Fly Plaid Question!!!????

[James]

Understated rather than overstated is usually best-otherwise there is a very real chance of appearing akin to an advert for Genuine Mongolian Malt - warranted matured for five minutes in cask.

As mentioned in one of the posts, suppliers want to make a sale so will push anything they think they can sell, without of necessity being overly concerned about the final appearance.

Too what can add to the 'showtime' splendour of a piper, can be very much overdoing it when worn as a part of male evening/formal dress. For what is a most striking way of dressing can too easily look out of balance with excessive adornment.

There again there are certain cultural differences-such as to British eyes the very thought of medals being worn at say a Burns Supper, is something that no one would do.

James

[Dukeof Kircaldy]

This reminds me of a cartoon I saw when I was on Skye. It showed a person (I guess an American) wearing a bandsman's outfit and doing a dance with a tour bus in the back and the caption "Ain't ya ever seen a highland fling before?"

Point is some people go overboard, much to my amusement when I went to the Scottish Walks in Alexandria.

While I might be tolerant about footwear, this is a place where kilt snobbery comes in. Mostly due to looking out of place. Or just plain outrageous.

Anyway, usually when I see someone wearing a kilt and plaid for day wear, they are wearing something from the 18th Century rather than a modern kilt.

Personally, save the plaid for a Montrose or Sherrifmuir doublet and those occasions when you are at Balmoral or Holyrood.

[McClef]

Plaid fashions could change if more people saw them in less formal situations

But even for formal situations a lot of people could be put off by the cost of the plaid after shelling out for a smart formal jacket or doublet. I only have 3 plaids out of 23 kilts (not that I would wear some of the kilts formally anyway) and so far have only managed to wear 2 of them at formal events.

Cornish National
Robertson Hinting Ancient

Still looking for an occasion for the Isle of Skye!

[Dukeof Kircaldy]

I am a bit more fortunate in the plaid situation since I will only buy one fly plaid, a modern Forbes, to go with my doublet. Still, they are an expensive proposition.

[Jock Scot]

Well alright, I have sat on the fence for long enough.Let me say right from the start that I don't like plaids at all, in any shape or form.I have worn them from time to time and thought that they were nothing but a D**n bother.

In my time I have spent more than a few days rubbing shoulders with some of the "Great and the Good(?)" in some of the grand houses in the UK in general and Scotland in particular and all I can say is that to see a plaid,of any sort,on any occasion, was/is a rarity.

I do recal a friend of mine who had just succeeded to a large estate and rather a grand title having his portrait painted clad in the kilt and plaid plus dirk,sword,pistols,powder flasks etc., and when finnished putting the valuble stuff in a vault and burning the plaid!

From a Scottish point of view the "day plaid "worn with day wear,the one folded and placed over the shoulder UNFASTENED,is correct.The evening(fly) plaid should NOT be worn with a PC and medals should not be worn as a matter of course,but ONLY worn if the invitation asks you to.Which ,these days,is not often.

To finnish on rather a sad note.As children, when we were at various functions we all used to play "spot the lemon"in which we would try to spot who of the adults was incorrectly dressed.Almost invariably it would be the English,Americans or Australians.Sorry!A harsh game in many ways,but at least we grew up knowing what was appropriate attire for the relevant funtion!We also learnt what we could get away with if we had'nt quite got the correct kit!

[Jack Daw]

The day plaid or laird's plaid (as TartanWeb called it) is meant for informal wear. I understand about the fly plaid only being worn for formal occasions. Black tie is becoming more the norm for formal occasions rather than white tie; so, there are a lot of fly plaids being worn with the PC, now. The times, they are a changin'. But, for Scotland this year, I'll leave them home for our black-tie formal dinner. I have two fly plaids and one day plaid versus 7 kilts. I don't plan on adding more fly plaids to my collection.

I think we should be careful about Brigadoonry. At one Highland games, I saw a fellow wearing a kilt, "Jacobite" shirt and a fly plaid. Why??

[PiobBear]

Is it okay to wear a fly plaid with a daywear jacket?

No.

Around here fly plaids (and miniatures) with formal wear are so common as to be considered normative. I always wear one when going black tie (I've only gone white tie twice in the past ten years; such events are extremely rare here), but I'm a piper; I'm expected to be fully "tricked out" at formal events.

I generally wear a dirk too. Also somewhat of a PITA, but quite popular for dispatching haggis and wedding cakes.

[Phil]

This is a bit of a "If you've got it, flaunt it" question. The only people I've ever seen wearing a "plaidie" as we call it are in pipe bands. I do believe they are starting to be worn at weddings nowadays though but only by the groom and best man. It would not be considered appropriate for a guest to wear one in these circumstances. Jock's "spot the lemon" is very appropriate as someone inappropriately dressed does stick out like a sore thumb.

[Ozman1944]

I don't care; I like wearing the Flyplaid for evening wear. Looks smart, and besides, no Kilt Police in my neighborhood.

[thescot]

Nope, no plaid with daywear!

I only have tartan on the shoulder if I wear my breachan feile with the excess piled on the left shoulder and pinned with an ornate braoch--and then only in the evening at very formal events. Maybe once every year or three.

Of course, you can wear anything you like, such as a white fur sporran with blue jeans. It's not law, and the kilt police will only frown, but if it's a question of what is considered "correct," then leave the plaid at home during hte day.