"Nice Sporran"

**xman** · 3rd July 10, 10:50 PM

I was out with my son for Canada Day which happens to coincide with International Tartan Day so of course we had two good reasons to be kilted beyond the normal good reasons and many great comments were uttered by revelers amongst themselves about his excellent attire, some of them even passed our way, but one stood out and has been perplexing me a little. One gent with a smile of admiration, an approving nod and I think I even detected a hint of a Scots accent seemed to support us with, "Nice sporran". Now I was just wearing my Buzz Kidder day sporran and my son a cheap Asian day sporran himself so I doubt he really admired that. I'm assuming this is Highland code for, "Nice kilt" without saying, "Nice kilt", because it's too close to, "Nice skirt" which might possibly be interpreted as a slight, or worse still, a come on. Am I right about this? Can someone please explain how or why this is used or how it came to be used? Was this an odd comment to hear?

X

**Colin MacBean** · 3rd July 10, 11:15 PM

I think the sporran has a very strong unconscious connection to one's jewels. Whose is better, bigger etc. So as far as uncomfortableness goes I think it would be far better to say nice kilt instead of sporran. Most likely though he wanted to be more original as most know what a kilt is.

**xman** · 3rd July 10, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by Colin MacBean

I think the sporran has a very strong unconscious connection to one's jewels.

This is part of the curiousness.

**Bugbear** · 3rd July 10, 11:56 PM

No one's ever said that to me!

Oh wait, someone did say that about my bunny sporran.

**Whidbey78** · 4th July 10, 01:05 AM

That's very odd. I'm thinking he was trying to be original or comment on something that maybe nobody else had that day, and of course men usually don't say "Oh my God! Those shoes are absolutely fabulous!" On the other hand, maybe he didn't like and said it out of sarcasm.

**Jock Scot** · 4th July 10, 02:06 AM

I find these sorts of comments rather strange. Why say anything? In Scotland, certainly in the Highlands, no one would say anything at all about one's attire, no matter how well or dreadful it may look. That does not mean that the odd thought might not cross the Highlanders mind though! What a shame you chaps have to put up with all this nonsense.

**Bugbear** · 4th July 10, 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

I find these sorts of comments rather strange. Why say anything? In Scotland, certainly in the Highlands, no one would say anything at all about one's attire, no matter how well or dreadful it may look. That does not mean that the odd thought might cross the Highlanders mind though! What a shame you chaps have to put up with all this nonsense.

I was just remembering all the times I was beaten up in school for wearing the wrong shoes, or the wrong shirt, or having the wrong hair style.

Then later in life all the griping and complaining about other people's clothes that goes on behind backs... The wrong colors together and so on.

Guess that's the way we are, Jock.

**OC Richard** · 4th July 10, 05:09 AM

I have received the "nice sporran" comment quite a bit recently, because I'm wearing an unusually ornate Edwardian cantle with a long goathair sporran these days:

Interesting that at Highland Games, where loads of people are kilted, I get the "nice sporran" comment, but yesterday at the LA Anime Expo it was always "nice kilts!"

(yes I know I shouldn't be wearing that sporran with Day Dress but I don't have any sort of Day sporran at this time...)

**RockyR** · 4th July 10, 05:15 AM

Many people just like to use words they don't often get to use. By saying "Nice Sporran" (to your admitedly rather plain day sporran), what he was really saying, IMHO, was "I know what a sporran is".

I'm not trying to put the guy down or put down your sporran (heck, we SELL BK Rob Roy sporrans and I own one)... that's just the drift I get when people say those kinds of comments to me (which I get fairly often). They're just proud that they get to show of their knowledge to a complete stranger.

Also... that's not to say that I haven't received a "nice sporran" comment when I WAS wearing a nice or an unusual sporran. I get the comment even when I wear plain dress ones like you and the above are my thoughts on the comment maker.