Evening plaid questions

[flyv65]

I wear my plaid when pipeing, but I wouldnt wear it on any other occasion, I see them at weddings worn by the groom only worn on the left side, in the unlikely event that your a clan chief you can wear it on the right.

I'm curious where you found the information that only a clan chief may wear the fly plaid on the right side: it was my understanding that the fly plaid was simply a vestigial representation of the brecan mhor, that is to say now a form of decoration, and could be worn on whichever shoulder one wanted.

Bryan...I'm left-handed, you know (skein dubh in the left hose)...

[Owl of Oban]

I was told, by a well meaning Scottish store owner, that the plaid goes on the shoulder opposite 'your sword arm'....which I think is more appropriately described as 'your drinking hand'. This makes practical sense to me, regardless of the Scottish Emily Post implications.

Thompson, in his kilt rule book, mentions the evening plaid but makes no mention of what shoulder to wear it on. However, in describing the ladies tartan sash, he states that it should be pinned to the right, unless one is a chief in her own right, married to a chief or married to a colonel in a Highland Regiment....
(one wonders if in these times whether this would also apply to a woman who WAS a colonel in a Highland Regiment.....or are the regiments not integrated? Please excuse the ignorance of a Yank with regard to these matters....)

All of this aside, earlier in this thread the statement was made that Thompson's book is a bit dated and perhaps opinionated, both of which are probably true. Caveat Emptor. :razz:

[highlander_Daz]

Hamish said "know, Daz, and I've been wearing them for the past 56 years!"

Well I hope you have odour eaters fitted Ham I bet they can walk by them selves now!!!

Fly said "I'm curious where you found the information that only a clan chief may wear the fly plaid on the right side:"

To be honest I dont know its just a tradition something every body seems to assume , I dont know if its some kind of unwritten law but its just something here everyone does. Your correct in that it is to imitate the look of the great plaid, but like I say its normally worn by grooms on the left side, Ive never seen it worn on the right, It does get in the way whilst pipeing at times,

As for being left handed the Sinistral was seen as being associated with the black arts and up until very recently left handers were encouraged (very firmly) to use their right hand, King George the vi had his left hand tied behind his back at school and this resulted in his stammer which sinistrals get when forced to change hands. any advertising of the fact that you were left handed could result in being associated with whichcraft which would result in torture/burning at the stake etc.

[flyv65]

As for being left handed the Sinistral was seen as being associated with the black arts and up until very recently left handers were encouraged (very firmly) to use their right hand, King George the vi had his left hand tied behind his back at school and this resulted in his stammer which sinistrals get when forced to change hands. any advertising of the fact that you were left handed could result in being associated with whichcraft which would result in torture/burning at the stake etc.

Yes; it wasn't that long ago that my aunts (two of the three sisters)were forced to write right-handed in school, despite being naturally left-handed...though neither ever developed a stutter. IIRC, this was right around 1928, so I doubt the reason was witchcraft :smile: : I might have to make some calls this weekend and see what justification was given to them.

Bryan...but I wouldv'e bet that the reason most people wore the plaid on their left shoulder is simply they were right-handed...