Anderson Before & After
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Tartans: Soft and Hard
Visitors to my web site may have noted that I now offer a variety of finishing options on the cloth woven for my Heirloom Kilts. http://newhousehighland.com/heirloom_about.html I thought I'd take this opportunity to explain a bit more about this option. First, what do I mean by "finish?" After the cloth is woven by the mill, but before it is shipped to the customer, it is sent off to the finishers. This is an off-site facility (only one woolen mill I know of in Scotland does their own finishing on-site) where the woven cloth is run through a process that essentially cleans and softens it. Different finishing techniques can be applied to different types of cloth, to achieve different desired results. I don't need to go into all that much detail here, though I did find this interesting article on the subject which anyone looking for more information can read. There is even a bit at the end about worsted wool. Suffice it to say that the "standard finis...
It's not cute
Earlier this week I was walking down the sidewalk in my kilt, on my way to procure a cup of coffee from the coffee shop at the end of the block. It was a chilly, rather windy day. I was dressed, if I may say so myself, rather conservatively. I was wearing one of my MacQuarrie kilts, brown House of Cheviot Lewis hose, a tattersall shirt, sweater-vest (pullover for you Brits), and a tweed kilt jacket. As far as "showing skin" the only flesh visible to anyone was on my face, hands, and knees. As I was walking a woman a good 10 to 15 years my senior pulled into one of the parking spaces along the sidewalk. She opened her door and called out, "I hope you're wearing thermal underwear!" She was smiling, so I politely smiled back, gave a little wave, and kept walking. But in my head I was thinking, "What is it about me wearing my ethnic dress that makes you feel you can comment freely about my underwear (or lack thereof)." I've worn a kilt for more ...
Expanded color range for Genmore hose!
I am very pleased to announce that the affordable Glenmore hose, from House of Cheviot, is now available to the North American market in an expanded range of colors! New House Highland is now stocking a full range of nine colors of Glenmore hose. As shown above... Top row: ecru, charcoal, black Middle row: tartan green, blue mix, navy Bottom row: bison, ancient green, brick red These hose are made from a super comfy merino wool blend that is also easy to care for (machine washable in cool water, gentle spin). Click here to find a retailer near you!
Hello, my name is...
It is time to share with you another of my Highland dress pet peeves... name tags. Yes, that's right. Name tags. What on earth does this have to do with Highland dress, you might ask. And why is this a big deal? No one really wants to wear a name tag, anyway, right? People only wear them if they are forced to for their jobs - sales clerks and fast food employees and the like. Why would people want to wear a name tag with their kilt? Well, people do. This is something that I believe stems from the Highland Games culture here in the US (and I can only assume the practice is similar in other nations where Highand Games are held, though not in Scotland). For many people, their first exposure to the kilt, and the major influence in how they think the kilt should be worn, is what they see at Highland Games. And at Highland Games, all of the "important people" wear name tags. Just pay attention the next time you are strolling about the fie...
