Plaid Brooch Advice

**starbkjrus** · 28th April 06, 04:37 PM

I emailed this same question to Matt Newsome along with correspondance about the XMarks kilt but thought I'd post here with a couple of pics.

I have a nice antique fly plaid brooch that I got for Christmas. It is silver wtih a large amber- orange- ish stone and engravings of thistles around it. I like it a lot BUT the pin on the thing is just huge. Do I dare pin this through my new (soon to be) XMarks tartan fly plaid? Do you also pin these things through the jacket lapel?

Could make some mighty big holes. That's an americann quarter in the pics next to it for perspective.

Front View:

Back View:

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

**Caradoc** · 28th April 06, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by starbkjrus

Could make some mighty big holes.

Front View:

Back View:

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Yes, it could make some big holes. You might see if a local jeweler or metalworker could put a skinnier pin on it.

**davedove** · 28th April 06, 04:45 PM

I have also heard of using safety pins to attach the plaid to the jacket, hidden in the folds, then put the brooch pin around the folds. Basically, the plaid passes between the pin and the body of the brooch and everything is held in place by the safety pins. This would prevent punching big holes in either the jacket or the plaid.

**Bob C** · 28th April 06, 06:25 PM

That's almost exactly like my brooch (different color stone), and I have not noticed any lasting holes in either the plaid or the jacket.

**macwilkin** · 28th April 06, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by davedove

I have also heard of using safety pins to attach the plaid to the jacket, hidden in the folds, then put the brooch pin around the folds. Basically, the plaid passes between the pin and the body of the brooch and everything is held in place by the safety pins. This would prevent punching big holes in either the jacket or the plaid.

I've seen that done before as well.

Todd

**GlassMan** · 29th April 06, 08:44 PM

I received a similar broach as a gift and I haven't dared wear it yet for fear of causing lasting damage to my jacket and my plaid.

**ByDand** · 1st May 06, 05:13 AM

That actually looks like a broach designed for the full plaid (piper's plaid). It needs a large pin to go through the thickness of the plaid and epaulet on the doublet. I have a smaller broach with smaller back pin that I use for the fly plaid. It does not harm the plaid or the jacket. Just my two cents worth, but I would not wear that one with a fly plaid.