pipers plaid

[glasgow32]

I recently purchased a pipers plaid and am having trouble getting it too look like it does in pictures. I have watched a Youtube video repeatedly, but still having no luck. Any advice?

[OC Richard]

Does it have the pleats sewn in, or is it just a big piece of tartan yardage, fringed at both ends?

There are various approaches to putting on the long plaid. (In the military certain officers and sergeants wear them with certain orders of dress, not just pipers.)

They're all the same in that you have to end up with the thing wrapped snugly around your body, under the right armpit, both ends going through the epaulette on the left shoulder, with the end which comes from your right armpit across your front and up towards your left shoulder going over the other end through the epaulette on your left shoulder, and hanging long down behind, usually ending around where the top of your spats or hose are.

The question is what to do with the other end, the shorter end, the end that goes from your right armpit across your back and up through the epaulette on your left shoulder, underneath the long end of the plaid.

You see old photos with this short end just left dangling down in front. But usually in the military it's hidden by some means. I've tucked it under the part of the plaid that goes across my chest. In a band I was in years ago, we took the left-shoulder shell off our doublet, and twisted that short end of the plaid and formed it more or less to the shape of the missing shell, tucking it in somewhere (I forget just where). The old guy in the band had served with the Cameron Highlanders in WWII and presumably had got this method there.

All this stuff is easy to demonstrate but difficult to put into words.

But anyhow this is what it needs to end up looking like:





Note that the leading edge of the long portion which hangs down behind is brought forward and pinned with the brooch.

[Thomas H]

Can anyone wear a Fly Plaid or is it reserved for just Pipers and Military?

[creagdhubh]

Can anyone wear a Fly Plaid or is it reserved for just Pipers and Military?

Anyone can wear them. Usually you seen them being worn with Highland evening attire, and I tend to think they look especially good with evening doublets, not jackets or coatees. I also like them with a purled fringe, in place of straight fringe. Just my opinion.

[Tobus]

Can anyone wear a Fly Plaid or is it reserved for just Pipers and Military?

A fly plaid is not the same as a piper's plaid. Which are you talking about?

[creagdhubh]

A fly plaid is not the same as a piper's plaid. Which are you talking about?

Quite right, I didn't catch that. I was speaking of the fly plaid, not sure if the other chap was still discussing the piper's plaid or if he immediately went into a discussion of the fly plaid - to me, it sounded like the latter!

Cheers,

[Thomas H]

Quite right, I didn't catch that. I was speaking of the fly plaid, not sure if the other chap was still discussing the piper's plaid or if he immediately went into a discussion of the fly plaid - to me, it sounded like the latter!

Cheers,

[Thomas H]

I am sorry I was talking about a Fly plaid. I just bought one and did not want to afend anyone when wearing it ,I am new to the highland games and clothing. Thank you

[piperdbh]

Now you're in my territory.

To wear a fly plaid, you need a strong-clasped brooch and something that weighs a few ounces (like a flask) to go in your inside jacket pocket. Take one corner of the fly plaid, pleat it so that it's about 3 inches wide, then stab the clasp of your brooch through enough layers of the pleats so that they won't come undone*, and pin it to the left shoulder of your jacket. Put the weight in your left inside jacket pocket (to counterbalance the weight of the plaid) and head off down the road.

*You can machine- or hand-stitch across the pleats to hold them together, then you can run the clasp bar of the brooch through just one or two layers of fabric instead of a whole bunch of them.

[Piobair]

Here ya go...

How To Tie a Plaid