Women in Highland regiments?

[SlackerDrummer]

From another thread, but off topic:

Women wearing the kilt in a pipe band happens and for the sake of uniformity it is accepted practice, but how much nicer is the look of a lady band member who is dressed in a tartan skirt, wearing tights, instead of the unflattering bulky kilt hose, and light but sensible, female type shoes.

I have long thought that women in pipe bands ought to wear tartan skirts along women's blouses, cross ties (or similar) to match the men's long ties, and women's jackets. What I am not sure of, though, is footwear. Most pipe bands perform and compete in the middle of fields. Obviously heels wouldn't be very practical, but I suppose there are flats or other options, but it might be hard to maintain a uniform appearance. As to the overall aspect of uniformity, I think it is irrelevant. Women in the armed forces have had similar but different uniforms from the men since there have been women in the military. But that brings up a question specifically relating to the kilt. Are there women in the Highland regiments? If so, what do they wear? I think I've seen some women in the pipe bands, but there they do the same as civilian women in pipe bands and wear what the men wear. What about their regular dress uniforms?

[JohntheBiker]

According to Wikipedia, women in Highland Regiments in Canada (reserves) have been wearing the kilt since the 1990's.

[Peter Lowe]

I am no expert. All I can relate is my memory of being in my University OTC (Officers Training Corps) over forty years ago. The ladies wore tartan skirts. I cannot recall the precise details of their uniform. Peter

[isisfan]

As an Army Band veteran, I can shed light on actual U.S. military uniform dress. On the parade field, pass and review, etc., women perform in battle dress uniforms, or dress slacks, jackets, and blouses. We only wear skirts to play instruments on stage, as marching in heels was impractical/impossible. I think that pipe bands are spot on in their uniforms- they look sharp.

[OC Richard]

The question was about Highland regiments (not about the US military) and I've not seen women in the Highland regiments of Scotland, the exception being people such as female officers of the Adjutant General's Corps attached to Highland battalions.

They didn't wear a kilt, but a female skirt of regimental tartan.

I've seen women in various British regimental bands (brass bands) wearing the exact uniform as the men, but I haven't yet seen a woman in a Scottish military pipe band. (The time is probably soon coming, if not already here.)

To go offtopic into the dress of women in US military bands, I recently saw a US Marine Corps band performing in Dress Blues, and I noticed that the female musicians were wearing the same "cover" (hat) as the men, instead of the odd hat that US Marine women normally wear with Dress Blues. I asked a couple of the women about it and they said that it varied from band to band, and in their particular band the decision was made to have the entire band wear the same hat for uniformity's sake. Then I asked them about their Dress Blues jackets, which had open collars unlike the standup collars of the men's jackets. They told me that women within the Corps were pushing to have the same style of jacket as the men, that it was probably coming soon, but nobody knows when. Likewise a female sailor told be that there was a push within the US Navy to have women issued the same "crackerjack" uniform as the men and that this, too, was probably coming soon.

[MacSpadger]

.............I've not seen women in the Highland regiments of Scotland

My youngest daughter is in the Argyll And Sutherland Highlanders ACF Battalion and wears pretty much the same as the guys in the field. Shame in these times we have to pay for her boots, but there you go.
The Argyll And Sutherland Highlanders ACF Batt. female pipers also wear the same uniform as the guys, as do the Black Watch Battalion ACF Pipes & Drums, tunic, kilt, sporran, hose, etc, etc. I've seen them often enough!

[JohntheBiker]

Most of the military pipes and drums in Canada are attached to reserve highland regiments, can include civilian musicians as well, definitely include women, and both males and females wear the same uniforms.

[tundramanq]

OCR the gals in crackerjacks? with the same 13 chances to say no... had to!

[Chas]

My youngest daughter is in the Argyll And Sutherland Highlanders ACF Battalion and wears pretty much the same as the guys in the field. Shame in these times we have to pay for her boots, but there you go.
The Argyll And Sutherland Highlanders ACF Batt. female pipers also wear the same uniform as the guys, as do the Black Watch Battalion ACF Pipes & Drums, tunic, kilt, sporran, hose, etc, etc. I've seen them often enough!

For North American members it should be made clear that the ACF is in fact the Army Cadet Force, which is a British youth organisation that offers training and experience around a military training theme including adventurous training, at the same time as promoting achievement, discipline, and good citizenship, to boys and girls aged 12 to 18.9 years. Although sponsored by the Ministry of Defence the ACF is not a branch of the British Armed Forces, and as such cadets are not subject to military 'call up'.

Regards

Chas

[Glen]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/armedfo...nd/3662727812/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/armedfo...nd/3662722956/


Having a bit of problems getting these pictures to post from flickr...