Fly Plaid Question!!!????

**angerli** · 22nd April 06, 09:08 PM

Hi, guys,

Is it okay to wear a fly plaid with a daywear jacket? I've seen lots of photos where they're worn with full evening dress, but what about daywear?

Hope someone can give me the conventional wisdom on this. M'lady and I are attending a nice semi-formal luncheon Sunday down at the Pinehurst, NC Golf Club, and I'm going kilted. I have a nice Fly Plaid to wear, but I want to be sure it'd be acceptable with my tweed daywear jacket

.

Sandy

**Caradoc** · 22nd April 06, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by angerli

Hi, guys,

Is it okay to wear a fly plaid with a daywear jacket? I've seen lots of photos where they're worn with full evening dress, but what about daywear?
Sandy

I've never seen a "fly plaid" on daywear. I've seen plaids for daywear - they're usually folded and carried over the shoulder, but do not "fasten" the bottom edge to the waist.

The ones I've seen used with daywear seem to be heavy wool, fringed on both ends, about 50-60" wide and maybe 3-4 yards long. Thompson mentions daywear plaids in "So You're Going to Wear the Kilt."

If you're talking about the lightweight plaid with the "tapes" on one end to tie to the waist, I'd think that they're inappropriate for daywear.

**angerli** · 22nd April 06, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by Caradoc

If you're talking about the lightweight plaid with the "tapes" on one end to tie to the waist, I'd think that they're inappropriate for daywear.

Hi,

Oh, the one I have is definitely a fly plaid, NOT the smaller one you describe. So, I'll give it a try. I've a nice clan-crest brooch to secure it with.

Sandy

**bubba** · 22nd April 06, 10:05 PM

I believe the plaid is very formal, like for the Groom at a wedding, and not appropriate for daywear. Personally, I've never seen or heard of one worn with daywear attire.

**leathercubby** · 22nd April 06, 10:22 PM

The fly plaid is definitely for formal wear. I attended an evening event in Edinburgh, where Prince Charlies and black tie were the predominant attire and not a fly plaid in sight. I asked a friend about that and he said the event was not formal enough and that fly plaids are most common for weddings. Events here in the US I have attended would have had more fly plaids due to the black tie.

**James** · 22nd April 06, 11:34 PM

Best to not wear it.

James

**Panache** · 23rd April 06, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by bubba

I believe the plaid is very formal, like for the Groom at a wedding, and not appropriate for daywear. Personally, I've never seen or heard of one worn with daywear attire.

It's a pity that the fly plaid is apparently an ultra formal accessory because various kilt sources seem to sell them without mentioning that they are for ultra formal attire. So we the first time buyer think "better get one of those to match my kilt". Then we find out OOPS we really shouldn't wear them at all. The real shame of it all is that fly plaids just look so darned good with kilts!

Are fly plaids covered in the X Marks FAQ? It would probably be worth a mention and save some lurkers and newbies (like myself) some $$$.

Cheers

**Robin** · 23rd April 06, 04:51 PM

Matt Newsome and/or Hamish will know all the ins and outs for sure...

I understand wearing a fly plaid is pretty normal in the USA, so when you like it...just do what you please

**Caradoc** · 23rd April 06, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by angerli

Hi,

Oh, the one I have is definitely a fly plaid, NOT the smaller one you describe. So, I'll give it a try. I've a nice clan-crest brooch to secure it with.

Sandy

No... You don't want to do that.

Quoting from Thompson's "So You're Going to Wear the Kilt":

"This is one of the commonest mistakes made by American wearers of Scottish attire. One sees pictures of Americans at Highland Games accompanying visiting chiefs from Scotland. If the Scot has any tartan above the waist, it is the folded plaid laid over the shoulder. The American will have an evening plaid fastened at the shoulder by a "poached-egg" brooch. The contrast is appalling."

He continues:

"In my personal opinion (which anyone is free to disagree with) the evening plaid is even too dressy to go well with the Prince Charlie coatee."

Further:

"The evening plaid is a rectangle of tartan pleated at one end, that attaches to the waist with a belt or tape. The other three sides are fringed like the ends of a piper's plaid, and there is a knot of fringe midway of the end opposite the pleated end."

To reiterate - if you're going to wear the plaid with daywear, NO BROOCH. Fold it and lay it over your shoulder. And anything with a waist fastener is too formal to go with daywear.

**bikercelt1** · 23rd April 06, 02:06 PM

Not to say that it's right, but in the Portland area I frequently see people wearing a fly plaid with day wear or even pinned to a Jacobite shirt. The trailing end is always left hanging. (The only people who tuck their fly paid in are the Renfaire visitors who are trying to look like their wearing a great kilt.) Not to say it's correct, but it is common practice here.

Jamie