horse hair sporran only for pipers???

[bum357]

hello
new to the site. i will be puting together and wearing a PC kilt outfit to a company function and was wondering if i could use a horsehair sporran instead of a fur one? i have not found a fur sporran that i like. i like the look of the horsehair sporran, but only see it referenced to pipebands. would it look out of place? i was thinking about getting a synthetic one and shorting the hair so that it looks smaller - not so overwhelming. any suggestions.
thanks
steve

[GlassMan]

One of the biggest problems in wearing a horse-hair sporran if you're not a piper is that unlike other sporrans, most horse-hair sporrans have no internal pouch. The primary purpose for your sporran is to provide a place to keep all those things that would normally be in your pockets. By wearing a horse-hair sporran you have eliminated the one sensible substitute for pockets that a kilted man has. That leaves you with just your coat pockets which can appear rather bulky.

Unless your company function is extremely formal I would not suggest wearing a PC to it. The PC jacket is pretty much the formal equivalent of a coat and tails. The PC is great for an formal embassy dinner or a groom at a wedding, but not your run of the mill formal event. If the other guys will be wearing regular tuxedos then I would suggest wearing a black Argyle jacket instead and consider wearing a semi-dress sporran if you don't like the fur sporrans.

[billmcc]

I also don't like the look of fur sporrans. I suggest a black leather sporran with a chrome cantle like this:
http://www.sportkilt.com/departments....cfm?afid=1003

[Tattoo Bradley]

It's all in how you wear it.

Here is our own Matt Newsome at his wedding. He's not a piper as far as I'm aware...

[KiltedCelt]

In old photos you will often see 19th. cen. Ghillies and other working men in fairly casual
dress wearing horse hair (or something simular) sporrans also a painting by Richard Ansdell shows a Shephard with this style of sporran....

Cheers,

Mike

[emolas]

Just a personal opinion but I think the horse hair sporrans look a bit too ostentatious in any outfit other than full piper regalia.

[Graham]

Here is a sporran that I think looks very nice, a goats-hair sporran!
I've been thinking of ordering one.

[Phil]

Horse hair ( or more properly goat hair) sporans were pretty standard up until 50 years ago but have pretty well gone out of fashion nowadays except for the military and pipe bands. As GlassMan says they don't usually have a pouch for essentials so are purely dressy rather than functional. If you like it, though, why not get one and wear it. I wouldn't try shortening the hair though. Hair naturally ends in points and if you cut it will look peculiar and unnatural.

[Nervous Jock]

No problem wearing a hair sporran but as previously mentioned they don't always have pouches in them and those that do are mighty small.

as usual it depends on the circumstances you intend to wear them.

[macwilkin]

Unless your company function is extremely formal I would not suggest wearing a PC to it. The PC jacket is pretty much the formal equivalent of a coat and tails. The PC is great for an formal embassy dinner or a groom at a wedding, but not your run of the mill formal event. If the other guys will be wearing regular tuxedos then I would suggest wearing a black Argyle jacket instead and consider wearing a semi-dress sporran if you don't like the fur sporrans.

I'm not sure I agree with this statement. The PC is very appropriate for Burns Suppers, Tartan/St. Andrew's Balls, etc.

Regards,

Todd