Want to add some flare to your kilt outfit with a sporran? Of course, you do; who on earth wouldn’t. There are a ton of options when it comes to them, so you may be a little paralyzed by choice; we get that, don’t worry! To take the pressure off of you, we’ll break down how you should go about choosing one and make sure you can just get to enjoying it and looking good in the process.
So have some faith in us, and we’ll guide you through this! We have your back. Let’s get started!
What is a sporran?
Sporrans are a pouch worn with a kilt, obviously, but stick with us. They are traditionally made from leather or fur. Although, in modern times, there are sporrans being made out of all sorts of materials. Some even feature stainless steel or plastics! They used to carry ammo or rations, but they carry mobile phones, car keys, and wallets nowadays.
There are sporrans for daywear, semi-dress, and even formal. So let’s cover those before moving forward.
Daywear sporrans are typically brown leather shovel pouches with simple adornment. These sporrans normally have three or even more leather tassels and often Celtic knot designs carved into the leather. The style of traditional purse is for convenient daily use. This style is usually made entirely of leather, with a leather flap, front, and three tassels or more. They are often embossed or hand-tooled with Celtic, thistle, or other designs on the flap and body and fasten with a stud or hook closure.
Semi-dress sporrans combine the same shape and design as the daywear sporran and less formal version of the entire formal sporrans. The basic figure is commonly included with a fur front, leather gusset, three decorated fur tassels with regular or cross-chains, and a leather flap at the top. Designs may decorate the leather flap of this style, or a silver clan symbol or other insignia may adorn on the flap. The body fur of this style is usually a hair hide rather than a loftier material reserved for full dress sporrans. Celtic or Scottish designs often are featured on the flap and may have pewter badges' decoration to raise the composition.
Formal sporrans style is regarded as the most traditional and proper type of sporran. It is an essential attachment for those who wear kilts in special ceremonies and formal events. It usually contains fur fronts, a fur gusset, 3 to 6 decorative fur tassels with regular or cross chains, and a metal cantle on the top. The cantle arcs along the top of the pouch and hides a clasp, normally made from pewter or silver. It could be decorated with Celtic symbols like the lion rampant, thistle, stag, and Saltire. Some more intricate cantles may include gemstones, such as garnets. The style commonly fastens at the rear with a stud on the small flap that connects the front and rear. That allows the user to carry a more significant number of items.
Now that we’ve broken down the types of sporrans available for you today, at least the ones that should be mentioned here. You can start to assess what type of event you’ll be attending!
You probably don’t need me to say, but obviously, if you attend a formal event with a daywear sporran, it might not give the best impression to be sure. So ask some questions and understand the event you’ll be going to.
If you’re really not sure, then try going with the semi-dress! It won’t be too much for a casual event or too little for a formal one.
Complement your kilt
After you have the type that you need in mind, you can start going for some style points. Do the extra work and find a sporran that’ll complement and bring something to your outfit. It’s not meant to just blind in. You want people to see and complement it in a lot of cases.
Don’t stress about this part, though! It can be a lot of fun! Show everyone at the event or at home your sense of style and maybe, in some cases, brag a bit.
Conclusion
That’s that! There are more types of sporrans that we didn’t mention in this article, so after you have the first one under your belt, or should I say around? Either way, once you have your first sporran feel free to look around and experiment! Have one for each outfit or one to two that can be used for a lot. It’s absolutely your call.
Whatever you decide, we know you’ll be the best dressed at whatever function you’re attending. For more information on kilts for any event, we have your back. We’ll make sure you feel prepared and knowledgeable about your outfit and everything else.
