A new House of Edgar collection

[OC Richard]

Tartan flashes are not for me either. I have never understood why they are so popular.

Nor for me.

I think the proliferation of the things is economics: when a kilt is finished the maker has tons of little cuttings. In the old days they were probably binned, the cuttings being too small to make much out of.

But they can make a pair of flashes, and I've noticed kiltmakers who include them free or for a nominal charge, creating the temptation to wear them.

I dislike the whole thing of making flashes out of woven yardage, cut to pattern and sewn together as you would a shirt.

As we know traditionally they were made from tape woven to purpose in the correct width.

There is one advantage to the woven-fabric ones: in the matchy Pipe Band world the fact that House of Edgar weaves solid-coloured cloth in a number of their tartan-colours and makes flashes from it allows bands to purchase flashes which perfectly match their kilts, even in HoE's unique "muted" range.