How to wear a fly plaid?

**Colonel MacNeal** · 20th April 09, 08:43 PM

What about the "mini" fly plaid?

**Piper** · 21st April 09, 05:55 AM

I've never worn a fly plaid, but I wear a great kilt almost as often as I wear a modern kilt. Being left handed, I bring the plaid up over my right shoulder. I fasten at the shoulder with a button on the jacket and a loop on the plaid. If I bring part of the plaid up under my left arm, I pin them together with a bone (antler actually), or wooden bodkin. I understand that plaid brooches are not correct for mid 18th century menswear. However, if I were to wear a brooch, keeping it on my right shoulder would protect the brooch and the drones from each other.

**wvpiper** · 21st April 09, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by Piper

I've never worn a fly plaid, but I wear a great kilt almost as often as I wear a modern kilt. Being left handed, I bring the plaid up over my right shoulder.

Do you play left handed, ie left hand on bottom or have the bag and drones on the right?

I understand that plaid brooches are not correct for mid 18th century menswear.

Were fly plaids common in the mid 18th century?

**Piper** · 21st April 09, 06:13 AM

No, I play in the standard fashion, bag under the left arm, left hand on top of the chanter. Although I've long discussed with my instructor that I believe the bagpipe is actually a left handed instrument. It just felt natural to play that way when I first started.
As far as I know, fly plaids are strictly 20th century. My reference to plaid brooches was for use with the great kilt.

**McClef** · 21st April 09, 06:21 AM

Some of us are left handed with some things such as writing but right handed with others.

**parker_db** · 21st April 09, 06:38 AM

This is information that I found as a result of my membership in the St. Andrew's Legion Pipe and Drum Band in Richmond, VA. Not being any knid of expert, I hope this is applicable to the question.

http://www.drummajor.net/documents/R...idTying_v3.pdf

Slainte Mhath!

**gilmore** · 21st April 09, 10:48 AM

It's not of couse that the plaid is worn over the left shoulder so that one's "sword" arm is left free to pull it out and fight, it's that that is the dominant arm, and it is used for many, many things throughout the day.

Throughout history and around the world, many shawl-like articles of clothing are worn with the left arm covered and the right not. E.g., monks, who never use weapons:

**Monkey@Arms** · 21st April 09, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by parker_db

This is information that I found as a result of my membership in the St. Andrew's Legion Pipe and Drum Band in Richmond, VA. Not being any knid of expert, I hope this is applicable to the question.

http://www.drummajor.net/documents/R...idTying_v3.pdf

Slainte Mhath!

Interesting link, but that's a different kind of plaid then the type under discussion.

Best regards,

Jake

**Giant77** · 22nd April 09, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by piperdbh

How often do you have to undress while fencing?

Well. If you look up "battle of the shirts" two clans fought each other for hours, in the heat of battle (literally because it was summer) they started taking off their armor, kilts etc and they were fighting nude. Only about 6 of around 300+ survived... one hell of a fight suffice to say.

**Mark Keeney** · 27th April 09, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by wyldathart

I have to agree with Cavscout. alot of clothing traditions are so that men could operate our sword arm. Like mens clothes buttons. They are oposite of women so that we can undo our buttons with out left while drawing a sword with our right

I'm thinking the same applies to the plaids

I was of the impression that it was opposite of womens shirts because the sword would catch in the shirt and rip the buttons off, or keep your sword tangled up.