Now that I think about it, what a contrast between 19th century and 18th century Highland footwear!

So much variety in the 19th century, so many different styles. But in the 18th century paintings there are no Highland-specific shoes at all, only the typical laced and buckled shoes same the the English wore.

Where are the nascent ghillies? Where are the aboriginal Mary Janes?

We know that in earlier times the Highlanders did have their own distinctive Gaelic footwear, related to the pampootie (pamputa in Gaelic), which are still worn in the Aran isles off the west coast of Ireland



These traditional Gaelic shoes are described in 1542, John Elder writing of the dress of Highlanders to King Henry VIII

"...we can not suffir bair footide...after we have slayne redd deir, we flaye of the skyne, bey and bey, and settinge of our bair foote on the insyde therof, for neid of cunnynge shoemakers, by your Graces pardon, we play the sutters; compasinge and mesuringe so moche therof, as shall retche up to our ancklers, pryckynge the upper part thereof also with holis, that the watrer may repas wher it entris, and stretchide up with a stronge thwange of the same, meitand above our saide ancklers, so, and pleas your noble Grace, we make our shoois: Therefor, we using suche maner of shoois, the roghe hairie syde outwart..."

At a Highland Games a year or so ago there was a woman with a booth selling pampooties that she makes. Oddly, when I talked to her, I learned that she had never heard of pampooties! She was calling them "ancient ghillies" or summat.