Show us your Vintage Kilt Photos

[figheadair]

A piper of the Cameron Highlanders wearing a belted plaid

He's wearing a kilt and shoulder plaid not a belted plaid.

[SlackerDrummer]

He's wearing a kilt and shoulder plaid not a belted plaid.

Belted plaid in this case meaning the equivalent of a drummer's plaid, not meaning a great kilt.

[Coastie]

Happened on this photo of Scottish POWs in World War I. Hope that is vintage enough.

[Mike_Oettle]

Interesting picture, Coastie. But unfortunately it is a black-and-white (or sepia) print that has been coloured by hand, and by an artist with little knowledge or understanding of tartan, so it is somewhat unreliable.
The kilt aprons look rather white, but my understanding is that they were made of khaki cloth.
Regards,
Mike

[OC Richard]

He's wearing a kilt and shoulder plaid not a belted plaid.

The rather complex garment consisting of a square of tartan, fringed on three sides, the fourth side pleated and attached to a narrow cloth belt (which went round the waist), the fringed side opposite the belt having a triangular fringed tab of tartan which was put through the jacket's epaulette, was consistently referred to as a "belted plaid" in vintage Highland Dress catalogues from the 1920s through the 1950s.

It's nowadays usually called a "drummer's plaid" in pipe bands, though this is a misnomer, as it was worn not only by drummers but also by sergeants and officers in Full Dress. I"ve also seen it called an "evening plaid" in connexion with civilian attire.

(Not to be confused with the breacan-an-feileadh of the 18th century, or the modern "fly plaid".)

[OC Richard]

A very interesting photo, but marred by funky colouring.

Their Gordon Highlanders capbadges have been painted gold with red backgrounds. One of the Glengarry's (black) bindings has been rendered red and gold. The overcoat has been painted French blue. The kilt aprons have been painted light grey (instead of light khaki). And the plaid of the kilts is completely fanciful.

It does show something that's seen in many WWI photos of Highlanders, that is Scottish pattern tunics and English pattern tunics mixed in the same unit.

[fingertrouble]

I love this thread...:-D

[jf42]

[QUOTE=BoldHighlander;874973][FONT="Georgia"][SIZE="2"][COLOR="DarkGreen"] A beautifully realized family portrait of a veteran sergeant of the 2nd Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders and his wife & daughter.

A great site and I have enjoyed scrolling through these atmospheric photos.

However, I should be sorry for anyone to be led astray, if only for a moment, so I am writing to say that your "veteran sergeant of the 2nd Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders " on page 33 (April 2010)-

- looks to me very much like a sergeant of the Black Watch. The plain blue glengarry may have distracted your informant but the cap badge, kilt, sporran and spats all proclaim him to be a Royal Highlander.

"The sergeant wears the ribbons of the Queen's and King's South Africa Medals. The 2nd Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders did not serve in South Africa..."

but the 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch, on the other hand, did, which should solve the mystery of the good sergeant's South African medals. 2nd Bn, BW performed stalwart service in SA, before sailing to India in 1902 to take up station at Umballa in the Punjab. They served in India till 1914.

I hope that's of use. It would have mattered to the man concerned.

A son of the Black Watch

[RAF]

[RAF]

my apologies, bear with me while I figure out the correct way to get pictures in this thread.