Plaid Brooches

[Father Bill]

Liam briefly described it above, but here's a video that shows putting one on. The trick is to have enough fabric bunched/gathered so that it puts pressure on the brooch and pin once it's closed. The pin goes behind the fabric with the ring going over the fabric, and the opening of the ring is in line with the pin. Then the pin is pulled up through the opening, and the ring is turned 90 degrees, locking the fabric between the pin and the ring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0tuwEPYIZw

This, of course, only works for material that's bunched up in a wad and can be passed through.

Marvellous!

I hadn't understood that the ring was to slide around through the loop on the back of the pin. Now it makes all the sense in the world and although I don't wear plaids, I think I may just want one if only for the pleasure of fooling around with it!

Much appreciated, my friend!

[Tobus]

Just to be clear here on why I am looking at a brooch to make the plaid more versatile, these are the instructions I am referencing. Both the illustrations and accompanying text describe the plaid being pinned in the front when it is worn round the body as a half-cloak or full-cloak.

Again, it would be a rare instance when I would feel the need to tote along a day plaid, much less resort to wearing it in this manner for protection against the elements. But I am always of the mind that it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. When the weather may turn, and I'd rather not just stay home, the day plaid seems like an accessory with many functions that has tradition behind it. I'd rather carry a day plaid than a large bulky coat that doesn't look right with a kilt.

The way it's pinned at the neck requires actually piercing the fabric, which is why I don't think a penannular type brooch is going to be what I need.

[Jock Scot]

I don't recall wearing a "lairds" plaid for many a decade. My abounding recollection of them is that they are more trouble than they are worth and I think most kilt wearing locals would regard them as an affectation these days. From what I can remember we did not carry any sort of pin, but should the weather turn bad enough to actually wear a plaid in action, then we just draped the thing over our shoulders and clutched the thing shut, around our throat from the inside.

[Father Bill]

I don't recall wearing a "lairds" plaid for many a decade. My abounding recollection of them is that they are more trouble than they are worth and I think most kilt wearing locals would regard them as an affectation these days. From what I can remember we did not carry any sort of pin, but should the weather turn bad enough to actually wear one in action, the we just draped the thing over our shoulders and clutched the thing shut, around our throat from the inside.

This being the case, and looking at the drawings you've provided, why not just a traditional, plain blanket pin if you don't want to clutch it shut?

[Tobus]

This being the case, and looking at the drawings you've provided, why not just a traditional, plain blanket pin if you don't want to clutch it shut?

As I mentioned above, that's certainly the utilitarian option. And I already carry one of those with me, pinned into the apron of my kilt, serving no other purpose. For strictly practical purposes, this is the easiest solution, and no argument there. If I don't find a plaid brooch that suits my fancy, this will be Plan B as holding it closed with one hand will get annoying very quickly. I was just hoping for something that looked a little more traditional to wearing on the plaid, especially if I do want to pin to itself it at the shoulder when doing an under-the-armpit wrap.

Jock Scot, yes I fully expect that it will be considered an affected look by some. I've resigned myself to the fact that many of the traditional items worn with a kilt are now considered an affected look by modern Scots (hats, plaids, cromachs). I certainly try to keep that in mind when incorporating older traditions into my kilt wardrobe. Here in the US, when attending Scottish-themed events like festivals or Highland Games, these types of things are viewed more favourably than they would be in Scotland, from what I gather. Where your local Scot might mutter "who does he think he is?", a typical American at a festival will probably comment positively. That's why many of them come. So whilst I can understand and respect the modern Scots thinking on it, I do try to allow for the fact that it's a different environment here. And if I'm shivering cold, I won't care what anyone thinks anyway.

That said, at the last Highland Games I went to, I did see quite a few people wrapped up in plaids and wearing them like blankets. They were doing the clutch-from-the-inside thing.

[Jock Scot]

I am not sure that many traditional thinking Scots consider the cromach as an affectation and many see them in daily use in the countryside and probably its true, the usual choice for Scots these days is bareheaded, but a bonnet of some description is usually not far away when severe weather occurs.

[ThistleDown]

I don't think the cromach is out of favour, Tobus. It's a very useful tool. Neither do I have any objection to a bonnet or other headgear, although I rarely wear anything myself. The lairds' plaid has simply been replaced by more suitable garments, the cape and the waxed jacket, as examples. I suppose those of us who respond to questions such as yours really are answering from a cultural perspective, and without knowing too much about your culture which has taken the kilt to a costume level not unknown, but pretty rare in the Highlands.

Having said all I did in earlier posts, I have been reminded of a rather eccentric Newtonmore laddie who wears an Inverness cape to keep the water out and over top a plaid, pinned at the throat, to keep the warmth in. I've no idea why it has never occurred to him to reverse that .

[Katia]

Katia referred to dance costumes -- the key there is 'costume'. Dancers wear a fly plaid, a length of light-weight length of tartan gathered at the shoulder and pinned to the jacket. The fly plaid has no function. The same is true of the fly plaid some men -- mainly in North America -- wear with more formal dress.

