Sporrans and Aprons

[Donnie]

Man, You make me want to start attending lodge again. I was raised in Louisiana, and haven't been to a lodge meeting since I moved to North Carolina! Pay attention (I don't really see how you wouldn't) and enjoy your Fellowcraft!

[keepoffgrass]

Man, You make me want to start attending lodge again. I was raised in Louisiana, and haven't been to a lodge meeting since I moved to North Carolina! Pay attention (I don't really see how you wouldn't) and enjoy your Fellowcraft!

My Entered Apprentice degree was great, tho I was way under dressed. I was new and no one told me everyone would be tuxed up. My lodge is small and really casual for the most part, so I didn't know they would be in formal wear. For this one, my coach told me to wear just a decent shirt, no tie, and maybe a sport coat, and a pair of slacks or a kilt. So now I'm trying to figure out what to wear for this one. I was going to wear my clan tank, an argyle jacket,black vest, wing tip shirt, and black bow tie. But i guess they aren't going for formal on this one.

I have the advantage of having another Bro. going threw his FC too. I'm going first tho, so I'll be able to watch him go threw the process and catch anything that I may have missed on my turn. I'm glad my lodge is small, everything seem much more personal than what Ive heard about the larger lodges.

[Aracos mac Domhnaill]

I'm past master of my mother lodge (Greenleaf #117, Cornish, ME in 2000), but I wasn't a kilt wearer until 2003 so I never wore a kilt in lodge until last year.

I'm helping out the new Master and have taken on the chair of SW of Mt. Moriah (my affiliate) Lodge this year and Wednesday we have a MM degree. It is finally warm enough here in Maine for comfortable kilt wear, so the JW and I both will be kilted. I, in my new Stillwater HW Black 'shadow tartan' and he in his belted plaid. (My several UK Mockers don't seem as formal to me as the HW wool Stillwater.)

We are in a very rural location and some of the brothers just don't see kilts as an appropriate attire at all, much less for a more formal degree work night. Oh well, they need to remember that it is supposed to be the internal qualifications of a man, rather than the external that are important to Masonry.

I've been thinking about the sporran question too. I think I'll end up wearing my small Buzz Kidder sporran and that likely off to the side or in the chair next to me. The JW plans on wearing his sporran over his apron. While I've seen this done, it doesn't seem 'right' to me and wearing any sporran under the apron, sounds uncomfortable.

I do hope that you enjoy your FC degree and many long years in the Craft, my brother. I often present the last lecture and the charge for the FC degree. Even more so than the MM, I find the FC degree to be the most richly meaningful work for me.

[James MacMillan]

The JW plans on wearing his sporran over his apron. While I've seen this done, it doesn't seem 'right' to me

I agree!!!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

. The JW plans on wearing his sporran over his apron. While I've seen this done, it doesn't seem 'right' to me.

I can't speak for your Grand Lodge, but under the rules of the Grand Lodge of Ireland nothing is allowed to be worn covering the apron. I know that in Scotland I have never seen a sporran worn over the apron, so presumably GLS has a similar rule regarding not covering the apron. In England the Grand Lodge goes so far as to mandate the wearing of the apron over their jackets to prevent anything covering the apron.

Since the apron is supposed to be more honored than the Order of the Garter, it would seem pretty obvious that it shouldn't be covered by a mere sporran. A call to you Grand Lodge Grand Secretary is probably the best way to resolve this issue. GL of Maine will tell you whether or not it is appropriate (in your jurisdiction) to cover the apron with a sporran.

Counting my Brothers in Price Hall Masonry there are over 100 Grand Lodge jurisdictions in the United States, and the regulations and ritual vary considerably state-by-state. That said, any time a Lodge or Lodge member wishes to do something "outside the norm" (for example kilts instead of dinner jackets) it's best to first check with GL. Usually the answer is "yes", but sometimes there is an excellent reason for a resounding "no" that may not be known to the general membership of our Fraternity.

[James MacMillan]

My Entered Apprentice degree was great, tho I was way under dressed. I was new and no one told me everyone would be tuxed up. My lodge is small and really casual for the most part, so I didn't know they would be in formal wear. For this one, my coach told me to wear just a decent shirt, no tie, and maybe a sport coat, and a pair of slacks or a kilt. So now I'm trying to figure out what to wear for this one. I was going to wear my clan tank, an argyle jacket,black vest, wing tip shirt, and black bow tie. But i guess they aren't going for formal on this one.

