The tartan sash

[MacHenderson]

I know a lot of people will wear it as an alternative to the Great Kilt if they're going to a renaissance fair or something similar, but what about during formal events, such as a Robbie Burns dinner or a wedding or something? Is it more often considered a lady's article, or is it appropriate for a guy to wear one?

I have another question, this one's about the fly plaid. If it is considered normal for a guy to wear a sash, can he wear a fly plaid and a sash at the same time? I thought I'd ask here before I went and made an **** of myself in public somewhere.

[Dirk Skene]

I think it is just for our ladies. I THINK a lady normally wears it over her right shoulder, collectected at the left hip with a clan badge. A Chief's wife wears it over the left shoulder.

Remember .... this is NOT gospel. It is only as I remember it. I told my niece (Dirka Skene) to wear hers over her right shoulder.

[cavscout]

Personally I think the sashes look more like a ladies piece, simply because they are so small.

On the other hand, a pipers plaid or something much more bulky looks great though very formal like the ones shown here

http://www.tartansauthority.com/Web/...ts/First15.asp

All in all for what would be considered formal events or black tie, these would be over kill (again IMHO).

[Nervous Jock]

All in all for what would be considered formal events or black tie, these would be over kill (again IMHO).

Agreed, never have & never will all my mates would give me a hard time for being a ponce for starters.

[Ayin McFye]

Personally I think the sashes look more like a ladies piece, simply because they are so small.

On the other hand, a pipers plaid or something much more bulky looks great though very formal like the ones shown here

http://www.tartansauthority.com/Web/...ts/First15.asp

All in all for what would be considered formal events or black tie, these would be over kill (again IMHO).

Those were some great pics. I've never seen that website. Thanks for sharing!

[Riverkilt]

Back in the early stages of this addiction, while jonesing for some kilts on order I ordered a Macdonald sash from SportKilt. Kinda figured out on my own it didn't work.

But don't give them away. I use mine for a winter scarf and it works great - especially when paired with a leather flight jacket and a solid color kilt....or matching tartan kilt.

Ron

[Skweres]

wear em both! you can never wear enough tartan.....although i personally dont care for the sash, and rarely wear the fly plaid

[MacHenderson]

The sash I have is almost 11 inches wide, and pretty bulky. Not quite as bulky as those piper's shashes, but even so, I like the way it looks with my kilt, a white shirt and a tie.
What if, as apposed to throwing it over the shoulder and gathering it at the hip, (Or waist, for the guys.) you bring it around under one arm, back up to the opposite shoulder where it is pinned, then let the rest hang behind you, from the shoulder? Sort of like a "mini" fly plaid?
I personally think it looks alright on a guy, but again, I don't want to make an idiot of myself.

[EDIT] I got it from Sportkilt, HERE, where they described a guy wearing it in the description, which is why I felt okay getting it. There used to be a way better picture of the sash; its kinda hard to see in this wedding shot.

[PiobBear]

PROPER WEARING OF LADIES' SASHES

Personally, I'd go with a fly plaid. I have only seen one sash that looks good on a guy; pleated and worn like a piper's plaid (but nowhere near as much material, so not as bulky; very important in Florida). I don't think 11" is wide enough to pleat, and I doubt it's long enough; a piper's plaid hangs down your back to the top of your spats (about 12" off the ground). If I were to wear it, I'd try to fold some shallow pleats into it, pin it high (brooch even with the top of my left shoulder) and let the rest hang free behind me, similar to a piper's plaid; like the woman on the left in the link, but backwards. This is what you're trying to emulate: RDMA Plaid Tying Manual

Oh yeah; I wouldn't wear a plaid in any form without a coat & tie.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

The reason a sash looks like a lady's garment is because it is a lady's garment. Boys, leave it alone, unless you plan on using it as a table runner (or want an extra long scarf for the winter!).

A lot of neophytes to the kilted world will wear a lady's sash with their kilt because they are used to seeing pipers all decked out and wearing a piper's plaid (like this) or depictions of the belted plaid (like this) and they assume that they need something tartan over the shoulder.

But the lady's sash is neither of these. A lady's sash is approximately 10" to 12" in width and usually 90" or so in length. It's also usually of a lighter weight wool. A piper's plaid can be made of 3 or 4 yards of full length tartan, the same heavy weight as the kilt, pleated and sewn into place. It's a beast! And, as I tell people, it's called a "piper's plaid" because unless you are a piper you really don't need to be wearing one!

A fly plaid is something different. It can be found in different sizes, but it's usually a rather large square of tartan, again the same weight as the kilt. It's meant to be evocative of the upper part of the old belted plaid, and has been said here already, is really suited to more formal occasions where a jacket would be worn (like this). I have seen it worn to good effect with a more casual outfit, with a tweed Argyle jacket. But again, some kind of jacket is really needed.

I know I've seen some web sites these days market a fly plaid for casual wear or neo-Jacobean wear, but I just don't think it looks right.

This is not a fly plaid.