To all you Highlanders

[gun plumber]

Quick Question-Can canvas spats be streached in any way?I am getting married in 3 days and have all my highland kit,but the spats I have are 1 size to small.The proper size are coming,but if they make it before the wedding is another story.If there is a way to streach them with hot water or something I'd be thankful

 

[boothrat]

Spats are the size that they come, unfortunately this is almost always about 3 sizes to small. If they're just a bit tight you can use the hook on a wire coat hanger to pull them closed (hopefully you have buttons and velcro, just velcro won't hold up under the pressure). Option 2 is probably your best bet, throw your issued spats into your deepest darkest closet and go to a Highland clothes shop and pick up a pair of nice shiny white ones that fit you.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Move the buttons (ie resew them on) if possible.   Canvas tends to shrink rather than stretch...take them to a shoemaker if possible, they sometimes have canvas stretching stuff...

You shouldn't need spats for a wedding, in any event. Get some nice Lovat Hose in white or green or a complementary colour to the kilt and a decent pair of shoes.   You can always use the shoes with civvie clothing; not so with spats...

I am presuming you are getting married in civilian dress and not in uniform.

 

[gun plumber]

I already have walking out dress(hose,shoes and leather sporran)but my wife wants me in spats,hose tops and hair sporran.She bought these items as a wedding\christmas gift for me and will scream murder if I never wear them.If my spats don't show up,I'll have to go in hose and shoes anyways.
she shoul've bought me a dress sporran rather than horsehair......

 

[48Highlander]

just go buy a pair.  they'll run you about $15 which I'm guessing is the cheapest part of your wedding

 

[gun plumber]

The ones I picked up(unfortunatly I'm not in NS anymore)were 45 bucks a pair!I've got a pair already on order that he's willing to swap for,but the holidays have screwed up delivery a bit.Still,at 45 bucks a pair,they are the cheapest part of the wedding!
Don't even ask how much my Prince Charlie jacket costs

 

[Scott]

Where'd you get them in NS? I'd like to know why they charged so much.

On the old TCH near Pictou turnoff is the best Highland store I have ever been to and always reasonable. If ever we wanted something extra for our kit for a special occasion we always went there. I know it doesn't help you no, just for future thought.

 

[jmackenzie_15]

you were issued highland kit that didnt fit properly!? imagine  :

I had the same problem, I tried to stretch them, i think its almost impossible.Theyd probobly rip first, your best bet is to just buy some from somewhere... theres gotta be a store in the province somewhere that sells those things =p

Are you allowed to order things from wherever the CF gets it from? I doubt youd get it done in 3 days though ... ebay?

 

[gun plumber]

All of my highland kit is my own.I was not issued this as a uniform.It is all my own tartan and the like.In NS I used to shop at LM highland outfitters and what I actually ment was that they are considerably cheaper than what I'm paying now.The only place that sells highland kit is in Edmonton and he gets it all from Ontario.

 

[Scott]

Seen. I couldn't understand how you got ripped off in NS unless you were in one of the touristy shops in Halifax. I ahven't ever looked into Highland kit costs for the west but I would imagine that they could be considerable.

 

[brin11]

gun plumber,

Stop eating! 

Seriously, if you need a set I'll pick them up and overnight them to you from sunny..I mean snowy NS.  Hope the wedding goes well.

 

[gun plumber]

Thanks for the offer Brin,but I've decided to go in hose and shoes if they don't arrive(gives me an excuse to go buy a set of guillie brouges ;D)I'm also still keeping the hope alive that they'll arrive but not going to cancel the wedding if they don't.Adapt and overcome.
Now if I can just figure out where I put the rings.................

 

[Scott]

The Kilt DOES NOT have pockets, son............ ;D :

 

[the 48th regulator]

The Kilt DOES NOT have pockets, son............ ;D :

Sorry not true, some of ours did have one sewn on the inside of the front of the kilt.  Very handy if you wore the Horsehair sporn (the pocket on those was like a little change wallet),  Or if in the leather sporn, the flask took too much room for anything else!

dileas

tess

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Sorry not true, some of ours did have one sewn on the inside of the front of the kilt.  Very handy if you wore the Horsehair sporn (the pocket on those was like a little change wallet),  Or if in the leather sporn, the flask took too much room for anything else!

dileas

tess

Yup, we do the same thing here.  I was surprised when I got mine issued and found a pocket sewn to the inner front panel.  Surpriesed that it was there, and then surprised that I had been in the Highlanders for 10+ years and never seen one before; it's a hell of an idea...

 

[gun plumber]

The kilt I was issued many moons ago when I was in the cadet pipes and drums had a pocket in it as well.Now my personal kilt has no pocket.It could be a aftermarket mod they do.
Just another question to all:In the military order of dress,hair sporran is not to be worn with out spats,hose tops and such.I've been to websites from scotland that show the hair sporran worn with hose and shoes.What is your opinion of wearing a hair sporran with "walking out"dress?

 

[Scott]

Damn budget restricted NSH, why couldn't I have pockets, thanks for clearing that one up for me guys! It does make sense to have one for all of the reasons Tess pointed out.

Flask, Tess, is that a priority piece of kit now? ;D

 

[Michael Dorosh]

The kilt I was issued many moons ago when I was in the cadet pipes and drums had a pocket in it as well.Now my personal kilt has no pocket.It could be a aftermarket mod they do.
Just another question to all:In the military order of dress,hair sporran is not to be worn with out spats,hose tops and such.I've been to websites from scotland that show the hair sporran worn with hose and shoes.What is your opinion of wearing a hair sporran with "walking out"dress?

Don't mix civilian dress with military dress; there are no "dress regulations" for Highland dress on civvie street.

Small sealskin or other "furry' sporrans are appropriate with hose; full horsehair sporrans are generally considered military dress rather than appropriate civilian dress, and either way almost never worn without spats.

I've never actually heard of anyone wearing spats with a Prince Charlie jacket to be honest...

 

[the 48th regulator]

I actually wore the hair sporn with my patrol blues and hose tops, no spats for my wedding and as well as my buddies. At another wedding we wore the full spats)

It actually looked very sharp, either way.

tess

(I will scan some pics of the various weddings, with and without spats.)

cheers

 

[brin11]

gun plumber,

How did the wedding go?