Traditional day dress c. 1870

[Tartan Tess]

Is that some sort of hair braid off his sideburns?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Is that some sort of hair braid off his sideburns?

I suspect he's rolled his "Piccadilly Weepers".

[JSFMACLJR]

I suspect he's rolled his "Piccadilly Weepers".

Aye, indeed he has.

[creagdhubh]

Aye, indeed he has.

Now this is a portrait of the Marquis in which I have never seen - wow!!! What a spectacular oil-painting...simply awesome!!! I love his salmon buttons, the boars heads on his belt, his sporran cantle, etc!!!

Cheers Sandy,

[McMurdo]

Sandford, that is a wonderful portrait, thanks for adding it.

[chrisupyonder]

Here is a Vanity Fair cartoon showing the Marquis of Lorn from Nov. 19, 1870.


Looking at this cartoon from the standpoint of Highland dress, I really don't see anything at all from his attire that would not also be very suitable Highland daywear today in 2011, with the possible exception of the wide waist belt worn over his tweed waistcoat.

Comments?

I note the lack of hose flashes.

Chris.

[Eck]

Ha! Wonderful!

I couldn't help but notice the brown ghillie brogues.

I also find the ghillie brogues an interesting addition. More generally associated with full dress outfits and frowned upon by some traditionalists when worn with day wear outfit. Amazing how a change of colour from black to brown makes it acceptable.
Fashion? Tadition? I don't know!

[MacLowlife]

I yield to you, JSFMcA,in your knowledge of the Marquess's clan. I agree, the Duke of Argyll would be wearing a Campbell tartan, but I can't make the picture match. My monitor ( and this is the second one I have looked at) gives a distinctly red or pink cast to one of the stripes in the kilt- and to the toorie on his bonnet.

Campbell of Cawdor has a red stripe, but it also has a white one crossing on the green, which seems to be absent. Perhaps Vanity Fair's tartan scholar was on vacation.

I am probably missing something, but I return to my earlier question. Are these colors (shades) merely the result of limitations of the printer's ink, or is his kilt actually that pale, be it Campbell, Colquhoun, or otherwise? I do love the oil portrait with all of its detail, but it seems to be the more usual Campbell tartan, aka the Black Watch.

Thanks very much for adding that picture (and more salmon button envy.)

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I wouldn't try to analyze the tartan too closely. This is just a characature, after all. If you look at the pattern, it has an entirely different warp and weft. My feeling is that it is likely the artist's attempt to give the impression of a tartan, rather than an accurate representation of a particular tartan design.

[McMurdo]

I wouldn't try to analyze the tartan too closely. This is just a characature, after all. If you look at the pattern, it has an entirely different warp and weft. My feeling is that it is likely the artist's attempt to give the impression of a tartan, rather than an accurate representation of a particular tartan design.

Very good point Matt, it is rather amusing to me that anyone would think the tartan in this caricature is accurate but would question the accuracy of the tartans in the Highlanders of Scotland by Kenneth McLean.