Belted plaid in 2019

[dcommini]

The plaid in the picture is 16 oz wool so it's much heavier than my PV belted plaid. The canvas D-ring is tied on and the buckle is off to my right side so when I put the Big Bad-*** Leather Belt on, the buckles aren't on top of each other.

How do you wear yours? Toss up some photos if you want.

I wear the plaid because I'm very interested in the actual garment as a "normal" piece of clothing; that is, the highlanders invented something very similar to what we call the belted plaid and wore it for quite some time -- probably engaged in a lot of physical movement (work, travelling, etc.). There are quite a few differences, however, between me and my life and the lives of the highlanders from the 16th-18th century. I do not work outside, and while my climate has some similarities with the highland weather, it's not exactly the same. I have a WIDE variety of clothing options available to me that were never available to the highlanders. I have, overall, a much easier, safer, and healthier life than most of those folks did. But I'm still interested in the kilt and its predecessors as a "working" article of clothing.

I obviously share the same interests as you do. I have worn my plaid doing construction before, and other various outside work environments. Unfortunately, I do not have any opportunities to wear my plaid at my current job, so I do so just whenever.

In Alaska, the climate is a bit more harsh than the highlands in the winter time (at least from what I've heard), so wearing of the plaid often entails making sure that the rest of me is going to be OK. That being said, I've worn my plaid in the desert, in the rain forest, on the top of a mountain, in the woods of Tennessee, and many other places and environments. It is a good and functional garment for just about anywhere (except maybe Antarctica and the far northern climes).

Also, lastly, as for a belt to keep the whole thing together... I use the tan nylon belt the Army gave me (similar type pictured below), it keeps it secure and it lays flat, even through the buckle part that having a larger belt on the outside isn't uncomfortable.