment is very pertinant. .............. On the other side of the coin is....... Overdressing for an occasion and with kilt attire that is quite easy to do. I am not going to get mired in detail here , but we see it here on this website regularly.

[kilted2000]

To be fair, people of 1850 would find people in the 1940s dressed inappropriately. Tastes and attitudes change through the generations and people have been saying versions of ‘kids these days’ for centuries. While I personally prefer the more traditional styles, its a personal preference. Someone in 1901 might say the non stiff/ attached shirt collars are unsuitable and people aren't showing respect for others or themselves. It's all relative.

[Janner52]

To be fair, people of 1850 would find people in the 1940s dressed inappropriately. Tastes and attitudes change through the generations and people have been saying versions of ‘kids these days’ for centuries. While I personally prefer the more traditional styles, its a personal preference. Someone in 1901 might say the non stiff/ attached shirt collars are unsuitable and people aren't showing respect for others or themselves. It's all relative.

Fashion has changed over the years and clothing has become more comfortable and appropriate for the weather conditions. e.g. men are no longer wearing three piece suits with long underwear in summer weather, which makes absolute sense, but clothing remained reasonable smart. However, over the last 20 years or so standards have dropped to total slobbishness for some.