Ghillie brogues, yes or no?

**Blackdouglas** · 29th September 08, 05:13 PM

I only wear them for formal events such as weddings or black tie events not good for day wear really. But for regimental dinners they are the business

**ThistleDown** · 29th September 08, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Blackdouglas

I only wear them for formal events such as weddings or black tie events not good for day wear really. But for regimental dinners they are the business

Welcome, Blackdouglas.

**English Bloke** · 29th September 08, 05:53 PM

Welcome too Blackdouglas. Nice to have you here and Greetings from Sunny Lancashire. (actually it's not sunny at all... )

Originally Posted by Blackdouglas

I only wear them for formal events such as weddings or black tie events not good for day wear really. But for regimental dinners they are the business

Certainly more appropriate to the kilt than the george boots I used to wear to Regie Dinners. But then again If I'd turned up to a Regie Dinner in a Kilt I'd have been out of the Mess and back in the Naafi before the apperitifs were served!!

Wish I'd discovered the Kilt sooner though... I'd have loved to have given that a test run.

**thescot** · 30th September 08, 05:57 AM

I love the look of ghillie brogues when one is dressed appropriately. Obviously, I don't counsel them with tee shirts or bare chests. However, they add a really nice, dressy touch to an outfit when one is "dressed up," as in an argyl, PC, or doublet. (I should add that I don't own a pair due to the expense and my off size which is not available in ghillie brogues.) Let's face it, if you're in a kilt to start with, few folks will pay much attention to your shoes.

But then I am old, overly traditional in dress, and still cling to thoughts of proper dress, civility, and a sense of style that goes beyond beyond tee shirts, jeans, and ball caps. I actually follow the old maxims re "black tie" only after 5:00 PM, and the difference between that and "formal." I shreek whenever I see young boys getting married at 2:00 PM in a tux, pitying them that they just don't know any better.

But then, I am a dinosaur. I still open doors for ladies, walk on the outside of a lady when on the sidewalk, and say "Yes, sir" and "Yes, m'am" to my elders. And I wear straw hats between Easter and Labor Day and felt thereafter. I admit to prefering Brooks Brothers and Hickey Freeman to Tommy Bahama!

Personally, I like regular wing tips, too. I wear a pair of loafer wing tips for dress with kilties and tassels which work as well as ghillies. They look like this, only black:

But, to each his own.

**Phil** · 30th September 08, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by thescot

But then I am old, overly traditional in dress, and still cling to thoughts of proper dress, civility, and a sense of style that goes beyond beyond tee shirts, jeans, and ball caps. I actually follow the old maxims re "black tie" only after 5:00 PM, and the difference between that and "formal." I shreek whenever I see young boys getting married at 2:00 PM in a tux, pitying them that they just don't know any better.

But then, I am a dinosaur. I still open doors for ladies, walk on the outside of a lady when on the sidewalk, and say "Yes, sir" and "Yes, m'am" to my elders. And I wear straw hats between Easter and Labor Day and felt thereafter. I admit to prefering Brooks Brothers and Hickey Freeman to Tommy Bahama!

But, to each his own.

Well said, Jim. My thoughts exactly, especially to each his own. Sadly there are too many nowadays who take the opposite view.

**Paul Henry** · 30th September 08, 07:59 AM

This has been a very interesting discussion, and for the most part understanding of each other's views.
But I think that part of the discussion centres on what is "proper dress"... it was the post of TheScot made me think, when he said... I am old, overly traditional in dress, and still cling to thoughts of proper dress, civility, and a sense of style that goes beyond beyond tee shirts, jeans, and ball caps. I don't want to think that any of us who don't follow all of that, are any less civil, or polite. in fact wearing any sort of garment should not change our beliefs or actions, and I suppose somewhere in the depths of my mind I don't like the thought that just because someone is "smartly"dressed , that makes them more polite, many case I found it quite the opposite.
I'm sure we all come from different traditions, and have different ideas of what is right and proper,so I suppose I am asking that those who do wear that sort of "proper dress" wouldn't think that those who don't are any less polite, or any less able to wear what they like.

**The F-H.C.A.G.** · 30th September 08, 11:47 PM

I don't like the gillie brogues, because they seem to be costumy. By this, I mean they have parts to them that are just for show and serve no real purpose (the lacings). I prefer the exact same shoe, but without the laces. The, so-called, "Mary Janes" are pretty cute as well, on both men and women, I think.

Originally Posted by DWFII

...snip...
But if you took a poll on Mary Janes, I'd definitely vote thumbs down on this one (I did not vote in this poll). That's just my personal opinion though.

Originally Posted by DWFII

...snip... Maybe a long Viennese Waltz or a quickstep in buckle brogues would illustrate the problem a little more effectively.

...snip...

The only "Mary Jane" style shoes I've ever owned have been a pair of dance pumps (I'm actually on my second pair, since I loved the first pair so much, I went out and bought a nearly identical pair when I wore them out). These have been Viennese Waltzed in, polka'd in and West Coast Swing danced in until they literally wore out. Very comfortable. That said, they do not have a buckle over the toe.

Originally Posted by Tommy Hunt

I've seen two types of Ghillie Brogues. The ones we see above and the ones which look like slippers with many more shoe-lace eyelets in them. What's the difference?

Dancing shoes, as others have said, but with very little support. Made for Scottish Country Dance (the modern version anyway).

Sorry I don't like the gillie brogues. Probably doesn't matter that much to most of you since I'm female and already married!

Be well,

**ThistleDown** · 1st October 08, 01:34 AM

Slightly off-subject, I realize, but these are the "standard" day shoes with Highland dress fashionable in Highland Scotland right now.

**DWFII** · 1st October 08, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by The F-H.C.A.G.

These have been Viennese Waltzed in, polka'd in and West Coast Swing danced in until they literally wore out. Very comfortable. That said, they do not have a buckle over the toe.

Oh, aye...that could make a difference. My wife and I dance a lot...or used to up until last year--all the ballroom dances plus the swing and Latin dances such as West Coast, East Coast, salsa, rumba, cha cha, bolero and merengue. The only reason I mentioned Viennese Waltz and quickstep is the rise and fall--the up on the toes business on the "two, three." Actually, now that I think about it, a regular ballroom waltz might emphasize that movement even more than Viennese.

Sorry I don't like the gillie brogues. Probably doesn't matter that much to most of you since I'm female and already married!

I should think that would be a major consideration for considering your opinion. As many times as the kilt has been touted as a "chick magnet..."

At my age the only magnets I'm interested in are the ones you wear at wrist and ankle to help with the old rheumatiz.

**gilmore** · 1st October 08, 02:34 PM

To me a kilt worn traditionally just doesn't look right without ghillie brogues. Granted, the ornamentation and long lacings are archaic, having their origin in times when brogues were worn in muck and mire, but many of our other conventions are also, such as polished leather footwear, which originated in Spain and showed that the wearer rode a horse rather than walked dirty roads.