strathspey@strathspey.org:45532

Anselm Lingnau

Re: sashes - traditionally and in practice

June 13, 2006, 1:24 p.m. (Message 45532, in reply to message 45531)

Eike Albert-Unt wrote:

> Does this mean that it is bad manners for non-members (as of yet) to wear a
> sash on the left shoulder?

In a nutshell: Wear your sash whichever way you fancy, unless there is a 
danger of running into anal-retentive retro-Scots who are sticklers for »the 
rules«. (This danger mostly exists at highland games in the US of A.) If you 
are an anal-retentive retro-Scot etc. yourself, wear it on the right shoulder 
unless you are a clan chief or commanding officer of a Highland regiment, 
spouse of such, or RSCDS-style country dancer, in which case wear it on the 
left shoulder. Otherwise you might wrap it round your head in case you 
encounter the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal.

There has been lots of discussion in this forum as to exactly why the late Dr 
Milligan recommended the left shoulder for a lady's sash but as far as I 
recall we didn't get to the bottom of it. It is best to let common sense 
rule, such as when you're a formal demonstration team all the sashes should 
be in the same position (and in Younger Hall, probably on the left shoulder).
I have yet to attend an event where ladies had to present their RSCDS cards to 
prove the appropriateness of their sash shoulder.

Anselm
-- 
Anselm Lingnau, Frankfurt, Germany ..................... xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man but deteriorate the
cat.                                                             -- Mark Twain