I have the advantage of having another Bro. going threw his FC too. I'm going first tho, so I'll be able to watch him go threw the process and catch anything that I may have missed on my turn. I'm glad my lodge is small, everything seem much more personal than what Ive heard about the larger lodges.

The tuxedos, that the Lodge Officers wear, serve two very important purposes.

First and most important it allows the Brothers present to show respect for the degree that they are exemplifying. They have worked many long hours to get every word as correct as possible. They want you to know that it is a solemn and serious process.

Second, it gives the officers a small form of distinction to show that they are part of the whole; that they are serving their Lodge by becoming officers in the first place.

It is also important to realize that they know that not everyone has a tuxedo or PC, or what-have-you. They want you to be comfortable! That is the most important part. I wasn’t there at your initiation, but I will bet every cent that I own that no one made you feel bad because you dressed the way you did. They want your mind to be free and learn from the ritual…that is the whole purpose of the degree – it is a learning experience. If you showed up in jeans and t-shirt, you would still have been accepted with open arms.

A good rule of thumb is to dress respectfully. If pressed for a choice - Wear clothes that match the clothes of the other, non-officers in attendance. By all means ask your coach or mentor what you should wear, but I feel very confident that he will say much the same thing as you are now reading.

Every Lodge is different and the same equally. Some Lodges adopt a different “uniform” for their degrees. I have seen Lodges in Hawaii and the South Pacific where every officer was in the same print of loose fitting tropical “Hawaiian” shirts. I have also seen Lodges where everyone was in grey slacks and blue blazers.

During your degrees, casual, “business” attire will serve you well.

Do not feel embarrassed about what you wore to your initiation! We care about the internal, not the external aspects.

[keepoffgrass]

The tuxedos, that the Lodge Officers wear, serve two very important purposes.

First and most important it allows the Brothers present to show respect for the degree that they are exemplifying. They have worked many long hours to get every word as correct as possible. They want you to know that it is a solemn and serious process.

Second, it gives the officers a small form of distinction to show that they are part of the whole; that they are serving their Lodge by becoming officers in the first place.

It is also important to realize that they know that not everyone has a tuxedo or PC, or what-have-you. They want you to be comfortable! That is the most important part. I wasn’t there at your initiation, but I will bet every cent that I own that no one made you feel bad because you dressed the way you did. They want your mind to be free and learn from the ritual…that is the whole purpose of the degree – it is a learning experience. If you showed up in jeans and t-shirt, you would still have been accepted with open arms.

A good rule of thumb is to dress respectfully. If pressed for a choice - Wear clothes that match the clothes of the other, non-officers in attendance. By all means ask your coach or mentor what you should wear, but I feel very confident that he will say much the same thing as you are now reading.

Every Lodge is different and the same equally. Some Lodges adopt a different “uniform” for their degrees. I have seen Lodges in Hawaii and the South Pacific where every officer was in the same print of loose fitting tropical “Hawaiian” shirts. I have also seen Lodges where everyone was in grey slacks and blue blazers.

During your degrees, casual, “business” attire will serve you well.

Do not feel embarrassed about what you wore to your initiation! We care about the internal, not the external aspects.

Thanks Brother. That was definately the way it was. I didnt feel embarrassed or anything, just a bit out of place compaired to the rest of them. I talked to my coach, and he just said, nice shirt, no tie, slacks or a kilt, and a sport jacket if I like. So thats what I'll do. I work a kilt to lodge for my first actual lodge meeting, I'll wear one on Wednesday for my degree.

Thanks Brotheres for all the advise! Most likely I'll slide my sporran to the side when kilted at lodge

[Galician]

I am not a Mason, but just wanted to say welcome back. Did you have your wedding yet?

[keepoffgrass]

I am not a Mason, but just wanted to say welcome back. Did you have your wedding yet?

Thanks! not yet, were shooting for Feb 1st

[emolas]

The more posts I see about Masons, the more I think about joining. I really respect the community service and charitable work they do but I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to commit enough time to it.