What is Traditional Highland Dress?

[davidlpope]

Do Americans actually "usually blur the lines between appropriate and inappropriate traditional dress and attire"?

In my experience, the answer is "yes." A few examples:
-Prince Charlies worn with t-shirts in 90 degree heat at GMHG.
-Suede knee-high moccasins worn with the kilt, usually with Native American pouches, necklaces, etc.
-"Jacobite/Clansmen" shirts worn with tweed jackets.
-swords, dirks, two-handed claymores worn with day dress, sometimes accompanied by "facepaint".
-A homemade furry sporran with a rack of whitetail antlers mounted on it.
-Veterans sporting every geegaw, doodad, and fourragere ever stocked at the Exchange on their SAMS "uniform".

I chalk it up, though, to the general ignorance of many people wearing kilts at "highland games" events, rather than a conscious decision to rebel against good taste. There just aren't very many examples of "traditional highland dress" at the "Scottish" events in North Carolina. Without good examples of traditional highland dress, I'm not surprised when we Americans get it so dorked up...

David

[davidlpope]

A bit OT, but it struck me that if we here in the US have difficulty correctly understanding Highland culture, perhaps the Scots have a hard time understanding ours, as well. I wonder what critiques our resident Texans would make of these folks:

http://tranquilitytown.yolasite.com/

I can almost see the posts now: "Nice spurs and chaps! You wear it well!"

David

[MacBean]

In my experience, the answer is "yes." A few examples:
-Prince Charlies worn with t-shirts in 90 degree heat at GMHG.
-Suede knee-high moccasins worn with the kilt, usually with Native American pouches, necklaces, etc.
-"Jacobite/Clansmen" shirts worn with tweed jackets.
-swords, dirks, two-handed claymores worn with day dress, sometimes accompanied by "facepaint".
-A homemade furry sporran with a rack of whitetail antlers mounted on it.
-Veterans sporting every geegaw, doodad, and fourragere ever stocked at the Exchange on their SAMS "uniform".

I chalk it up, though, to the general ignorance of many people wearing kilts at "highland games" events, rather than a conscious decision to rebel against good taste. There just aren't very many examples of "traditional highland dress" at the "Scottish" events in North Carolina. Without good examples of traditional highland dress, I'm not surprised when we Americans get it so dorked up...

David

Fair enough, David. I've never been to an American "Highland Game", don't own a PC or a Jacobite shirt; and have little experience with kilts. I can certainly understand how micturating on someone else's tradition in the way you describe offends. However, "hollow arrogance ... largely based on insecurity as much as it is a lack of social understanding." ... that's a bit elitist, no?

[ThistleDown]

A bit OT, but it struck me that if we here in the US have difficulty correctly understanding Highland culture, perhaps the Scots have a hard time understanding ours, as well. I wonder what critiques our resident Texans would make of these folks:

http://tranquilitytown.yolasite.com/

I can almost see the posts now: "Nice spurs and chaps! You wear it well!"

David

644 visitors from the UK, David. Popularity wins the day and Tranquility moves from myth to reality.

[artificer]

http://tranquilitytown.yolasite.com/

David

Ouch! Nevermind the fact that the 'olde west' rocking chair on the far left is, in fact, a repro Thonet bentwood & cane rocker that wasn't produced until the 1880's, and then certainly wouldn't be found in the podunk west... Maybe in San Francisco, but only in the nicest of places.

Probably a bit like the 'colonists' wearing a Jacobite shirt and PC

[ThistleDown]

Perhaps I misunderstood; please correct me (I often do misconstrue)?

Do Americans actually "usually blur the lines between appropriate and inappropriate traditional dress and attire"?

If you have heard something like, "we're not in Scotland so we can wear what we want", does that mean the person in question was trying for traditional attire? I think that would be strange.

Does someone wearing what they want imply that they (and many folk here on this forum) display hollow arrogance, insecurity, and lack of social understanding?

Frankly, I'm shocked and disappointed. I have been quite careful to follow the traditional highland dress esthetic and custom, but why would I want to anymore? If I lose friends over this, well so be it.

I won't try to re-word what Rathdown wrote, Mark, but perhaps I could put something along the same line in my own words? Friend to friend? This thread is attempting to address the OP's question "What is Traditional Highland Dress" in a section of the forum dedicated to Traditional Highland Dress. Many have said that the "tradition" is that of the Scottish Highlands and, therefore, what is traditionally worn in the Highlands is the quide by all who want to be traditionally dressed. That would be you.

But there are others who say that they are traditionally dressed when they wear Highland dress as it is not worn in Scotland, but as they choose to interpret it; further, that because there are many (in the United States) who deviate from the Highland tradition that makes some sort of new tradition. I agree with you: that is very strange.

It is the tail wagging the dog.

There is a degree of arrogance, I think you will agree, when someone who lives somewhere in the world other than the Scottish Highlands tells the natives that he/she knows more about the culture and its clothing than the natives do. (Before someone rises to that hook I'll cut the line by saying that there are some pretty knowledgable folk out there )

Rex

[MacBean]

It is the tail wagging the dog.

There is a degree of arrogance, I think you will agree, when someone who lives somewhere in the world other than the Scottish Highlands tells the natives that he/she knows more about the culture and its clothing than the natives do. (Before someone rises to that hook I'll cut the line by saying that there are some pretty knowledgable folk out there )
Rex

Thank you for the reply Rex; I slid off the deep end; ready to sell my kilt!

The danger of the tail wagging the dog I understand. That American disrespect and parodying of traditions is offensive I also appreciate.

However, because someone is uneducated, untravelled, or poor, and attempts to find joy in imaginary role play as Mel Gibson, ... well, more joy to them. Looking down our noses at the less fortunate is something to avoid, bad form, unwelcoming. America was founded on a dream of freedom from elitism, and that perhaps it's its saving grace, no matter how ugly it sometimes appears. It keeps me here.

[MacBean]

...its hollow arrogance seems to be as largely based on insecurity as much as it is a lack of social understanding.

oh my! Perhaps I don't lean towards tradition after all.

[Jock Scot]

My word you chaps have been busy whilst I have been slumbering away!

[Micric]

Quote, OC Richard;

"About caps: It's interesting that the founder of The Scottish Fiddlers Of Los Angeles, Colin Gordon, the only actual Scot in the group, invariably wore a deerstalker with kilts. Makes sense: we have a lot of sun, and the deerstalker keeps the sun both off the face and off the back of the neck, the places you really can get sunburned here. (By the way, it's strange perhaps that Los Angeles was home both to the first Strathspey & Reel Society outside of Scotland itself, and also home to the largest branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society on earth. The huge LA branch has since split up into two or three smaller branches.) "
End quote.

O C,
I do agree that the deerstalker works well, but because a Scot wears one commonly with his kilt in LA, doesn't make it traditional highland attire. Earlier in this thread, I asked about this head-gear, and Jock kindly replied that If he wore his kilt whilst shooting or fishing, he would wear a for -and -aft or deerstalker. He went on to say that he would do so 0nly whilst participating in such activities.

Re. LA being the home of the largest Reel society outside Scotland, and the largest Scottish C. Dance society in the world, These facts are academic, What you see in LA has nothing at all to do with what is correct Highland attire, as worn In the Scottish Highlands.

Best,
Richard.