The Style Guy: he’s gotcha covered
It’s time once again gentle readers to check The Style Guy’s bag – his mail bag, that is – to see what dilemmas of Highland fashion and pipe band sartorialism you’re facing. The Style Guy has all the answers when it comes with what to wear and ware not to what. And speaking of bags . . .
Yo, Style Guy:
My band is looking at getting new bag-covers for the piping posse. Like most bands we don’t have any money, so we thought we’d raise the money for them by selling adverts like I notice some of the top bands doing.
What’s your opinion?
Signed,
Bagged and bogged
An excellent question, B&B, and I am glad that you have come to me, The Style Guy, for answers. I too have watched the bag-covers of many Grade 1 bands become more and more adorned with logos and ads for this and that. Pipe bands today for some reason think that they have to embroider their name into the cover or, worse, sew on an even more inelegant patch.
To me, it’s all tacky. Maybe bands have a hard time getting back expensive covers when a piper leaves, so emblazoning the band’s name on it is like sewing Johnny’s label in his underpants before he goes off to camp. (I’m obviously still scarred by that.)
And then this business of selling sponsorship space on covers, well . . . I understand that times are tough for bands, but what’s the price of elegance? Bought and sold for bag-cover gold. I say, be creative and tasteful with an unadulterated cover, that coordinates with your band’s overall ensemble, and maybe provides a pop of contrasting colour. Make your bag-covers as tasteful and unique as your logo itself, and make the bass drum the exclusive place for advertising. And if you need to sew in underwear-like labels, do it discreetly on the inside of the cover.
What of the brown ghillies?
Buttons: try Firmins of London, who can be found quite easily by Googling for firmins buttons””
I’m waiting to see who’s gonna be first to wear jackets with the players” name and number across the back…or white Ghillies to contrast against the black hose…or worn and faded denim kilts with leather jackets and studs for the”terminator” look…or chain pipe cords…or tartan Bermuda shorts with pith helmets in the hotter locales…or designer sporrans by Gucchi…or leather kilts with Kodiak work boots on a rainy muddy field for better traction and water repellent properties…or clear multi-coloured drum shells…yeah…that’s the ticket!”