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  1. #1
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    The Great Kilt and Bodkins - circa 1750+/-

    i know this has been discussed in the past, but with no viewable images i'm lost. How was the great kilt fastened or secured to the shoulder? Understand from knowledgeable members a Bodkin would have been used and brooches not so much. So attaching the extra material up the back, or attaching both front and back with a bodkin would be accomplished how?

    And with a bodkin i would be making holes in the fabric of the kilt and waistcoat, is this correct? If attaching extra material for the front and back with a Penannular Plaid Brooch i might avoid placing holes in any material, was this done? And finally, would a period correct jacket or waistcoat have epaulettes? And if so, with use of a brooch, could they be used to help secure the kilt, hopefully negating the need to make holes in the jacket/waistkit and possibly the kilt as well? Just thinking that putting together a period kit can come with a dearly high price tag and i'd prefer to not damage any of it from the very start.

    Any information on how this was done historically would be most appreciated.

    Meanwhile, i will review my small library and try to determine if and how this was done by the Highland Regiments of the period.

    Thanks much

    Jacques
    "I know of no inspiration to be got from trousers."
    Lt. Col. Norman MacLeod, QOCH, c. 1924

  2. #2
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    By 1750 +/- civilian Highland Dress was banned for the majority of people, so you are presumably referring to the military.

    There are others on here that will have more detailed information than I but in all likelihood there was a regulation way to fasten the kilt and that would probably have involved a shoulder button and a loop on the plaid. There are a number of portriats that appear to show this, that of Lord Loudoun is a good example.

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  4. #3
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    Updated title: The Great Kilt and Bodkins - circa - 1745 and earlier

    My mistake. My cerebral apparatus was working on two files at the same time. Some thing it doesn't do as well as it used to. The title should have been 1745 and earlier. Had just finished reading the thread on "jacobite" garb. The other "file" was dealing with the F&I war. For this thread i am more interested in Highland Civilian Dress prior to 1746 by those who would have worn the great kilt, shirt, waistcoat and/or jacket. Obviously not the "humbly".

    http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...te-garb-51320/

    Unfortunately the images are quite useless and i was unable to grasp the written word.

    Thanks much

    Jacques
    "I know of no inspiration to be got from trousers."
    Lt. Col. Norman MacLeod, QOCH, c. 1924

  5. #4
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    Jacques,

    With regard to fastening the upper section of your plaid to your shoulder, there are a few options for the 1745/early 18th century era. Firstly, penannular brooches were used in the middle ages (and possibly before), but had passed from the scene by the 18th century. Nevertheless, you will find them being sold by merchants at 18th century reenactment events. If you buy one, save the pin and discard the rest, or avoid them altogether. The circular shoulder plaid brooch used today on Highland full dress did not come in until the early 19th century. Avoid them too for reenactment purposes. In the early 18th century (and for some time thereafter), the upper part of the plaid was fastened to the shoulder (usually the left shoulder) of the outer garment by a bodkin (usually made of metal, wood or bone, but sometimes even of thorn by the poorer sort), or sewing a loop (leather thong, narrow ribbon or similar) onto the lower edge of the upper part of the plaid (as it hung down), which was secured to a button placed on the wearer's shoulder (either at the shoulder seam or close to the collar). The poorer sort did wear belted plaids - it was not restricted to the gentry class in Gaelic society and appeared to be universal, whereas dress for gentry could also include truibhs or Lowland-style town clothes. Their poverty usually limited the amount of clothing they had - usually a plaid and a linen shirt, with the wearer going without hose or shoes - usually just going barefoot or wearing homemade footwear known as "cuarans". With these folks, I suspect that the plaid was secured with an improvised bodkin (wood or bone) or with the lower parts of the upper edge tied/pinned as they crossed the chest (one end going over one of the shoulders with the other end going under the arm). No doubt there are other methods of fastening the upper part of a plaid, as well. As a Jacobite reenactor, I prefer the metal bodkin fastening the plaid on my left shoulder. My bodkins are made from modified smooth metal knitting needles, so the diameter is not sufficient to tear up the cloth of the plaid or my coat/waistcoat. A word about metal bodkins: You will sometimes encounter metal bodkins (forged iron or other metal) in which the pin has been decoratively twisted. I would avoid these, as the twists in the metal will really tear up your fabric.

    When I was reenacting Highland regiments in the British Army in North America (French & Indian War/American Revolution, I (and most of the other guys in my unit) preferred the plaid loop attached to a shoulder strap button.

    The only problem with any of these fastening methods is that the weight of the plaid hanging down from the shoulder will drag the attached garment (waistcoat/jacket) toward the left-rear and distort it. Did 18th century Highlanders have this problem - probably, but it was (as today) a minor one. The only way I found of combatting this tendency is, when I wear a sword/baldrick, to pull the plaid up through the lower part of the baldrick so it bore most of the plaid's weight. There are period illustrations of 1750s Highland soldiers arranging their plaids in this manner.

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  7. #5
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    Thanks Orvis

    So the bodkin would slide into the jacket at the shoulder, out and through the end of the kilt, and back into/through the jacket. Is that correct?

    Thanks much

    Jack
    "I know of no inspiration to be got from trousers."
    Lt. Col. Norman MacLeod, QOCH, c. 1924

  8. #6
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    There are a few ways of using a bodkin to secure your plaid to your jacket - yours sounds as good as any other! I'm confident that in the 18th century there was no uniform method used, and that is equally true today - it all depends on user preference. As long as the plaid is securely fastened, it doesn't matter what method is used. I tend to lay the lower edge of my plaid on my garment at the shoulder and then insert the point of the bodkin through the plaid into the jacket, then out through the jacket and plaid, point to the rear (so I don't inadvertently stick my chin with the point if I turn my head to the left.
    Last edited by Orvis; 22nd September 19 at 02:32 PM.

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