Pipers' dress v Highland Dress

[creagdhubh]

I disagree with your assessment of P/M Gordon Webster's Argyll style kilt hose. I believe they do in fact match his tartan, which is the Balmoral tartan (a restricted tartan per The Royal Family), originally designed by HRH Prince Albert during the 19th-century. Of course, most of us are already well aware that Argyll style 'tartan' hose are meant to compliment the colours in the tartan of the kilt, and not match the tartan sett precisely. I believe P/M Webster's hose do just that - they have all of the pertinent colours of the Balmoral tartan.

Cheers,

[CopperNGold]

I was thinking more along the lines of portraiture versus patronage. Historically the portrait artist painted the sitter in the best possbile light so that his paintings would be approved by the patron. This ensured future work for the artist. Many patrons ordered a painting destroyed, re-painted or refused to pay the artist on their whim and pleasue or because they simply wanted a better-looking portrait. It was to the painter's advantage to make the best-looking (not the most accurate) painting to ensure further comissions. His livlihood depended on that.

I would love to hear other thoughts on the subject, especially about MacLeay's paintings commissioned by Queen Victoria, who deeply romanticised the Scottish Highlander. The Scottish Tartan Authority has an excellent review of the sitters' portraiture, and addresses a few changes to that were made at the Queen's pleasure.

[macwilkin]

I was thinking more along the lines of portraiture versus patronage. Historically the portrait artist painted the sitter in the best possbile light so that his paintings would be approved by the patron. This ensured future work for the artist. Many patrons ordered a painting destroyed, re-painted or refused to pay the artist on their whim and pleasue or because they simply wanted a better-looking portrait. It was to the painter's advantage to make the best-looking (not the most accurate) painting to ensure further comissions. His livlihood depended on that.

I would love to hear other thoughts on the subject, especially about MacLeay's paintings commissioned by Queen Victoria, who deeply romanticised the Scottish Highlander. The Scottish Tartan Authority has an excellent review of the sitters' portraiture, and addresses a few changes to that were made at the Queen's pleasure.

Even photographs can contain elements of what is described above; a good example are photographs of individual soldiers that were taken during the American Civil War, especially early in the conflict, when soldiers would have their "likeness taken", and armed to the teeth with prop weapons supplied by the photographer. This certainly isn't the case for every period photo, but the researcher cannot depend on photographic evidence alone to determine the particular long/side arm issued to a particular regiment.

Unfortunately, few soldiers actually documented (in detail) their uniforms and equipment in journals, just as few folks today list the clothes they were on an everyday basis, save some members of this forum.

T.

[Downunder Kilt]

I disagree with your assessment of P/M Gordon Webster's Argyll style kilt hose. I believe they do in fact match his tartan, which is the Balmoral tartan (a restricted tartan per The Royal Family), originally designed by HRH Prince Albert during the 19th-century. Of course, most of us already are well aware that Argyll style 'tartan' hose are meant to compliment the colours in the tartan of the kilt, and not match the tartan sett precisely. I believe P/M Webster's hose do just that -they have all of the pertinent colours of the Balmoral tartan.

Agree 100% Kyle. As the kilt and plaid would have been supplied on the authority of Her Majesty, I would hazzard a guess that the hose were supplied at the same time and you don't argue when you receive such an honour and privilege.

[creagdhubh]

Agree 100% Kyle. As the kilt and plaid would have been supplied on the authority of Her Majesty, I would hazzard a guess that the hose were supplied at the same time and you don't argue when you receive such an honour and privilege.

Quite!

[chrisupyonder]

May be of interest, the varied dress of the many Northern England pipe bands.

http://www.eyrewaves.co.uk/rspba/BandProfiles_intro.asp

The Oldham Scottish Pipe Band (I used to live near Oldham.)



Chris.

[saxandpipes]

May be of interest, the varied dress of the many Northern England pipe bands.

http://www.eyrewaves.co.uk/rspba/BandProfiles_intro.asp

The Oldham Scottish Pipe Band (I used to live near Oldham.)



Chris.

A HA! So that's where those dreaded things came from...! Explains everything! ;)

[saxandpipes]

But seriously,

Thankyou gentlemen, especially OCRichard for the fantastic pictures.

I have to agree with others (and unfortunately disagree with OCRichard) that the hose of the Balmoral piper "match" just perfectly. (Perhaps not in the American sense of the word). I think they look very carefully considered and designed to complement the Balmoral tartan. Wonderful look!

Although I've of course seen the examples of Gordon Walker and John Burgess (I never tire of seeing them!), it's refreshing to me to see some of other examples.

Thanks again!

Cheers

Michael

[Pyper]

Great series of images.

It's interesting to look at some of the details.

In the first image, the piper has a belt and a plaid. In the second, most have plaids with only a few belts, but the jackets have piping.

By the third image, no belts or plaids, and no piping, but that comes back for the Dewars advert. Look at how short the lapels have gotten in that 1950's photo. In the 50's photo they all have tartan ties, and light hose. Two of the five have gillie brogues.

Going back to the 1900 photo, all dark hose and dark ties, and it appears that every one of them has a vest under his jacket.

What tartan is John D. Burgess wearing? Wow.

[OC Richard]

I went back and looked at the Balmoral photo again and I still think that the hose are a very poor match for the kilt.

The hose are 50/50 red and offwhite, while the tartan is predominately grey. (Note that the hose match the Dress Stewart drone ribbon much better than the kilt.)

If designing tartan hose for that tartan I would make the large 50/50 areas two tones of grey (pale grey and mid-grey) as in the tartan, with fine lines of red and black/charcoal grey as in the tartan.

BTW in The Highlanders of Scotland there are a few men wearing kilts of Balmoral tartan, and they are all wearing plain grey hose.