Need advice: run in with Kilt (feather?) Police

[Jock Scot]

As an armiger I feel able to respond to this thread, albeit a little late.

I do tend to object to people, whether American, Scottish or other, trying to imitate a clan chief or armiger by wearing long feathers in their bonnet, whilst wearing the kilt. I question why a long feather has been chosen as opposed to any other accroutement/decoration. I suggest that it is to imitate a clan chief/armiger. And that does offend me.

Feathers of about 2-3" tall are excluded from my comments here. These are pure decoration and would not be confused with an eagle feather. A tall pheasant feather, for example, would, certainly at a small distance, look like an eagle feather. Certainly in Scotland this would be taken as the badge of an armiger, and one would presume that the wearer was entitled to wear it. This is not the practice in other countries. However, if one is going to wear the Scottish traditional dress some thought and consideration for the protocols of Scotland would be expected. Indeed it would be discourteous not to do so.

I hope this does not sound too strong but I did suggest in another thread started by JockScot (I think) I said that I would no longer sit quietly when things need saying.

You did indeed and thank you.

[macwilkin]

As an armiger I feel able to respond to this thread, albeit a little late.

I do tend to object to people, whether American, Scottish or other, trying to imitate a clan chief or armiger by wearing long feathers in their bonnet, whilst wearing the kilt. I question why a long feather has been chosen as opposed to any other accroutement/decoration. I suggest that it is to imitate a clan chief/armiger. And that does offend me.

Feathers of about 2-3" tall are excluded from my comments here. These are pure decoration and would not be confused with an eagle feather. A tall pheasant feather, for example, would, certainly at a small distance, look like an eagle feather. Certainly in Scotland this would be taken as the badge of an armiger, and one would presume that the wearer was entitled to wear it. This is not the practice in other countries. However, if one is going to wear the Scottish traditional dress some thought and consideration for the protocols of Scotland would be expected. Indeed it would be discourteous not to do so.

I hope this does not sound too strong but I did suggest in another thread started by JockScot (I think) I said that I would no longer sit quietly when things need saying.

Well said. As an American, I value the right of private property, and a coat-of-arms in Scottish heraldic custom belong to an individual, so I have nothing but respect for armigers and their right to their heraldic devices.

Regards,

Todd

[O'Callaghan]

I think there's a risk of conflating two different things. It's quite possible to dress however you want and yet still have enough sense not to wear things that are 'reserved' to someone or other. Of course, there is no law concerning the feathers in your hat, but if you wear something that looks like you are pretending to be a chief or WHY, then it is not only discourteous, but it makes you look like a fool.

OTOH, it was established early on in the thread that the OP's feathers were too short to be taken for the chief's feathers by anyone who really knew what they were talking about, and yet the thread still goes on.

I suppose I am saying that I see no real need to look like a facsimile of a highlander, but at the same time I wouldn't even wear someone else's tartan, personally speaking, let alone adopt any more specific symbols that would indicate I'm someone that I'm not. Of course, some would say that wearing the kilt is trying to look like a highlander, but so many others have done so in the last 200 years that I would never go that far.

[bjproc]

Over here in Scotland the Tartan Army,(Scotland Soccer Supporters) wear pheasant feathers in their Glengarries and very good it looks too, maybe a wee nod to our highland roots!!

thats right, i nearly had my eye out loads of times at the holland game

[beloitpiper]

In my neighborhood, we have a flock of about 15-20 turkeys wandering around, and thus their feathers are littered all over the place. I agree with acaig that, even though these are not eagle feathers, these would be in bad taste to wear.

[Monkey@Arms]

Geez, this thread has got me thinking I should stick one of these in my flat cap and declare that I'm the chief of Clan (Scarlet) MacAw.



Best regards,

Jake

[Tony Miles]

Geez, this thread has got me thinking I should stick one of these in my flat cap and declare that I'm the chief of Clan (Scarlet) MacAw.



Best regards,

Jake

Are you thinking a couple of feathers or the whole bird

[Tartan Hiker]

In my neighborhood, we have a flock of about 15-20 turkeys wandering around, and thus their feathers are littered all over the place. I agree with acaig that, even though these are not eagle feathers, these would be in bad taste to wear.

Great. Send them to me and I'll turn them into arrow fletching!

[Bigkahuna]

Three ostritch feathers make up the Prince of Wales crest. Try wearing those in your hat sometime.

[JSFMACLJR]

Three ostritch feathers make up the Prince of Wales crest. Try wearing those in your hat sometime.

Actually, this is not the crest of the Prince of Wales--a common mistake. The three feathers is a badge.

In Scotland, the Prince of Wales, who is styled the Duke of Rothesay, uses for a crest: a lion sejant affronté Gules armed and langued Azure, Royally crowned Proper holding in his dexter paw a sword and in his sinister a sceptre, both Proper

In the rest of the United Kingdom, he bears the Royal Crest as well, differenced with a label: Upon the Royal helm the imperial crown Proper, thereon a lion statant gardant Or crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales, bearing a label of three points Argent for difference