Freedom in Tradition

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

"The Highland dress is essentially a 'free' dress -- that is to say, a man's taste and circumstances must alone be permitted to decide when and where and how he should wear it... I presume to dictate to no man what he shall eat or drink or wherewithal he shall be clothed."
-- The Hon. Stuart Ruaidri Erskine, The Kilt & How to Wear It, 1901.

Erskine is right, unfortunately he is inevitably mis-interpreted.

Writing as he was at the turn of the last century Erskine (and his readers) knew exactly what to wear and when to wear it. They were also aware of the meaning of that difficult to define word "taste". And most certainly they were well aware that "circumstances", ie: wealth and social standing, dictated "taste". Erskine's message was simply this: a lack of wealth or social standing should not inhibit one from wearing Highland attire.

That said, there is nothing in any of his writings that strays from "the rules" of what one should wear depending on the time of day, where they are, or what they are doing.

Rules, especially as regards dress, simplify life rather than complicate it, and most gentlemen are delighted to live as simply-- and politely-- as possible. The moment "rules" become "general guide lines", the more difficult (or downright confusing) it becomes for a gentleman to know exactly what is expected of him in any given social situation. Given that the "rules"-- at least as regards the wearing of Highland attire-- are far fewer than the rules of golf, it would seem that a gentleman with even the merest modicum of intelligence would be delighted to learn them if for no other reason than he wouldn't have to give much thought to what to wear.

Today, just as in Erskine's time, the noblest virtues are still camraderie, dependability, and unswerving loyalty. The fourth noble virtue is this: A gentleman always plays by "the rules".

[xman]

Rules, especially as regards dress, simplify life rather than complicate it, and most gentlemen are delighted to live as simply-- and politely-- as possible. The moment "rules" become "general guide lines", the more difficult (or downright confusing) it becomes for a gentleman to know exactly what is expected of him in any given social situation. Given that the "rules"-- at least as regards the wearing of Highland attire-- are far fewer than the rules of golf, it would seem that a gentleman with even the merest modicum of intelligence would be delighted to learn them if for no other reason than he wouldn't have to give much thought to what to wear.

Yes, I see. ty

[CMcG]

<snip>
The enemy of creativity is not rules, the enemy of creativity is a willingness to buy the cheaply made and shoddy products that the Highland dress market is currently flooded with.

<snip>
Erskine's message was simply this: a lack of wealth or social standing should not inhibit one from wearing Highland attire.

Thanks to everyone for their thoughtful replies. I think the topic of freedom in THCD is an important one to discuss because focusing only on rules can seem a bit rigid. It's a tradition, not a uniform, right?

If I'm understanding correctly, there is a great amount of individualization in THCD that can occur and much of it is in the details. Between the two quotes I've picked out above, however, I'm sensing a fruitful tension.

For men just getting started with Highland attire, there is a not insignificant investment required. This investment is often thought of in monetary terms but I'm coming to realize that time and knowledge are perhaps more important.

One could go in to a reputable purveyor of Highland attire, spend a large chuck of money, and still come out looking like a cookie-cutter kiltie. Or go to a discount kilt shop and come away with the same look, albeit with inferior quality goods.

In order to really dress creatively, while respecting tradition, requires knowledge of both rules and areas of freedom. It then takes time to find alternatives to the "rented kilt" look that suit one's budget. If one has the coin, they can go for bespoke items and if one is on a more limited budget then maybe second hand or DIY kit might be better.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

In order to really dress creatively, while respecting tradition, requires knowledge of both rules and areas of freedom. If one has the coin, they can go for bespoke items and if one is on a more limited budget then maybe second hand or DIY kit might be better.

I think you have touched on something that, perhaps, explains why the Scots are more intuitive in their approach to Highland attire. It's down to the simple fact that most of us start out by wearing hand-me-downs. This practice is not limited to the socially or economically disadvantaged. For many years Prince Charles wore his grandfather's kilts. Even though he's out grown the kilts, he still wears his grandfather's sporran.

The point I'm making is that when, as a child, one is given something to wear, one simply accepts his fate, suits up, and get's on with life. Eventually when the hand-me-downs are out grown, one tends to replace them with store bought goods of the same cut and style, simply because that is "the look" one is comfortable with. The result of this " kilted recycling" is that one learns, from day one, what to wear and how to wear it.