What is a Sporran?
A sporran is the pouch worn on the front of a kilt. The word is simply Gaelic for “purse”. A kilt has no pockets, so the sporran carries what your pockets normally would, and over time it became a piece of dress in its own right rather than only a container.
It hangs from a chain or a leather strap around the waist and sits a hand’s width below the belt buckle. How formal the sporran is should match how formal the rest of the outfit is: plain leather for daywear, fur and a decorated cantle for black tie and weddings. During dancing it is normal to slide it round onto the hip so it is out of the way.
Every sporran we make comes with a chain strap, and they are worn with any kilt in the range.
The use of a sporran dates back into Scottish history and was used during war times to help keep track of items that were needed. Besides being convenient to wear, a sporran also serves as a bit of decoration. They come in a variety of different designs & styles, tartan sporran are more ornate than others. Some of them feature embroidery, but most of them have one to three tassels of some sort, this is especially true of semi dress sporran of full-dress sporrans.
Rabbit Fur Sporran
Why do sporrans typically have three tassels?
It is said to commemorate the way that the traditional sporran closures used to look, so it is steeped in history. For that reason, most sporrans will have a minimum of two tassels, but many will come with three or more. They not only look good, but sporrans allow you to proudly follow your rich scottish heritage by sporting one on your belt for all to see. Back in their beginning stages, sporrans were first seen when the sporran molach, or the Rabbit Fur Sporran, came to be in the early 18th century.
Tassels became a standard decorative feature on dress sporrans during the 19th century, when Highland regimental dress set much of what is now treated as traditional.
Horse Hair Sporran
Most sporrans usually had flap tops and big tassels, with three tassels usually present. From there, more types of hair were introduced, including horse hair and fox hair. Today, you can get real or Horse Hair Sporran to match the ones that were worn so long ago. Along with their decorative purpose, tassels and other adornments serve a purpose.
They are able to set apart one style of sporran from another in terms of their formal nature or informal design. Full dress sporran will often have a minimum of three tassels, and sometimes as many as six tassels. These sporrans will usually be accompanied by ornate metal designs throughout.
Semi Dress Leather Sporran
Leather Sporran is usually made out of leather, and they will often have three tassels. Tassels are not used on daily-wear sporrans that are not being worn for any other occasion than just to go out during the day. That said, sometimes even these casual sporrans will have one or two tassels on them just to follow tradition. The reasons for the first tassels on sporrans may have been practical, but they are still every bit as stylish today as they were back in the day.
Select your desire Sporran!
Our Sporrans are crafted using high quality materials and come with a complimentary chain strap. Choose your Sporrans from Scottish Kilt based on the events you need to attend and be sure that you have one for every occasion.
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People also ask
The use of sporrans with kilts essentially roots from tradition and practicality alone. It is essential to know that there exists no hard-and-fast rule about wearing or not wearing a sporran under the Kilt. It is entirely a matter of personal preference.
A sporran essentially functions as a pouch in the face of pocket-less kilts. They have been incorporated into the kilt tradition merely because the highland military used them to store personal items. Therefore, a sporran can be made to keep any things that may be needed while wearing a kilt.
Wearing a belt with a sporran comes down to personal preference as traditionally metallic chains were used to hang. However, Scottish history also presents proof of leather belts to have been used for the selfsame need. Moreover, belts also offer an added benefit of versatility and comfort.
A sporran must always lay upon the front of your Kilt, at least a hand’s width from the top (approximately 4-5 inches from the top). Any other kilt accessories in the outfit must be centered right upon the sporran. Precisely, your sporran must be a part of a straight vertical positioning with the belt buckles, waistcoat buttons, ties, etc.
