Day/Laird's Plaid

[Andrew M. Stewart]

If I may, even though I have actually worn a fly plaid to formal evening events, I felt it a bit naaf and was self conscious about it, and I don't do it regularly. Our Scots members can speak for themselves, but the impression I get from comments in other threads on this forum is that to a Scot's eye and sensibility, the fly plaid is not really a correct item of Scottish dress, is a bit of a kilt rental shop invention, is a bit overly affected, and is best not done.

Having offended many, I am sure, I will apologize in advance...but I feel that a bit of a warning is in order here...Cheers, BYU

No offense taken but when you look at the tartan history books the whole notion of wearing ones "Clan Tartan" its all a fairly resent invention from the late 18th century.
I wear a fly plaid when I'm piping for a black tie occasion. It's got an old school look to it that I like when it's done right. I took this picture in front of a mirror so keep in mind that it's backwards.


Here is Archie MacNeil, The famous blind piper, wearing a fly plaid.


Here is John MacDonald of Inverness (A god to serious pipers) wearing a fly plaid.



Here is Robert Nicol, one of the Famous Bobs of Balmoral. (Royal Pipers) wearing one.



and in this picture is G.S. McLennan, a genius of a composer, and my hero. I think he's wearing one as well but I could be wrong.



As I said, no offense taken at all but I think that when it's worn right ie: good quality tartan not hire shop light weight fabric it can look good.

[Andrew M. Stewart]

Here is the great piper Malcolm MacPherson otherwise known as Calum Piobair wearing a day plaid.

[creagdhubh]

Here is the great piper Malcolm MacPherson otherwise known as Calum Piobair wearing a day plaid.

Good ole Calum - he has a wonderfully made cairn in Badenoch near Cluny castle - where he was personal piper to Cluny during the mid to late nineteenth-century. His pipes are at the Clan Macpherson Museum and House in Newtonmore.

[Andrew M. Stewart]

His pipes are at the Clan Macpherson Museum and House in Newtonmore.

Really! i didn't know that. It's too bad that they aren't being played by someone, pipes die when they are left to dry out. Any idea who the pipe maker was?

[creagdhubh]

Really! i didn't know that. It's too bad that they aren't being played by someone, pipes die when they are left to dry out. Any idea who the pipe maker was?

No clue, but I can find out by asking the current museum curator in Newtonmore. I'll get back with you.

[JSFMACLJR]

No offense taken but when you look at the tartan history books the whole notion of wearing ones "Clan Tartan" its all a fairly resent invention from the late 18th century.
I wear a fly plaid when I'm piping for a black tie occasion. It's got an old school look to it that I like when it's done right. I took this picture in front of a mirror so keep in mind that it's backwards.


Here is Archie MacNeil, The famous blind piper, wearing a fly plaid.


Here is John MacDonald of Inverness (A god to serious pipers) wearing a fly plaid.



Here is Robert Nicol, one of the Famous Bobs of Balmoral. (Royal Pipers) wearing one.



and in this picture is G.S. McLennan, a genius of a composer, and my hero. I think he's wearing one as well but I could be wrong.



As I said, no offense taken at all but I think that when it's worn right ie: good quality tartan not hire shop light weight fabric it can look good.

Could not some or all of these old photos show a belted plaid, rather than a fly plaid? One photo in particular definitely shows the belted plaid:

[Andrew M. Stewart]

Could not some or all of these old photos show a belted plaid, rather than a fly plaid? One photo in particular definitely shows the belted plaid:

I don't think anyone was wearing a full plaid at that period of time.

[JSFMACLJR]

I don't think anyone was wearing a full plaid at that period of time.

It isn't a full plaid; rather, it is a belted plaid.

Nonetheless, I believe full plaids were quite common. Why would you say that they weren't being worn then?

[Jack Daw]

Could not some or all of these old photos show a belted plaid, rather than a fly plaid? One photo in particular definitely shows the belted plaid:

John McD could be wearing one, but only because the picture isn't clear enough. The others, such as the piper above, don't look to be wearing a belted plaid to me. The giveaway is the lack of fabric above the belt as an extension of the front apron. It wouldn't just disappear.

[fluter]

John McD could be wearing one, but only because the picture isn't clear enough. The others, such as the piper above, don't look to be wearing a belted plaid to me. The giveaway is the lack of fabric above the belt as an extension of the front apron. It wouldn't just disappear.

Sandy, are you referring to the kind of plaid that Matt reconstructed from Erskine? Separate, but attached to a belt? this photo rather looks like one of those to me.

Are we just getting horribly confused by overloading the term "belted plaid" (which in my memory usually means the breacan an feileadh). I begin to see Matt's wisdom in naming the other one "half-belted plaid!"