"Brigadoonery"? "TCHD"? Who decides?

[Panache]

When we talk about traditional highland dress we must understand that there was no great rule book that every highlander followed to the letter. There was a spectrum of things that people wore at different times. Things came into and out of fashion. There were trends. Some stayed, some disappeared. There were conservative dressers, flamboyant dressers, and those who fell somewhere between.

Picture for a moment two modern gents that often wear highland attire, Sir Jackie Stewart and Prince Charles. They have very different takes on highland dress and exist on opposite ends of the spectrum between conservative and flamboyant. Yet their outfits are part of the same spectrum.

In the picture I just posted above you could complain "Well that horsehair sporran is far too formal for daywear! A true traditional highlander would have worn a simple leather cantled and brown horsehair sporran…"

You could...

Except...

A true highlander would probably look at his kit and the horsehair sporran he was given / inherited and say "Guid enough" and not rush out to buy a new one that was a perfect match ("match-matchy" ?) for his daywear ensemble.

I love traditional highland attire, but have come to realize that I am not trying hit a bullseye of "perfect outfit", but dress along a spectrum where I probably fall more toward the flamboyant than conservative.

And that is OK by me, the world needs staunch conservative traditionalists as well as tartan peacocks.

ith: Cheers

Jamie