Kilt hose observations

[Highland Logan]

...ghille shoes which are always cheap...

I would disagree with ghilles being cheap. I have a pair of black Lochcarron ghillies, they warn't cheap, and are a very nice shoe. To say that all ghillies are cheap, would be the same as saying all oxfords are cheap. You are picking a type of shoe rather than a manufacturer. And as to hose once again, all Lochcarron except for my "tartan" hose.

Frank

[Nanook]

I would disagree with ghilles being cheap. I have a pair of black Lochcarron ghillies, they warn't cheap, and are a very nice shoe.

Compared to?

To say that all ghillies are cheap, would be the same as saying all oxfords are cheap.

While there are cheap oxfords there are also some very nice ones available. I, however, know of no-one making really good quality ghillie brogues. Thistle's shoes are among the best and their best I'd not consider a good shoe by the scale I use to judge shoes by. Although their best is "Goodyear welted" the workmanship seems to cry out "sub-continent" and the leathers corrected-grain--- on the other hand I know of no shoe in that price class that I'd consider good either.

P.S.: To my knowledge Lochcarron does not make shoes--- sourced from other companies like many of the items they sell under the brand.

[BoldHighlander]

While there are cheap oxfords there are also some very nice ones available. I, however, know of no-one making really good quality ghillie brogues.

Perhaps these?
http://www.celticempire.com/Merchant..._Code=footwear

[beloitpiper]

Perhaps these?
http://www.celticempire.com/Merchant..._Code=footwear

ooooOOOOOooo
those are nice.

[Nanook]

ooooOOOOOooo
those are nice.

Those look fine--- albeit not Ghille Brogues. To my eyes they are a Derby Brogue with flap. George Cleverley once made some of the finest bespoke shoes in England and his successors continue to have a good reputation. £1200.00 is, at least, what they currently charge--- Lobb or Green as well (as an aside: my wife has a very similar shoe in suede).

The leather seems more a "gimmick" but a great story for "show and tell" . Russian reindeer is not really the finest leather for dress wear. Russian leather has a great reputation for rugged boots but its not much different , save the white stuff, from Swiss Juchtenleder or oiled roughout used in very good hiking boots. Its strong smelling stuff!

[Galician]

$2575 for shoes made from 200-year old leather??

Thanks for your words, Alan.