Yes, though in my case, I wasn't even referring to a fly plaid, as dancers don't wear them under the SOBHD dress code (but might in New Zealand? I can't remember). I meant what we call a "plaidie" and is worn by female dancers with either the aboyne dress or white dress. It's quite small indeed (about a meter square; rectangular can also be worn but this is not in fashion and I've never seen anyone doing it) as it's merely decorative.

But in my reference to a pennanular brooch, I was actually speaking of wearing it for any use, with any kind of plaid-like garment.

[ThistleDown]

[QUOTE=Katia;1369098]

Katia referred to dance costumes -- the key there is 'costume'. Dancers wear a fly plaid, a length of light-weight length of tartan gathered at the shoulder and pinned to the jacket. The fly plaid has no function. The same is true of the fly plaid some men -- mainly in North America -- wear with more formal dress.
[/QUOTE

Yes, though in my case, I wasn't even referring to a fly plaid, as dancers don't wear them under the SOBHD dress code (but might in New Zealand? I can't remember). I meant what we call a "plaidie" and is worn by female dancers with either the aboyne dress or white dress. It's quite small indeed (about a meter square; rectangular can also be worn but this is not in fashion and I've never seen anyone doing it) as it's merely decorative.

But in my reference to a pennanular brooch, I was actually speaking of wearing it for any use, with any kind of plaid-like garment.

Ah, the plaidie. I'm reminded of:

Come under my plaidie the nicht's gaunna fa'
Come in frae the cauld blast the drift and the snaw
Come under my plaidie and sit doon beside me
There's room in it lassie, believe me, for twa

Quite obviously, that's a male speaking, and also that he's not asking the innocent to come under a metre-square bit of light-weight tartan stuff. The 'plaidie' was worn by both men and women in both Highland and Lowland cultures as an upper body wrap. In the pic above of two Highland gentlemen they are wearing the 'plaidie' in it's fully functioning form.

I like the penanular style of brooch, too. Just not with a laird's plaid; I can't see any need for it in men's Traditional Highland Civilian Dress today. For women, with various shawls, wraps and sashes, it is both functional and a lovely bit of bling.

There is a difference between what is permitted for men and for women competing in Highland dancing, as I understand it. In Scotland women may not wear sporran, garter flashes, plaid, waistbelt, sgian dubh, kilt pin or other ornaments of any description. Men, on the other hand (and excluding military dancers), may wear a 'belted' plaid requiring some sort of means to attach it to the jacket, which MUST be worn. Is that by regulation in the USofA, Katia?

I've no idea what the Highland dancing dress tradition is in New Zealand and can only speak to Scotland and, a bitsie, to Western Canada. In Western Canada it has become a 'costume' with only rudimentary connection, for women and men, with the Highland tradition. Except for the military, where tradition is respected, of course.

[Katia]

[QUOTE=ThistleDown;1369106]

Ah, the plaidie. I'm reminded of:

Come under my plaidie the nicht's gaunna fa'
Come in frae the cauld blast the drift and the snaw
Come under my plaidie and sit doon beside me
There's room in it lassie, believe me, for twa

Quite obviously, that's a male speaking, and also that he's not asking the innocent to come under a metre-square bit of light-weight tartan stuff. The 'plaidie' was worn by both men and women in both Highland and Lowland cultures as an upper body wrap. In the pic above of two Highland gentlemen they are wearing the 'plaidie' in it's fully functioning form.

I like the penanular style of brooch, too. Just not with a laird's plaid; I can't see any need for it in men's Traditional Highland Civilian Dress today. For women, with various shawls, wraps and sashes, it is both functional and a lovely bit of bling.

There is a difference between what is permitted for men and for women competing in Highland dancing, as I understand it. In Scotland women may not wear sporran, garter flashes, plaid, waistbelt, sgian dubh, kilt pin or other ornaments of any description. Men, on the other hand (and excluding military dancers), may wear a 'belted' plaid requiring some sort of means to attach it to the jacket, which MUST be worn. Is that by regulation in the USofA, Katia?

I've no idea what the Highland dancing dress tradition is in New Zealand and can only speak to Scotland and, a bitsie, to Western Canada. In Western Canada it has become a 'costume' with only rudimentary connection, for women and men, with the Highland tradition. Except for the military, where tradition is respected, of course.

In the U.S. and Canada, we are under SOBHD and follow the SOBHD dress code (with the U.S. falling further under governing body FUSTA, and in Canada ScotDance). There's another governing body, SOHDA, but it's much smaller, I've not known anyone who dances under it, and SOBHD dancers are prohibited from dancing in SOHDA competitions (I don't think SOHDA has such restrictions, though). I believe SOHDA essentially uses the same costumes as SOBHD.

I've never seen a male wear fly plaid; it's optional, not required, and I can't see any reason anyone would want to bother with it.

New Zealand is a completely different animal, for reasons I've never known, actually. Dances, costumes, and steps are different, though of course there are many similarities. Females wear a bonnet with the kilt, and the female jig costume, at least, is nothing like in the SOBHD dress code. I've never seen a New Zealand dress code, so I don't know everything it entails; all I know is what I've seen in photos, a video or two, and a time when my dance school did a hornpipe using NZ steps for a show. I'm not certain how the SOBHD ties in in NZ.