Kilt Pin attached to the Kilt

[chewse]

Gents - I'm new to kilt wearing. I just received, over the weekend, my beautiful MacKay Ancient kilt I order while on vacation in Scotland in August from a Haymarket kilt maker. I have most of the accessories I need including two very nice kilt pins.

Here is my dumb question. Is the kilt pin to be pinned through the outer fold of the kilt as well as the inter fold? I’m not sure if the kilt pin acts more functionally by securing the outer fold to the inter fold or if it more ornamental in nature where it only needs to be attached to the outer fold.

[thescot]

NO. Outer apron only. Of course, the idea originally was to keep the apron down in the interest of modesty, but the great chance of tearing the cloth means that you only want to pin it through the outer apron of your kilt.

[chewse]

thanks Jim!

[Matty Ross]

But you know what on a windy day at the highland games I usually pin my appron down to the kilt.

[westy1970]

I usually push it right into my thigh! That way I know it won't go anywhere. Modern wear is through the front apron as has been mentioned.

[Tartan Tess]

Wow,I always assumed you would pin it thru to hold it down.
Jim, good point for that answer.
I was told by my kilt making teachers not to put in a second buckle unless they were dancers (where you have to admit, they make the kilt swing alot more than most guys walking around to and fro....even in wind)
chewse, I bet your "Dumb Question" is going to be a hot topic.

[BLHS209]

Although I "only" have a tank, I have found that the weight of the fabric and a "heavy" kilt pin is all I need to keep from catching "too much breeze".

A suggestion - look at others who have worn your particular tartan and see where they have placed the pin.

[skauwt]

id say a kilt pin is more decoration rather than a practical item a good weighted tartan shouldn't need to be held down ,a kiltpin is one decoration id never be without when kilted mind you

[Bugbear]

Last year, I moved my blanket pin to about a third of the way up the apron from the lower corner as someone suggested. I didn't wear the kilt too many times after that, but the placement didn't bother me. It was said that the pin could be pinned through both aprons at that point, if very windy, without causing too much trouble with the kilt, as might happen if they were pinned together at the bottom corner.

Also, it was said the pin in the corner would tend to cause the top apron to billow out like a sail in some situations, where as, the higher placement would not. I never had a situation to observe if that was the case, but I can understand how that might be so.

[BEEDEE]

One suggestion; when you insert the pin, catch a piece of rubber cut from a wide elastic band (the one used for produce are great) by threading the pin though kilt, then through the top and bottom of the rubber and finally through the kilt again.

That way, if the pin clasp comes undone, you are unlikely to loose the pin.

Brian