The Style Guy: game sporran game, a dilemma of judges, and what women want

The Style Guy has been busy perusing letters, opening emails, and gazing longingly at old photos of some of his style icons: Pipe-Major Angus, D.R. McLennan and, of course, the uber-dapper John David Burgess. Let’s see what answers the messages request and, for the first one, what the cat dragged in . . .

Dear Style Guy,

What do you think of sporrans that use animal fur? I’ve seen whole heads of critters like foxes and badgers. Okay or what?

Signed,

Fur Goodness Sakes

Excellent question, FGS, and thanks for bringing it up. Little known fact that sporran makers that still make these animal models these days will use the unfortunate victims of highway accidents. In another word: roadkill. It’s a bit of re-use or repurposing for the Highland wear industry. But I’m not sure on this one. While a classic animal sporran can be a tasteful trademark, it can also be incredibly insensitive. A discreet and traditional musquash model can complete a daywear ensemble perfectly. Wearing anything endangered should be avoided for ethical reasons, even if it’s antique. A bass drummer going around with an antique leopard skin apron would be as tacky as that old lady with the arctic fox coat shopping at Macey’s. Yick. When it comes to animal sporrans, keep it simple, keep it antique, keep it discreet. And sporting an old sporran made from a now protected animal pelt is hardly any different from playing an antique set of drones with real elephant ivory, but it is more obvious and upsetting to some.