Kilt Pin

[Jock Scot]

I have had Ian make a few things for me and I am very pleased with them. I have to say that his kilt pins that you show do not enthuse me.

[Father Bill]

I have a lovely round Stirling silver Celtic cross from Ian, and wear it with pride and delight. He's not cheap, but you do have to pay if you want quality.

[Touchstone]

I have had Ian make a few things for me and I am very pleased with them. I have to say that his kilt pins that you show do not enthuse me.

I like the one on the right - a nice blend of Celtic and modern. But you're correct - this picture doesn't really do his collection justice.

[TNScotsman]

I'll add a second vote for Etsy. I haven't bought a lot from there, but do have a vintage brooch that will pin my fly plaid for an upcoming wedding (I know, I know, but the bride says we wear fly plaids) and a vintage kilt pin. I also got a nice pair of vintage cufflinks with engraved lions rampant that seem to be a nice compliment to the Scottish Royal Lion banner. Not only do you get good stuff, but the hunt can be a lot of fun.

[Jock Scot]

Kilt Pins.

There is absolutely no reason to wear a kilt pin at all. No rule, no law, no fashion expectation, no need whatsoever. Most do wear a kilt pin, as I do, but you have no need to.

[Jock Scot]

Kilt Pins.

There is absolutely no reason to wear a kilt pin at all. No rule, no law, no fashion expectation, no need whatsoever. Most do wear a kilt pin, as I do, but you have no need to.

I have been thinking about this post above and I can see that there is a tad more explaining to do, to clear up the inevitable question of: "Why then, do most people wear a kilt pin?" Its true most people, in my experience, wearing the kilt do wear a kilt pin.

The above answer still holds true and one does not have to wear a kilt pin on their kilt if one chooses, nevertheless it has most certainly become accepted practice for most kilt wearers to do so and overtime, they seem more than happy to wear their kilt pin. I think nearly most new to the kilt are under the mistaken impression that the kilt pin is an essential piece of kilt attire. Added to that, those viewing the kilt who are interested enough about the kilt to notice the kilt pin, do also mistakenly expect a kilt pin to be worn.

[OC Richard]

There is absolutely no reason to wear a kilt pin at all. No rule, no law, no fashion expectation, no need whatsoever.

Well said!

Kilt pins don't appear until Victorian times, and they were in the minority even then.

In other words most Victorian photos show no kilt pins, or flashes.

People often express the misunderstanding that Victorian Highland Dress was as a rule overly elaborate.

Yes for formal evening do's men could don an incredible array! Sword, dirk, sgian, pair of pistols, powder-horn.

But for daytime wear with tweed it was quite the opposite, with things we take for granted nowadays like sginean, kilt pins, flashes, and even cap badges being forgone.

(Four gents in the late 1860s, showing no kilt pins, no flashes, no sginean, no belts, no dirks, no ghillies, and one with no cap badge.)

[MichiganKyle]

IMG_20201011_0836415 small.jpg

Don't need to limit yourself to just things which are labelled "kilt pin", either. I wear a replica Lothlórien pin from the Lord of the Rings on my Isle of Skye kilt.

[FossilHunter]

If you keep an eye on eBay, it’s not uncommon to find a variety of vintage sterling silver kilt pins and brooches at reasonable prices.

[OC Richard]

Don't need to limit yourself to just things which are labelled "kilt pin"...

For sure there's a thread here called something like "show us your kilt pins" and almost all of them are things not designed or made to be kilt pins.

I was surprised to find out that nearly any object, made for whatever purpose, some of them rather heavy, were being attached to kilts.

It struck me in an odd way, as if I was seeing a thread "show us your shoes" where people have towels, sheets of plastic, etc wrapped around their feet rather than shoes.

The traditional kilt pins I was showing aren't merely objects which someone has labelled "kilt pins", they are dedicated objects designed, made, and sold for the specific and sole purpose as being worn as kilt pins, in the same manner that "shoes" are objects designed, made, and sold for the sole purpose of covering the feet.