HIGHLAND WEAR

Ghillie Shirt

Intro: Ghillie Shirts are fun and alternative. They offer a casual look without sacrificing tradition and are a perfect option for a mid-summers Wedding. Whilst they can be worn throughout the whole day, an option for those grooms whose Wedding starts early and runs into the wee small hours is have the male members of the Wedding Party wear a Prince Charlie or Argyll jacket for the service and day reception then slip into a Ghillie shirt for the evening element.

The Look: The Ghillie shirt features an open collar and is slipped on over the head. No buttons are present on the shirt, but instead a drawstring collar (traditionally a leather drawstring although typically available with a white or black cord) is present. The cord feeds through three eyelets on either side and crosses over before trailing down towards the mid-rift. Available from most outfitters in white, black and other coloured shirts can also be found if you shop around.

Essential Extras: The Ghillie shirt is worn with a kilt (again in any tartan, although you may wish to observe tradition) although no neckpiece is worn. For those wishing to head down the quintessential route, that is pretty much it for the finishing touches, although there are a couple of options if you want to add to the look. Lowlander waistcoats (a straight cut waistcoat that is worn open and features epaulets and two silver buttons just above the hem), Jacobite waistcoats (a straight cut waistcoat that juts back towards the hip before extending downwards covering the pockets, worn open, with 3/4/5 silver buttons and elongated shoulders which extend outwards), and Clansman Jackets (an sleeved version of the Jacobite waistcoat that also features a short upturned collar) are hard to track down but make the look a little more formal and perhaps even a little more authentic.

Finishing Touches: As with all the outfits mentioned in this article, a sporran, hose, belt, skean dhu, kilt pin and flashes are sound choices for accessories. Whilst plain shoes can be worn, ghille brogues finish the look off much better.

If nothing here has taken your fancy, or if you want to make sure that you have all the bases covered before making the final decision, check out the articles entitled ‘Morning Wear’ and ‘Evening Wear’ – hope you find what you’re looking for!