putees...tartan???

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I'm as willing to laugh at "the other bugger" as the next man is. That said, when someone asks for advice, I usually try to steer them away from doing something that will make them the object of other men's mirth.

If one follows the advice of William Morris ("Own nothing that is not practical and beautiful.") then one doesn't subscribe to the idea that one should do as they wish, even if it doesn't look right.

Of course styles of fashion come and go, quite often due to matters of practicality brought on by technological changes in society. Heaters in motorcars have rendered the wearing of heavy wool overcoats unnecessary when out for a spin in the dead of winter, just as modern fabrics have pretty much confined the heavy wool overcoat to the back of the closet.

The wristwatch has all but supplanted the pocket watch as an item of general apparel, but because the functionality of both are equal, the choosing of one over the other is merely a matter of style.

Puttees, on the other hand, have been rendered superfluous by the advent of superior leg protection. That they owe their existence to 19th century military niggardliness (they were cheaper than proper boots for the troops) would certainly mitigate against their acceptance as an item of general, or even casual, civilian wear better than a century later.

Hence, when asked for an opinion regarding whether or not puttees should be worn with the kilt, my answer was a resounding NO WAY!

I should point out that I'd say the same thing about cowboy boots with the kilt, or knee high fish net stockings, or clown shoes, for that matter.

People are, of course, free to do as they please. But before embarking on the seas of personal expression, they would do well to remember the old adage:

Laugh, and the world laughs with you, cry and you are probably the person they are laughing at.

[Derek Conley]

Eye of the beholder, and all that. Were I to see the gentleman wearing them, I most certainly wouldn't laugh. Matter of fact, I'd think, "Hey, cool, that's different..."

To each their own, yes?

[Thunderbolt]

Yes....

But most of us here wear kilts! More often than not a subject of mirth unbeknownst to the person wearing the kilt many times, I'm sure.

Am I going to stop wearing one because of that....?! Of course not.

Putees, regardless of original use, I think have usefulness today. For instance, I live in a desert. everything that grows or lives in the desert is pokey, stingy, sharp or just plain miserable to be around. But I enjoy hiking and camping. I can say that a pair of putees would be helpful for me. It would save ruining a good pair of hose and my lower legs if I were kilted, and possibly give added protection against snake bites. All sounds nice to me, although I wouldn't trust them against snakes, but it might help....

I have a good set of gaiters, made by Oregon Research. I know that wearing them in the desert would ruin them quickly as they are (aren't most gaitors?) waterproof. They wouldn't be waterproof after!! Not to mention a good pair of kilt hose!

Now I've convinced myself to get a pair and try them out. I've got several pair of khaki hose and a new 22oz Gordon coming from WPG, so they would go well with that getup!

Will they look silly? Sure. But so does the kilt to the uneducated or ignorant. Hasn't stopped me yet!

Either way, I see the point. But I fear we've come WAY of the orignal topic!


T.

[macwilkin]

Yes....

But most of us here wear kilts! More often than not a subject of mirth unbeknownst to the person wearing the kilt many times, I'm sure.

Am I going to stop wearing one because of that....?! Of course not.

Putees, regardless of original use, I think have usefulness today. For instance, I live in a desert. everything that grows or lives in the desert is pokey, stingy, sharp or just plain miserable to be around. But I enjoy hiking and camping. I can say that a pair of putees would be helpful for me. It would save ruining a good pair of hose and my lower legs if I were kilted, and possibly give added protection against snake bites. All sounds nice to me, although I wouldn't trust them against snakes, but it might help....

I have a good set of gaiters, made by Oregon Research. I know that wearing them in the desert would ruin them quickly as they are (aren't most gaitors?) waterproof. They wouldn't be waterproof after!! Not to mention a good pair of kilt hose!

Now I've convinced myself to get a pair and try them out. I've got several pair of khaki hose and a new 22oz Gordon coming from WPG, so they would go well with that getup!

Will they look silly? Sure. But so does the kilt to the uneducated or ignorant. Hasn't stopped me yet!

Either way, I see the point. But I fear we've come WAY of the orignal topic!


T.

Exactly my point; in the field/countryside, I can see a practical use for them, but as Rathdown mentioned, there are better alternatives today for them. Otherwise, wearing puttees with mufti wouldn't look right.

Regards,

Todd

[pdcorlis]

...Putees, regardless of original use, I think have usefulness today. For instance, I live in a desert. everything that grows or lives in the desert is pokey, stingy, sharp or just plain miserable to be around. But I enjoy hiking and camping. I can say that a pair of putees would be helpful for me. It would save ruining a good pair of hose and my lower legs if I were kilted, and possibly give added protection against snake bites. All sounds nice to me, although I wouldn't trust them against snakes, but it might help....

T.

My point exactly. Regardless of origin, some items find added life due to their elegant simplicity. I'm not much of a fashionista but I do appreciate those items that simply solve a few of life's problems. WPG sells them for ~ $10 and that appeals to my thrifty nature. Would I wear them in the middle of town? Nope. But when out bushwhacking through the Idaho countryside - I say what "fits" with a kilt better?

One more thing - if I worried about what everyone else thought, I doubt I'd be a daily kilt wearer in the first place.

Cheeers!

[Nervous Jock]

Ok,
So I have gotten to really like and enjoy wearing this type of footwear (so to speak) Od Hose tops, and OD Putees...all WWII vintage. They are very comforatable and keeps both the cold and the bugs and the rain out. They also look pretty cool...giving the outfit that bulked up look.



Heres my thought...I am planning on ordering this next week a SWK Standard in the Nightstalker tartan...I was thinking about seeing if Jerry can take some of his wool Black shadow tartan material and making a pair of these to wear wit hthe kilt...maybe either with the Od hose tops or a granite bulky kilt hose.....What do you guys (and gals) think?
Cheers,
CHad

Just to keep you right, the arrow on the Puttee should be above the ankle pretty much where it is (unless you're doing the Cameronian thing IIRC). The tape should be wound round on top of its self so you only see one width and tucked in at right angles at the end of the point so its neat and tidy like.


As a matter of interest are these ankle boots?

[puddlemuddle]

Nervous Jock,
thanks for that..they are normally a lot neater than what the picture shows..I had taken them off then remebered I needed a picture of them so I threw thrm back on .
The boots are actually ankle high Timberlands.
Chad

[Nervous Jock]

Nervous Jock,
thanks for that..they are normally a lot neater than what the picture shows..I had taken them off then remebered I needed a picture of them so I threw thrm back on .
The boots are actually ankle high Timberlands.
Chad

That's cool as puttees are designed for ankle boots, I always remember a few of the lads when they first got their high leg boots put their puttees on as well, ooops

[puddlemuddle]

HA! I bet that looked interesting!!!!

Chad

[fluter]

The wristwatch has all but supplanted the pocket watch as an item of general apparel, but because the functionality of both are equal, the choosing of one over the other is merely a matter of style.

Just for the record, lads, I must report that the wristwatch is now completely out of fashion. If you ask an 18-year-old for the time, the look at their PHONE!