Interesting trend I've noticed forming around plaids

[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".

[creagdhubh]

I tend not to think of it as a recent trend. Macpherson men that wear plaids for evening wear, have worn the drummer's style plaids with the purled fringe for many years now. It's far superior to the straight style of fringing, and larger than the typical fly plaid. Not too mention you can have it made in the heavyweight strome tartans by Lochcarron.

Cheers,

[AFS1970]

I have been wearing one for years. I too like the look better than the simple fly plaid.

[creagdhubh]

I have been wearing one for years. I too like the look better than the simple fly plaid.

I agree, and I tend not to wear the plaid for evening attire, however, I do sometimes wear a "blanket" or "Laird's" plaid for day attire-typically at the annual, summer Clan Macpherson gathering in Badenoch.

[OC Richard]

These were called "belted plaids" in the old days and in the military they were worn in full dress not only by drummers but by all officers and sergeants of the Highland Regiments throughout the 19th century, up to when Full Dress was abolished in 1914.

Here are two officers, one in Full Dress, one in Levee Dress, both wearing belted plaids:



Here's the belted plaid in 1852:



They were also quite commonly worn in civilian dress throughout the 19th century right up until now.

Here are pipers wearing belted plaids:






And here's a civilian wearing a belted plaid in the 1860's:



They show up in the vintage Highland Dress catalogues I have, for civilian Evening Dress, for example in this Lawrie catalogue from the 1930's



and this old Henderson catalogue:


These are called "belted plaids" in all the vintage catalogues I have.

The term "belted plaid" was fine at that time because nobody wore the 18th century belted plaid/great kilts anymore, and in fact they were an attempt at continuing the look of the old great kilt. Nowadays calling them "belted plaids" might be confusing because so many people are wearing 18th century belted plaids/great kilts.

As far as I can tell "fly plaids" are rather recent and are essentially an economy or budget version of the belted plaid. They don't appear in my vintage catalogues spanning the 1920s through the 1950s. The interesting thing is that I've heard the belted plaids worn by Highland sergeants in the later 19th century up until 1914 called "fly plaids" but I don't know if that was just a different name for their belted plaids, or if these were actual "fly plaids" in the current sense, a belted plaid lacking the belt.