Tell newbie about kilt pins

**BuckeyeMark** · 29th August 21, 02:06 PM

Have done some reading online and it looks like things are fairly "up to you" in this department but I'd like any pointers for a newbie. This will be a formal occasion (formal night on a cruise). I'm guessing if you wear a clan badge you know you're part of that clan? Or can you wear one because you think their badge is cool?

I have a Scottish Terrier and I've seen a pin or two with a Scottie dog on it but somehow that doesn't seem ... fitting. Like the swords or cool knots better. My wife and I also love the claddagh (we have rings) but that doesn't seem to be a pin thing.

All in all, I have no idea what to get. Your thoughts and guidance would be appreciated. And pics showing what you have make it even better!

**12stones** · 29th August 21, 02:32 PM

Hey @BuckeyeMark, it really is anything goes for kilt pins. You can even forego them if you choose. The only thing I'd consider is the size and weight of the pin. Too big and it will pull on the kilt or may look a little off. But overall, whatever you like will suffice. It's your kilt and your outfit, so use what you like.

I've used parts of antler, a clan badge pin, the large safety pin you can find most anywhere, and the Marine Corps kilt pin. Here's the Marine Corp pin:

**BuckeyeMark** · 29th August 21, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by 12stones

Hey @BuckeyeMark, it really is anything goes for kilt pins. You can even forego them if you choose. The only thing I'd consider is the size and weight of the pin. Too big and it will pull on the kilt or may look a little off. But overall, whatever you like will suffice. It's your kilt and your outfit, so use what you like.

I've used parts of antler, a clan badge pin, the large safety pin you can find most anywhere, and the Marine Corps kilt pin. Here's the Marine Corp pin:

First, thank you for your service. And second, that Marine Corps pin is the bomb!

**Steve Ashton** · 29th August 21, 03:08 PM

One of the things I would like to mention is that while there is a lot of stuff out there about kilt pins, most of it is one person's opinion. Form your own opinion.

To me, a kilt pin is like a lady wearing a brooch. That little glint of jewelry or bling.

Wear something that means something to you. A special gift from someone perhaps.

But we never pin both aprons to each other with the pin. That is a sure fire way of tearing your kilt.

And most of us who have multiple kilts that we wear every day, have one pin for each kilt. The pin lives on the kilt, only having to be taken off for cleaning. That way we are not constantly punching holes in our kilts.

Oh, and if you ever happen to see the hack of mounting your kilt pin with rare earth magnets - Well, sounds great at first - until you walk between two cars in a parking lot and your pin jumps and fastens itself to some ones car. True story.

**Jock Scot** · 30th August 21, 02:44 AM

To be clear, some experienced kilt wearers don't wear a kilt pin at all and if that is their choice then not an eyebrow is raised. There does seem to be an opinion here on this website from some that there is a risk of the pin catching on something and tearing the kilt cloth. I am not saying it does not happen, but after a rather long time wearing the kilt in all sorts of terrain with a "safety pin" style of pin, I have never managed to rip the kilt in that fashion and I have never personally known anyone else do it either. On the other hand, Land Rover door catches are entirely another matter!

**Tomo** · 30th August 21, 03:51 AM

My preference is to wear a kilt pin.

Most of mine are fairly low key and "natural" looking - mainly horn, antler or wood. I basically follow the one-pin one-kilt approach, although I do have an art deco, pewter luckenbooth pin I sometimes use for formal events (when I can be be bothered swapping them).

On your original query, I wouldn't wear a clan badge just because I thought it was cool (but that said I don't wear my own clan badge either) and, in the UK at least, I would say that the claddagh is usually more associated with Irish rather than Scots heritage (although by no means are the two mutually exclusive).

**Tomo** · 30th August 21, 03:52 AM

**Troglodyte** · 1st September 21, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

To be clear, some experienced kilt wearers don't wear a kilt pin at all and if that is their choice then not an eyebrow is raised. There does seem to be an opinion here on this website from some that there is a risk of the pin catching on something and tearing the kilt cloth. I am not saying it does not happen, but after a rather long time wearing the kilt in all sorts of terrain with a "safety pin" style of pin, I have never managed to rip the kilt in that fashion and I have never personally known anyone else do it either. On the other hand, Land Rover door catches are entirely another matter!

Ah, yes, the Landrover door..!

But that's nothing compared to baler-twine that always seems hell-bent on a do-or-die, no-holds-barred attack launched with the sole intention of recreating the Gordian knot..!

**Pleater** · 30th August 21, 09:47 AM

If you wear a pin do be sure to wear it high enough so as to avoid your knee in all circumstances.
My mum used to put a simple pin in my kilt through both layers and low down, and horizontally. It hurt when it got in the way, but one day I dropped to my knees and the pin was opened up and pushed into my knee behind the kneecap - I can still remember it vividly, both it going in and the teacher pulling it out.

**McMurdo** · 30th August 21, 11:01 AM

As others have said, pick something that has meaning to you. Or if you don't want to or can't find something then you can forgo it altogether. One of my favourites is a Victorian era pin that I found on eBay, I use it on my Scottish Wildcat tartan kilt

Another favourite is this lizard on the Carolina Tartan kilt