What a total Dirk.

[Blueline72]

I've been perusing the topics on here and I have yet to find one to answer this question. What are the customs, regulations, opinions etc. on wearing dirks. This is, of course assuming it would be legal to wear one in your locality. It's my understanding that in many places it would be considered wearing a deadly weapon and is forbidden, but lets put that aside for now as I'm an American and we can pretty much have a Bazooka. :P (no really we can, just no shells for it)
Anyway I digress, The Dirk. When can you wear one? who can wear one? Are there appropriate events where it would be appropriate to wear one and others where it would not be?

[Father Bill]

Approving thread but moving it to the "Weapons" sub-forum.

[Grizzly]

Maybe at a really really really dressy occasion or at the other end of the spectrum a renfaire other than that they are largely superfluous and in these days of tight security controls totally unnecessary. Nice to have in a collection though.

[orionpyoung]

If I understand correctly, if you are a piper or you are addressing the haggis.

[Downunder Kilt]

As Grizzly suggested, when you are dressed to the nines at a formal event, especially if you are an official. eg. part of the Haggis party at Burns night or a piper that is dressed in full kit. If you are intending to dance a bit though, you may find them a bit cumbersome. As for refaires, anything appears to go.

[Dale Seago]

The Scottish dirk (biodag) has devolved over time from being a sidearm and utilitarian tool worn by Gaelic males throughout the Gàidhealtachd to a useless piece of masculine bling, dangerous only to the occasional innocent haggis and, in contemporary fashionable wear, seen only with formal attire such as a Prince Charlie or a formal doublet -- and nowadays, seldom even then.

[MacCathail]

According to Frank Adam's wonderful prescription, a properly dressed highlander should not only have a dirk, but a sgian dubh, a sword, a brace of pistols and a powder horn. As for myself, I don't have a dirk, a sword, a brace of pistols or a powder horn . . . and half the time I forget to tuck the sgian dubh in my stocking.

As practical matter for the 21st century the posters above pretty much nailed it. I would only add that the one person who without question, in my occasionally humble opinion, should always be wearing a dirk, is a drum major on parade.

Cheers,

-John-

[MacGumerait]

According to Frank Adam's wonderful prescription, a properly dressed highlander should not only have a dirk, but a sgian dubh, a sword, a brace of pistols and a powder horn. As for myself, I don't have a dirk, a sword, a brace of pistols or a powder horn . . . and half the time I forget to tuck the sgian dubh in my stocking.

As practical matter for the 21st century the posters above pretty much nailed it. I would only add that the one person who without question, in my occasionally humble opinion, should always be wearing a dirk, is a drum major on parade.

Cheers,

-John-

John , would that possibly be for the drum major's protection from the pipers ?

[OC Richard]

Yes in the 19th century it was common to see people with the money to do so wear the full array of Highland weapons in their Evening attire



But for whatever reason Highland Dress underwent a huge transformation in the early 20th century and by the 1920s Evening Dress was much simplified, and sleek new jackets like the Prince Charlie Coatee, Montrose Doublet, and Kenmore Doublet came onto the scene, as you can see in this 1936 catalogue



And ever since then the wearing of dirks and crossbelts and plaids has mostly been left to the Army and pipers in military-style garb. In ordinary civilian dress the wearing of dirks has become rare, though you will see dirks worn sometimes, such as here by John Burgess, famous for his piping prowess and also for his stylistic panache



Note that the dirk is supported by a dirk belt.

So there are no hard-and-fast rules, just style sense; choosing to be subdued, or choosing to stand out or even be a bit over the top.

I've been known to wear a dirk. And a sword. Part of a piper's Full Dress

[MacCathail]

John , would that possibly be for the drum major's protection from the pipers ?

Surely not. As a race, pipers are amongst the proverbial sober, righteous, and godly. (No sniggering in the back row, there!) It's those drummers who need to be kept in line. Why, that can be a full-time job.

But really, since the pipe band uniform now seems to have devolved into kilt, white shirt, tie, and black waistcoat, and black jacket on occasion, the only one left to make the audience's eyes light up and say "Howdy!" is the drum major. He's the one likely to have the doublet, the feather bonnet, the plaid, and so forth. Should really have that dirk, too, to finish off the look.

Cheers,

-John-