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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 1999-02 > 0917978812


From: "LAMBERT-HAMID, LINDA" <>
Subject: RE: Scottish Gent's Apparel
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 10:06:52 -0800


Hi John,

OH MY! You must be quite a beautiful sight when all decked
out! And I'll bet you give those dancing gillies quite a
workout.



-----Original Message-----
From: John Giacoletti [mailto:]
Sent: Monday, February 01, 1999 5:51 PM
To:
Subject: Scottish Gent's Apparel

Message text written by John Carpenter
>I'd love to see that sash, John, but I have a
question. After asking someone not long ago what a
PA or Prince Albert is, I almost hesitate....but what
is a Prince Charlie?
<

Dear John,

I sent the sash to Scotland to a Glasgow address in c/o of Dr. Stewart
Ross, the wob of S-I renown.

I don't know what a PA, Prince Albert is, either. Can of tobacco? A beard
and moustache?

A Prince Charlie ... just purchased my first. I had previously worn a
black Argyll barathea jacket, which I would compare to a sport coat. It
has gauntlet cuffs, silver buttons on the cuffs, military epaulet straps on
each shoulder and a silver button. The side pocket flaps have 3 silver
buttons each. The coat is worn open and not buttoned so as to show one's
belt buckle and sporan purse. Since the barathea is black it can properly
be worn for evening events with a tux shirt, bow tie or jabot.

A Prince Charlie is more formal, more military, more expensive. It is worn
over a light black wool vest. It is likewise worn unbuttoned so as to
reveal the fancy silver of the kilt belt buckle and splendor of one's
sporen. Evening sporens are often white seal fur or ermine and have
equisite silver fobs and trim. The cut of the Prince Charlie is more
military than the barathea. The shoulder straps are braided. There are
abbreviated tails to signify to the formal nature of the coat and the tails
are accentuated by silver buttons.

Let's count. The Argyll costs $269.00 A Prince Charlie goes for $369.00.
A decent kilt goes for $398.00. Kilt belts are $70.00. Gillie brogans go
for $125.00. Kilt hose cost aout $26.00; flashes are $14.50. A skean dhu,
a decent one will be about $72.50 but you can get custom ones for twice
that amount. Your formal shirt will go for $50.00, and the nice onyx cuff
links and studs will nick you a mere $110.00 or so. A decent, fancy
sporan will be at least $198.00 and the chain belt, $18.50. Then you have
to have a comletely different outfit for day wear. Some gentlemen choose
to wear a balmoral, maybe $68.00. Once you finish off with a sterling
silver kilt pin, $75.00, and a gold ring with an Iona blood stone $650.00,
we're beginning to talk real money.

Since I do Scottish Country Dancing I wear my kilt at least once a week and
go formal probably at least once a month, more in "season" when all the
larger groups celebrate with balls and workshop festivities. I get by with
two kilts, two belts, 3 sprorans, about 5 pairs of hose, 3 tux shirts, and
two pairs of dancing gillies ['bout $50.00 a pair]. in addition to the
gillie brogans. I'm not a hat man, but I have a custom made dirk, and a
fine two-handed 5' claymore, an awesome 7 lb. weapon for ceremonial
purposes. Quality merchandise will last many years and one builds and
accumulates a wardrobe over a period of years, not all at once.



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