Ghillie brogues - why the dislike and resentment..?

[OC Richard]

So I just looked over a pile of images in books and online looking for any Ghillie-like thing.

Many of the images are unclear as to the style of footwear.

When the shoes can be seen well enough to tell what they are, the vast majority of the men (or boys) in kilts (or trews) are wearing shoes that either lace or buckle like ordinary shoes of that period.

I couldn't find a clearer image of the c1750 shoes, but they're clear enough to see that they're closed shoes laced at the top with red laces.

When the shoes can be seen clearly there's no opening nor seam down the front top. They lace, or are buckled, at or near the top, in contrast to modern trainers that lace down the front.

There are two fascinating outliers, shoes with flaps over the top, hiding from us what's going on underneath.

(What we don't see are Outlander knee-high cavalry boots!)

Hopefully I'll be able to see most of these portraits in person this August.