Atlanta St. Andrews Society Burns Dinner

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I really have to ask if there is something so precious about Mr. MacLean's hat that he refuses to let it out of his sight for even one moment? Or is he just so proud of the fact that he owns a hat that he wants everyone to be aware of it?

Seriously, when attending a social function the hat shouldn't be tucked under your shoulder strap like some squaddie in the chow line. Also, if one is going to wear a dirk it should be worn on the right, not the left. They are also worn ahead of the point of the hip, not slung on the side like a pistol.

That said, WOW! what an array of outfits.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I really have to ask if there is something so precious about Mr. MacLean's hat that he refuses to let it out of his sight for even one moment? Or is he just so proud of the fact that he owns a hat that he wants everyone to be aware of it?

Seriously, when attending a social function the hat shouldn't be tucked under your shoulder strap like some squaddie in the chow line. Also, if one is going to wear a dirk it should be worn on the right, not the left. They are also worn ahead of the point of the hip, not slung on the side like a pistol.

That said, WOW! what an array of outfits.

I should say that this weekend at the Burns Dinner he had neither hat nor dirk on his person.

I find that most of the time when I do see someone wearing a dirk, it is worn on the side. I think most people are unaware that it is traditionally worn more towards the front. I, personally, find that the dirk gets in the way and tends to be rather cumbersome, so I'm never tempted to wear one.

I'm glad, Sanford, that you posted the picture of his tartan doublet. Nice to see how it turned out after his story. He says that he spotted his clan tartan in a sea of plain-colored sports coats at a consignment store, and the clerk promised to make him a great deal on it if it was anywhere close to his size. Apparantly they had some trouble finding a taker for it!

When he got him to discover that the sett was a match for his kilt, he took it to a tailor and had the doublet you see made from it. I think he said even with the cost of the tailoring the whole thing ended up costing him less than $200. You know he would have spent over $500 most likely having such an item made for him otherwise. What a steal!