Freedom in Tradition

[fluter]

Ah, the old stereotype...those who only wear their kilts for "special occasions" ...

Ah, but first, he said:

... it's easy to spot the guys who are truly comfortable in a kilt--comfortable enough to "do their own thing".

Somehow, Todd, I think we'll "spot" you among them. Otherwise, we are in agreement about stereotypes.

[CMcG]

<snip>
We are dealing with something we might term Dinna Ken wha' or as our friend Robert calls it Je ne Sais Quoi....

That is to say, there ARE obvious things one can change to make one's dress individual, but the better part is in subtlety and style. Sure, you can wear a red doublet or a tartan waistcoat where others wear black, but the style that distinguishes need not be obvious....

...And what is so hard to put one's finger on is good tailoring, careful fitting, distinctive fabrics and the patina of age and quality. Look for the man who looks better than everybody else, even if he is dressed "the same" as everybody else.

While I agree that the subtle nuances of good tailoring and confidence are always important, I'm thinking of freedom more in terms of exploring the limits of tradition. Rather than looking the same but doing it better, how much room is there to look different?

Can we try to explore some examples? As always, pictures are most welcome

Let's imagine one has something like a really unique, "loud," or interesting sporran. Would it be better to build an equally idiosyncratic outfit around it or play it more conservative to let the sporran shine?

What about perspective? Is it possible to build an outfit that at a distance would have a standard sort of appearance but up close would reveal a wealth of individualized details? Would it be enough to make one look the same as a rented outfit in a line up but deeply different standing face-to-face and comparing the rental vs. individualist?

How far can one go? Is there anyone who is recognized as being a maverick of Highland attire, while also remaining traditional?

<snip>
Similarly, many of us can't afford to buy brand new, even off the rack brand new. A virtue of the necessity of cobbling together is the style that emerges from the process of tinkering and modifying and altering. I'd like to think that comes from paying attention, instead of just paying a lot of money.

That remark resembles me!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

While I agree that the subtle nuances of good tailoring and confidence are always important, I'm thinking of freedom more in terms of exploring the limits of tradition. Rather than looking the same but doing it better, how much room is there to look different?

The danger of looking too different is that in doing so one can easily (and inadvertently) step over the line into parody.

Let's imagine one has something like a really unique, "loud," or interesting sporran. Would it be better to build an equally idiosyncratic outfit around it or play it more conservative to let the sporran shine?

The essence of being well dressed is that no single item of one's attire should "stand out" from the rest of the outfit. That being the case, one should have probably avoided buying the "loud or interesting" sporran in the first place. But suppose it is a family heirloom, a sporran made from the mane of a lion shot by Uncle Bulgaria whilst on safari in 1929, the cantle set with goose-egg sized moonstones? Well, in that instance one relegates the sporran to evening dress only and dresses as conservatively as possible (although a red waistcoat may help to divert some of the attention away from "Leo the Sporran"). And if asked about the sporran (and one will be asked) be prepared to have a damn good story to go with it!

What about perspective? Is it possible to build an outfit that at a distance would have a standard sort of appearance but up close would reveal a wealth of individualized details?

Of course. It's the details-- custom buttons, velvet trim to the collar, grosgrain silk lapels can all add individuality to ones attire. The key word is subtlety, which is the hallmark of being well dressed.

Would it be enough to make one look the same as a rented outfit in a line up but deeply different standing face-to-face and comparing the rental vs. individualist?

Certainly. It's the details that make the difference.

How far can one go? Is there anyone who is recognized as being a maverick of Highland attire, while also remaining traditional?

Well, "maverick" may not be quite the word, but both David Pope and Sandford MacLean dress with individual style (indeed, one could say with a great deal of flair) without transgressing the boundaries of traditional Highland attire. And with a little forethought, anyone can do the same.

[Zardoz]

As always, pictures are most welcome

Indeed! Some photos in would certainly help back up the usual supects authoritarian statements and sycophantic agreement!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Indeed! Some photos in would certainly help back up the usual supects authoritarian statements and sycophantic agreement!

34 posts, and your non-authoritarian contribution to this thread is?... a request for photos.

Okay. As soon as I can I'll post photos of Uncle Bulgaria's lion mane sporran. Mean time, you might want to scroll through the thread and look at some of the photos posted by the sycophantic usual suspects...

[Bugbear]

You guys are jurking my emotions around with this "buzz-word-ism" business. I need to get it out of my head, so:
From Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. (Random House Reference, CD-ROM V3.0, 1999).

authoritarian:

1. favoring complete obedience or subjection to authority as opposed to individual freedom: authoritarian principles; authoritarian attitudes.
2. of or pertaining to a governmental or political system, principle, or practice in which individual freedom is held as completely subordinate to the power or authority of the state, centered either in one person or a small group that is not constitutionally accountable to the people.
3. exercising complete or almost complete control over the will of another or of others: an authoritarian parent.
–n.
4. a person who favors or acts according to authoritarian principles.

I'll try to shut up now.

[MacLowlife]

[IMG] http://picasaweb.google.com/MacLowli...09465037374050 [/IMG]

Please note the slippage of the kilt, revealing white shirt front beneath the waistcoat...Sheriffmuirish doublet... kilt is Dress Stewart, red hose, med blue flashes. Tie is is the family cricket team- The Lowlife Disreputables

I did I did I did post the link, with image tags on each end, no idea why this cloud follows me, but here is the link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/MacLowli...09465037374050

[Bugbear]

Please note the slippage of the kilt, revealing white shirt front beneath the waistcoat...Sheriffmuirish doublet... kilt is Dress Stewart, red hose, med blue flashes. Tie is is the family cricket team- The Lowlife Disreputables

I did I did I did post the link, with image tags on each end, no idea why this cloud follows me, but here is the link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/MacLowli...09465037374050

I'm not sure what happened there, MacLowlife, except that maybe you had spaces before and after the address, so the VB software inserted URL tags.

I have to work with HTML code a lot and getting everything perfect can be a headache...

Yep, looks like you had spaces. The IMG tags have to be right against the address with no spaces or the forum will insert URL tags around the address.

[CMcG]

[IMG] http://picasaweb.google.com/MacLowli...09465037374050 [/IMG]

Please note the slippage of the kilt, revealing white shirt front beneath the waistcoat...Sheriffmuirish doublet... kilt is Dress Stewart, red hose, med blue flashes. Tie is is the family cricket team- The Lowlife Disreputables

I did I did I did post the link, with image tags on each end, no idea why this cloud follows me, but here is the link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/MacLowli...09465037374050

Thanks MacLL. An image usually ends in .jpg or .jpeg so I clicked on your link, then right clicked on the image and selected "open image in new window." From there I was able to copy the URL of just the image, without the whole picasa web page

Nice doublet! I wish we could see more of it but perhaps you could describe it?

[MacLowlife]

Thanks again to those who help this html-crippled image poster get it right. I will try again soon.
Meanwhile, the doublet: black, made in Scotland by Clan Crois, according to the label...I got it from somebody on eBay- a retail seller who called it something other than Sheriffmuir, but that is what it is, more or less. The buttons are round chrome. It has no pockets at all, inside or out, but has tashes all around., gauntlet-bucket cuffs, and self-piping on the tashes. There is no provision for fastening (i.e., no buttonholes for all of those buttons), which makes the Lowlife tum look acceptable, even expected. The vest comes from the good offices of our own NorCal Piper Josh. It matches my red PC because it was made to go with it...

Now I will go back to lurking and learning from my betters...