Ghillie brogues, yes or no?

[DWFII]

This thread is starting to border between ignorant and obnoxious. Ghillie Brogues are Scottish shoes. They are as Scottish as a tartan knife pleated, three buckled kilt. They do not represent some 17th century battle nor are they meant to. Like it or not, they're in style and part of the wardrobe of many kilt wearers.

Please excuse my ignorance (or further ignorance) but what "17th century battle" are you referring to? What "17th century battle" has been mentioned in this thread?

If it is Culloden that you are referring to, I have for some time laboured under the assumption that it occurred in 1746...which would make it 18th century. Have I been misinformed?

I referenced Culloden in my previous post because it kind of represents both an end and a beginning of the history of the kilt. After Culloden, the wearing of highland clothing was proscribed in the highlands. So to some extent, highland dress might be said to have been frozen in time until the British upper classes became enamored of the romantic figures of the Highlander and the battles for independence, and revived it.

What happened after Culloden in terms of Scottish style is perhaps even more important than what went before.

As to whether ghillie brogues are rightfully part of a Scottish wardrobe...I think almost to a man the people who have posted here have acknowledged that they are. But many have preferences that slide over into dislike for them...and for (to hear them tell it) very good reasons.

In my, now well established, ignorance I was under that impression that everyone was entitled to their own opinion.

I might add that, from the perspective of this professional shoemaker, ghillie brogues as they are made today, are pretty far removed from brogues, ghillies and/or the shoes depicted in the 1869 painting.

[Blinki]

I'm personally not a big fan of them. In my opinion they seem to make you look more like your wearing a costume in my eyes. Pipers/Bandsman are the exception why it looks 'normal' in that context I have no idea. But to each his own if you like them great I'm not gonna say you cant wear them.

[duchessofnc]

That picture looks almost like ballet slippers. Not quite but very close.

As muirkirkca has written, the Ghillies are the descendants of the old highland brogues, so it's not possible to find them at Culloden or earlier times.

Ok, Ghillies are no shoes for casual wear, but i like them, because, nobody would wear old highland brogues when he doesn't wear the great kilt. At Culloden only the richer ones have worn shoes with buckles, the poor ones have worn the old highland brogues.

[Bugbear]

Well... If anything this thread has got me thinking about shoes with a kilt.

Last month, I bought a pair of brown, four hole, lace up, leather, dress shoes to go with my brown dressy daywear kilt outfit; the only full kilt outfit I have right now. They very closely match the brown belt for that kilt when not wearing the waistcoat, and also look good with the brown sporran and strap for the outfit. They arent brogues or wing tips; like I posted at the beginning, I don't like wearing those styles of shoes.

I will have to think about what kind of shoes to get when I put together an eveningwear outfit...

I guess if I ever end up at something formal, I would go with the shiney, black buckle shoes.

[Bugbear]

Well, I like wearing the ankle high, lace up boots with a kilt. I have a black pair, so I guess that is all right.

It seems like brogue shoes are almost always wingtip style. Is this ever done on any non-wingtip style shoes?

[DWFII]

Well, I like wearing the ankle high, lace up boots with a kilt. I have a black pair, so I guess that is all right.

It seems like brogue shoes are almost always wingtip style. Is this ever done on any non-wingtip style shoes?

I guess it kind of depends on what you think of as a "wing-tip." If you mean the re-curved toe cap that swings back past the ball joint, then the answer is "yes."

But many brogues are done with just a straight across toe cap. And some oxford variations (with no toe cap at all) have broguing on them...it kind of depends upon the maker. You get a lot of variation and fanciful work from the high end bespoke makers that you might not see in a "off-the-shelf" shoe.

Check out this link for some very nice, high, high end men's bespoke shoes, many of which are not strictly brogues but which have broguing on them:

http://www.gazianogirling.com/samplebg/index.html

There are several pages of thumbnails here...all of which re-size upwards so be aware of the arrows that take you to the next set of images.

[Bugbear]

Thanks, DWFII, I'm getting tangled up in the shoe terms. It's the pointy toe shoes that I don't like to wear. I like to wear the shoes that have a round, non-pointed toe. That would be on any shoe from lace up, to slip on, to buckle, even lace up boots.

Kind of hoping that the pointed toe shoes aren't the only acceptable dress up and formal shoes that can be worn with a kilt.

[DWFII]

Thanks, DWFII, I'm getting tangled up in the shoe terms.

These are technically a "semi-brogue derby." First pair I ever made. Note wide round toe. And toe cap rather than wing tip.

In black they'd be great with a kilt and a PC, as they are they'd still do fine for daywear or with a brown tweed Argyll.

[McMurdo]

I do have a pair of Ghillie Brogues however they are rarely worn. I bought them only because they were to be worn with my Prince Charlie outfit and they were easily available. I have since procured a pair of Kilties Buckle Brogues which I greatly prefer. I now have a Montrose Doublet for formal wear, I will of course wear the buckle brogues with it and therefore more often than the Ghillies. I do wear a ghillie type dance shoe for my Scottish Country Dancing, essentially a ballet slipper with laces.

One very real and significant drawback of these shoes is the fact that the laces can dig into your leg, and it really is not that pleasant, therefore for me I prefer buckle brogues for formal wear and just a regular everyday business shoe for casual or semi dress wear.

[Tommy Hunt]

Uh oh... Houston we have a problem. Buckle brogues and Glenfinnans are shoes this lad's feet will neeever see.