I am grateful for the perspectives contributed to this discussion and while I'm not the ignorant newcomer to the forum when I first started, I'm certainly not an expert either and I am enjoying the learning process.

I think I've learnt enough to realise that when I wear a ghillie shirt, I'm wearing a modern piece of clothing that could be referred to as a "pirate shirt". However, I will admit that I like wearing them in certain situations and, more importantly, my wife does too. I wear button-down shirts, neck-ties (or bow-ties), sometimes with a vest to work every day so when I wish to go out socially -- date night, movie-night, or whatever -- I don't want to wear my "work clothing" out to the social event. (That said, if it's casual enough, I'd simply wear a T shirt) I appreciate variety and while the ghillie shirt isn't traditional (or historically accurate), I will admit that I like the cream-coloured one I wear from time to time. My personal taste would keep me away from white.

Here is where I show my ignorance: while I realise that the ghillie shirt is a modern creation, weren't loose-fitting, collared shirts worn in a great many places in Europe (and colonial America)? In other words, strip the leather cord and metal grommets from the ghillie shirt and would that be -- generally speaking -- more historically accurate?

Just for the craic, I purchased a red shirt from Verillas' interpretation of the ghillie shirt; paired with a black vest, I think I can pull it off for the right situation.

I understand that I'm stepping outside of convention by wearing these shirts.

Happy weekend, folks.
Jonathan