The word sporran is derived from the Gaelic word for purse.

And as the name suggests that's exactly what it is.

As the traditional kilt doesn't have any pockets, it's a very important accessory to the kilt.

Some believe that it derived from the medieval belt-pouch.

But of course it is not only functional, but also decorative (in the case of the dress sporran, often highly decorative) and as a very important part of the Highland Dress, it should be given due consideration before deciding which one is right for your kilt. The functional aspect is clear, you need somewhere to keep your wallet, mobile phone etc. But it is the decorative aspect that I find more appealing.

Basically there are three different varieties, one for day wear, one for semi dress and one for formal wear.

The day wear one is usually a simple brown or black leather purse with little adornment, often with three leather tassels and Celtic knots embossed into the leather. And it could certainly be argued that it is more practical than decorative.

The semi dress version is naturally more decorative, with a lot more tooling of the leather and often chrome work incorporated into the design.

The dress version on the other hand is highly decorative, and is normally a little larger than the other two.

It is usually made from animal skin (I would like to point out that it is not made from endangered species) and has more often than not a chrome cantle.

The cantle can be decorated with many different Celtic designs, and it trims the top. The face is made of animal skin as are the tassels.

Below is a photo of  Dress Sporran, a Day Sporran, A semi Dress sporran and a Band Sporran