Interesting trend I've noticed forming around plaids

[NorCalPiper]

Hi all-
I've began noticing in the last few months that there have been a SERIOUS spike in drummer's plaid orders instead of fly plaids. for those of you who might not be familiar with drummer's plaids, Regimental pipe band drummer's use them, while piper's wear the piper's full plaid. The drummer's plaid is basically a highly fringed and purled piece of tartan material (About 2.7 meters) That is attached to a belt made of the same tartan material. It is pleated about 8 times about halfway up and the rest flows out. It is attached to your shoulder just like you would a fly plaid. Man.....Its hard to describe these..Here's a thread that has a pic of a drummer wearing one-
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...fferent-57288/

anyway, it seems these are catching on for a more formal appearance than just a fly plaid......I'm actually thinking that i myself should adorn one. They look that good! They really give the impression of a modern "Great Kilt" which i love. I know MAtt was working on something like this through the tartan museum.....Interesting to see styles emerging!

[Mark E.]

Shoot me. Fashion is becoming rather complicated these days, isn't it? Seems the pendulum is swinging back into the direction of the great kilt. If I stick about for another hundred, may be ahead of the style curve... Looks heavy on the shoulder-think it may be a lightweight wool, but same plaid as the kilt?

Mark

[xman]

Any more pictures about? This fellow just looks like he's wearing a fly plaid to me.

[Cygnus]

Both the Hon. Stuart Ruaidri Erskine and C.R. MacKinnon reference something much like it (in MacKinnon's case, he calls it a "short belted plaid", though for some reason the illustrator only drew fly plaids).

I think we have Mr. Newsome to thank for this resurgence in what seems to have been the older style of plaid with "civilian wear", as I have heard nobody else so much as mention it. The Scottish Tartans Museum has been selling them for a bit and I, for one, much prefer this plaid to the fly plaid; something about it seems more 'finished' to me and less likely to get caught on something or slammed in the door behind you.



Here's a picture of Matt in his - I assume this is what you're referring to.

[Dale Seago]

I have to say I do like the looks of that.

[xman]

I have to say I do like the looks of that.

I agree.

Thanks Cygnus.

[O'Callaghan]

You're sure it's not just the RenFest crowd wanting to get the look of a great kilt without knowing how to put one on?

[Cygnus]

You're sure it's not just the RenFest crowd wanting to get the look of a great kilt without knowing how to put one on?

That's the point of the plaid; though, since it has been in use since at least 1901 (and probably long before), I think it predates the "RenFest crowd" by quite a bit. That and the reason for its use seems to have been simplicity of wear rather than ignorance.

You can read Matt's original blog post to see an illustration of this plaid and read the history of the "half belted plaid".