The guest of honour at the Braemar Highland games for the last 70 years was the late Queen Elizabeth II and more recently her son King Charles III.
The Queen always dressed formally in a bright outfit or dress in a bold colour, usually with a hat and pearls. She loved the games and always looked engaged and happy when she attended.
Kind Charles loves his kilts and seems to wear one at every opportunity. At the games wearing his kilt is de rigueur, while Queen Camilla favours a toned-down version of the Queens look with paler colours, often tweed and has been spotted with a jaunty pheasants’ feather in her hat.
Bearing in mind the games take place on the first Saturday of September when the weather is often quite warm, what do us mortals wear?
There is no official dress code at the games, but many people like to show off their Scottish heritage.
There are a sprinkling of women wearingtartan skirts and of course many men wearing atartan kilt or a modernutility kilt.
The athletes who compete and the dancers and bands performing all wear kilts andtartan kilt skirts.
One of the favourite games is tossing the Caber. It is awe inspiring to see a huge muscular Scotsman in hiskilt and vest, muscles bulging and covered in sweat tossing a huge pole usually weighing over a hundred pounds and sometimes up to a hundred and fifty pounds.
The tug of war is another favourite which has two teams all wearing kilt desperate to win, being cheered on by their very vocal supporters, eyes popping and muscles straining as they struggle to drag their opponents across the line.
There are gentler competitions too, like the pipe bands competing in their traditionaloutfits with pipes calling and drums thundering across the grass as they march past in perfect unison. A truly inspiring spectacle.
My favourite is Highland dancing – the traditional Scottish dance know as the Highland Fling. The lasses resplendent in their brighttartan skirts and socks and Aboyne vests. They dance to the bag pipes and make it look effortless with radiant smiles. Don’t be fooled the footwork is extremely complex and must be executed perfectly.
Click on thishighland fling link to see an example.
And for those of us too lazy to dress up this year - a cool skirt and cotton top for the ladies and a pair of shorts, short sleeve shirt with a baseball cap for the men will have to do.
Maybe next year we’ll all try a little harder.
FAQs
There is no official dress code at the games, but many people like to show off their Scottish heritage. There are a sprinkling of women wearing tartan skirts and of course many men wearing a tartan kilt or a modern utility kilt.
What shoes to wear for highland games? ›
Footwear: Comfortable and sturdy footwear is essential when attending the Highland Games. Men often opt for Ghillie brogues, a lace-up shoe with long laces that are wrapped around the ankle and tied. Women can choose between Ghillie brogues or a more feminine option like Mary Janes or ankle boots.
What are the rules for highland dress? ›
Formal (evening) dress would be kilt, sporran, belt, hose, plain shoes, dress shirt, dress jacket, tie. Optional waistcoat. Formal Day would be much the same but tweed jacket, probably plainer hose, plain leather sporran, appropriate footwear for terrain.
What should I bring to the Highland Games? ›
You are welcome to bring chairs, picnic baskets, blankets, coolers etc. We simply ask that you do not bring anything that would obstruct the view for others like a pop up canopy or tent.
What is Highland dress for ladies? ›
Traditionally, women and girls do not wear kilts but may wear ankle-length tartan skirts, along with a colour-coordinated blouse and vest. A tartan earasaid, sash or tonnag (smaller shawl) may also be worn, usually pinned with a brooch, sometimes with a clan badge or other family or cultural motif.
How to dress like a highlander? ›
Coarse leather shoes called “brogans” or sandals of rawhide “cuaran” are worn. A tam-o-shanter or a co*cked bonnet is on the head. A “sporan”, a purse made of skin with silver mountings hangs below the belt in front. The Highland Lassie wears a “warm cloth bodice” over a “skirt”.
What does a typical day at the Highland Games look like? ›
Scotland's Highland games are usually one-day events taking place in outdoor spaces across the country. They feature traditional Highland sports such as the caber toss, tug o' war and the hammer throw, Highland dancing and music, and lots of family fun such as food and craft stalls and games.
What do you wear in Highland? ›
If you bring lots of layers, for example top, jumper, rain jacket, warm coat, hat, scarf and gloves, then you're prepared for all eventualities. Sturdy Footwear – If you plan on doing lots of walking, you'll need good sturdy walking shoes for the uneven terrain.
Do you have to wear a kilt in the Highland Games? ›
Kilts. Kilts are still a key symbol of Scottish culture and also feature heavily in the Highland Games. Rules set out by the Scottish Highland Games Association state that all those who take part in open heavy events must wear kilts while competing.
What is Highland evening dress? ›
Usually, the dress consists of the following: a permanently pleated kilt, made from a plaid with a cross-checked repeating known as tartan; a Jacobite shirt with criss-cross lacing at the chest; a silver-mounted sporran in fur; a silver-mounted and jewelled sgian-dubh; a sealskin or hair with a silver chain belt; a ...
A dress code is a set of rules, often written, with regard to what clothing groups of people must wear. Dress codes are created out of social perceptions and norms, and vary based on purpose, circ*mstances, and occasions.
What to wear to Highland Games for females? ›
For ladies this most often means a well-cut tartan skirt, dress or suit in the latest fashion. Traditionally Highland ladies wore fashionable clothes where they could afford them and added a light plaid or shawl of tartan material and this custom is not out of place today.
Are Highland Games worth going to? ›
It's one of Scotland's oldest traditions. With tartan kilts for all to see, thrilling tug o' war fights, bagpipes blaring out into the crowds, and plenty of whiskey and dancing, this is an event that every vacationer should attend at least once in their life.
What is tossed at Highland Games? ›
The caber toss has come to almost symbolise the Highland games and no gathering anywhere in the world would be complete without it. In the caber toss, a full-length log, usually made of Scots pine, is stood upright and lifted by the competitor using both hands under the bottom of the caber to rest against their body.
What is the traditional dress of Scottish Highlands? ›
The plaid and kilt form the only national costume in the British Isles that is worn for ordinary purposes, rather than merely for special occasions. Highland dress is also the uniform of Scottish regiments in the British army, and kilts have been worn in battle as recently as World War II.
