On changing our pipe band uniform

Black Watch 1900

When our leadership team met to plan out the coming year one topic was the uniform. Who would have thought that considering what uniform the competition band might wear for the 2015 season might cause controversy. The board of directors considered the issue a year ago, but felt that the timing and cost should be postponed. A year of success in competition has brought the idea to the fore again. For the past number of years our band has performed in two uniforms: a formal uniform complete with Royal Stewart kilt, stocking tops with white spats, cross-belt, plaid, piper's horse hair sporran and feather hat and a street uniform of white spats, black shirt and glengarry with red and white hackle. Both uniforms look very sharp when marching in parades or performing for any occasion. The spats with cross-hatch stocking looks great for marching in unison in either uniform. The formal ‘big hat’ with plaid over the shoulders looks very impressive.

Looking at the competition at local highland games shows the Stewart Tartan Pipes & Drums to look like a parade band and not a competition band. Are we judged on our appearance? The consensus says ‘no …but maybe a little.” It was pointed out that at “The Worlds” none of the top placing bands wears such. What do they wear besides their kilts? Typically a long sleeve white, light blue or grey shirt under a vest with complimentary tie, day sporran, dark socks and gillies. For a hat they wear a glengarry with or without a hackle. So our team’s thought is to enter the mainstream of bands competing with an updated look, proposing such to the band’s board of directors.

First, emphasize that we will keep our current two uniforms for formal presentations such as our Christmas Concerts. If a piper or drummer is not competing, then these two uniforms would be the uniforms of choice. If you are part of the competition band, then you would be issued the pieces for such. There is the possibility that in a year or so, the full band may be issued the competition uniform. What might it look like? We would keep the two kilts, Royal Stewart for the pipers and Hunting Stewart for the drummers. Surprisingly this caused some discussion as looking at the competition bands at the Worlds shows all competing members in matching tartan. So this may get phased in, but initially I see us keeping both kilts. Next, loose the white spats and sock tops, replacing them with a black or dark gray ‘pop corn’ sock with red flashes. Add a black leather day sporran, gray long sleeve shirt under a black vest with black or regimental stripped tie and you have our idea for the competition band(s).

Controversy? There is the cost of changing 8 – 12 pipers and 6 – 8 drummers; 20 players. We discussed band members paying for their shirt, socks and shoes; the band paying for the vest, sporran, flashes and tie. As we don’t charge dues to play in the band, asking folk to pay some seems reasonable to leadership. Comments were made that maybe we outfit the grade 4 band this year and the grade 5 next year. The consensus was that this segregates the bands and may cause friction between the teams, something we try hard to avoid. There are also the choices of colors for hose and shirt. As this will identify us to the piping community for years to come. Dark gray vs black socks, and even white vs gray shirt seems minor, yet people have emotion charged opinions. I get it. People need to be heard. I hope we can show samples at our band membership meeting in January.

As I expressed, a picture is worth a thousand words. So a friend of mine sent out the URL of a blog that gave what the writer thought of as the top 5 best dressed bands at the Worlds http://www.viewsfromthecircle.co.uk/best-dressed-pipe-bands-grade-1/ Take a look for yourself. Nice blog as well. One thing I noticed was that the bands listed did not have hackles in their glengarries.

So we will just have to wait until 2015 to find out what the Stewart Tartans will be wearing.

Have a blessed Christmas, wonderful holiday season, play Aud Lang Syne New Year’s eve and start making plans to play your best for the new year!