Alternative clothing

**sharpdressedscot** · 10th June 08, 12:42 PM

Don't forget the sagum, the war cloak. Basically a rectangular piece of cloth fastened at the corners. It's worn over the shoulders and above armor...

I think we're getting a bit off topic.

**Pleater** · 11th June 08, 06:12 AM

Ah now - I wasn't going to mention the saggum as it is Gallic in origin, fastened with a pin or thorn rather than a fibula, and striped.

To put on the saggum meant to go to war.

On Trajan's column there are almost 70 soldiers wearing the saggum, most of the other cloaked soldiers are wearing the paenula.

Comfortable practical clothing is never absolutely out of fashion, and impractical fashions soon vanish, or are only seen on certain rare occasions.

**Coinneach** · 11th June 08, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by TheBlueCow

So, I wanted to ask you, my fellow kilties; What other possibly alternative clothing items do you wear? What do you wear that provides either more comfort, freedom, or practicality (or any other good reason to wear something you can come up with)?

Oddly enough, jeans. I know, they're not really alternative, except when they're not the norm. A few years ago, I was managing marketing communications and advertising for our division. Lots of people in suits and slacks. I tried it for about two weeks but finally just started wearing jeans with my shirt and tie. I actually had an agency Ad Exec come up to me and tell me how much everyone appreciated that I wore jeans.

They were more comfortable than slacks. Slacks made me feel like I was in drag; they weren't normal for me and were never going to be. So I stopped pretending and went back to being myself.

**thoth51** · 11th June 08, 08:00 AM

Hey Bluecow, let me know how the fivefingers turn out ok?

I used to be a bit of a quirky dresser to my friends. I had a Tibetan shirt like this, but in black:

and a plain white Indian long shirt:

I still wear my Chinese jacket sometimes, like at my buddy's wedding:

Just when my friends think I'm finally starting to dress 'normal', I go and discover the kilt :-)

**sharpdressedscot** · 11th June 08, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by Pleater

Ah now - I wasn't going to mention the saggum as it is Gallic in origin, fastened with a pin or thorn rather than a fibula, and striped.

To put on the saggum meant to go to war.

On Trajan's column there are almost 70 soldiers wearing the saggum, most of the other cloaked soldiers are wearing the paenula.

Comfortable practical clothing is never absolutely out of fashion, and impractical fashions soon vanish, or are only seen on certain rare occasions.

The paenula? Is that the bigger one?

**Pleater** · 11th June 08, 09:44 AM

Should I call the class to order yet?

The paenula is probably Etruscan from maybe the 4th century BC, and is a hooded bell shaped weatherproof garment of leather or wool - presumably with the lanolin in or felted. It was fairly ubiquitous being worn by civilian and military alike.

Despite attempts to ban it, it eventually replaced the toga, though it gradually evolved into a more poncho like garment, being lengthened and becoming the casula, from which came the name cagoulle and the garment which is the liturgical chasuble.

**TheBlueCow** · 11th June 08, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by thoth51

Hey Bluecow, let me know how the fivefingers turn out ok?

I just posted a review about them here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/v...024/index.html

It's a long review so i figured it should get it's own topic. The short story is that I like them and am fairly happy with my purchase :mrgreen:.

**TheBlueCow** · 11th June 08, 08:41 PM

I had been looking online a while ago at what someone was calling a "knights tunic", which I'm not sure if it is an accurate phrase or not, but the idea interested me. It's like an extra long tee shirt, sleeves down to around the elbows, and the hem to about the mid thigh. You would wear your belt over it. It had a decoration around the neck line that I liked (a basic a never-ending pattern, like on some Celtic rings you see.)

I've been toying around with the idea recently, of taking some older garment designs (it seems I like things from medieval times), such as the "knights tunic" I mentioned, and maybe the Jacobite shirts, and just giving them a modern update.