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.

[figheadair]

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.

Richard,

Here are a few more from the 18th century, plus a better one of Lord George Murray's red laces. It's noteworthy that the majority of portraits of the period are, understandably, of gentry and that it is clear that from c.1730 European style buckle shoes (bottom left) were the preferred choice for those that could afford them.

Shoes.jpg

[OC Richard]

Thanks!

I would sure love to see a high-resolution clear image of Lord George Murray's shoes.

They're interesting in two ways, one that he's using red laces, the other that the laces are placed lower than usual.

As we see those 17th and 18th century laced shoes usually fasten right at the top.

With buckled shoes we see some earlier ones with small buckles likewise fastening at the top, but through much of the 18th century they're the classic mid-to-late 18th century style with larger buckles fastening a bit further down, with part of the tongue showing.

I'm still looking for an authentic image of the 16th century moccasin-thing or any image of any pre-Allen Brothers ghillie-thing.

A number of articles/sites that discuss "ancient Highland footwear" show the same Armenian shoe, conveniently failing to mention what it is, implying that it's an old Highland thing.

Another image that crops up was lifted from A Short History of the Scottish Dress by RMD Grange (1967).

It's a fairly crude sketch showing a shoe open down the top, laced, labelled "cuaran".

If any of you have that book, can you share if the author gives the provenance of that sketch?

[figheadair]

Thanks!

I would sure love to see a high-resolution clear image of Lord George Murray's shoes.

They're interesting in two ways, one that he's using red laces, the other that the laces are placed lower than usual.

As we see those 17th and 18th century laced shoes usually fasten right at the top.

With buckled shoes we see some earlier ones with small buckles likewise fastening at the top, but through much of the 18th century they're the classic mid-to-late 18th century style with larger buckles fastening a bit further down, with part of the tongue showing.

I'm still looking for an authentic image of the 16th century moccasin-thing or any image of any pre-Allen Brothers ghillie-thing.

A number of articles/sites that discuss "ancient Highland footwear" show the same Armenian shoe, conveniently failing to mention what it is, implying that it's an old Highland thing.

Another image that crops up was lifted from A Short History of the Scottish Dress by RMD Grange (1967).

It's a fairly crude sketch showing a shoe open down the top, laced, labelled "cuaran".

If any of you have that book, can you share if the author gives the provenance of that sketch?

The Lord George Murray painting is in Blair Castle. I've seen it, it's not that clear.

There is a pair of curran type shoes on display in the NMS, close by the portraits of the Piper and champion to the Laird of Grant, and so worth a look when you are there in the summer. They also have this upper which looks like some of those early ones in portraits.

I don't have a copy of the Grange book. There is no mention of a moccasin type shoe in either McClintock's Old Irish and Highland Dress, not Dunbar's History of Highland Dress.