Best brogues for the best price?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I'll play devil's advocate here

While Docs aren't part of formal THCD, they could work well for less traditional formal wear, kilted or otherwise. Depending on one's social circle, an Airwair sole can be much better (and safer) for dancing then a daintier, leather sole.

Besides, Doc Marten's come in many varieties, beyond those favoured by your local punk:

Fortunately CMcG is now back on his medications...

These shoes may be fine for wandering around your local Scottish Games with a dazed, "I've been coshed on the noggin" look, or when pumping gas (petrol to us refined types) down at the local 7-11, but they are strictly OUTDOOR CASUAL shoes.

Here's why:

Take a look at the very thick commando soles (okay, if you are out with the lads and want to go commando, these are the shoes to wear). Aside from packing up with dog poo, rocks, mud, and even more canine crap to drag into the house, they are totally unsuited to dancing. (Unless of course your idea of dancing involves stomping to the beat of a tom-tom or the deafening blare of technocrap in mosh pit, in which case you can stop reading now.) Dancing is one of the hallmarks of a civilized gentleman, especially when kilted. On the dance floor these shoes would display all of the grace and elegance of a hippopotamus on a muddy river bank.

And why is that? Simple. The soles would stick, rather than glide, on the dance floor. Yes, dancing is all about "tripping the light fantastic", not stumbling about the dance floor like a drunken sailor mauling a taxi dancer. Ruth Ettings fans will know that I mean.

And besides, to quote O.J. Simpson-- "Those are ugly-*** shoes..."

Need one say more?