How to wear accesories

[Drac]

alert

Morning all,

New to kilt wearing and I guess I'm missing some obvious things.

Does the sporran chain go through the the belt loops of the kilt?

Where does the kilt pin go on the front? And does it go through all layers?

What makes a day sporran? A hunter? Dress? Why can a hunter be worn as dress?

These are just some of the huge amount of accessories (my wife wonders how a man could need so many) available for a kilt in all the various forms. Several guides (online and books) mention the accessories but give little giude on how and when the should be worn.

Such as it came up while getting reviews on a kit I wore to a formal event one major thing (outside of the white hose) was that the fly plaid was out of place. I now agree with this (after a lot of my wife's "I told you so") but when should the fly plaid be worn?

Hopefully I'm not the only newbie curious about this.

Jim

[HeathBar]

alert

Morning all,

New to kilt wearing and I guess I'm missing some obvious things.

Does the sporran chain go through the the belt loops of the kilt?

Where does the kilt pin go on the front? And does it go through all layers?

What makes a day sporran? A hunter? Dress? Why can a hunter be worn as dress?

These are just some of the huge amount of accessories (my wife wonders how a man could need so many) available for a kilt in all the various forms. Several guides (online and books) mention the accessories but give little giude on how and when the should be worn.

Such as it came up while getting reviews on a kit I wore to a formal event one major thing (outside of the white hose) was that the fly plaid was out of place. I now agree with this (after a lot of my wife's "I told you so") but when should the fly plaid be worn?

Hopefully I'm not the only newbie curious about this.

Jim

Yes, the sporran chain or strap can go through the loops in the back. Actually that is what they are for.

I put my kilt pin in the same area my finger tips fall on my apron. This may be high for some and low for others, but it is what I do. The pin only goes through the front apron, not both.

Day sporrans are usually all leather, regardless of color. A hunter sporran is usually one that does not have a flap to cover the opening. Sometimes they have a metal cantle and sometimes its leather, like the Fergusson Brit sporrans. Dress sporrans are usually fur covered and have a silver "colored" cantle. But a mask sporran could be used for dress purposes. I think a hunter sporran with a metal cantle and some studs for "bling" could pass for a dress sporran.

The fly plaid, in my opinion, is over used. Perhaps it could be used to distinquish the groom from the rest of the groomsmen. The ones I have seen in formal settings are either getting stepped on, or caught on chairs, or dragged across tables. Of course there are probably as many opinions about fly plaids as there are forum members. Maybe your wife could find a use for it in her wardrobe.

[Peregrine]

As HeathBar stated the sporran strap can go through the loops. This is intended to keep the sporran from falling down. In practice you may find this to be unnecessary and a nuisance; as I do.

For people of most builds the sporran will stay in place without any assistance. Putting the strap through the loops makes it difficult to move the sporran to the side, i.e., onto your hip. This can be more comfortable when driving or during any activity that results in the sporran bouncing, e.g., dancing or running.

I suggest you try it both ways and see what you prefer.

[tulloch]

I was told that the sporran strap goes through the loops but not the belt. I put them both through otherwise the belt outside the loops can make it difficult to slide the sporran to the side for going to the loo. I treasure my kilt too much to use a pin through it. It stays in place. I have never had a problem with the aprons blowing open and, needless to say, I have no problem with the pin stressing the beautiful wool fabric. I do not have a fly plaid and don't plan to get one. Day sporrans are simple and made for utility. A dress sporran is very fancy. Beware of those who would distinguish between different grades & what you need to have for this or that event. You could spend thousands. Get what you like & use it where appropriate. Most important: enjoy!

[slohairt]

Hi Drac,

Here are my suggestions:

1) Kilt Pin: Looking at pictures, you'll see a variety of different pin placements: Some pin it a few inches in from the bottom corner near the fringe, while others place it halfway up the apron. It's really up to you. Just make sure you do not pin through both aprons. The kilt pin is there for weight only, not to hold anything together. I usually place mine three inches up from the bottom and three inches in from the fringe.

2) Strap: The sporran strap/chain should go through the loops at the back if you have them on your kilt. If you don't, it will look as if you forgot! The loops (be they sporran or belt) aren't really necessary if you have a good difference between your waist and hip measurements. The sporran will stay put. I never put loops on my own kilts, but I do if customers request them on theirs.

3) Hunting Sporran: Many hunting sporrans (metal cantled or not) are distinguished by the fact that they do not have tassels but instead sewn-down leather 'petals'. I agree, they do seem to fall into a grey area of day wear and dress. Some work for day wear situations while others are more formal looking.

4) Fly Plaid: What you are actually wearing in your photo is something referred to as a 'mini fly plaid' by some companies. The dimensions of a fly plaid are anywhere from one to one-and-a-half yards square of fringed cloth. They are sometimes folded and sewn into pleats at one corner which is then passed through the epaulette and affixed with a brooch.

The dimensions of the 'mini' fly plaid are the same as a ladies long sash. (So, you might want to consider giving an early Christmas present!) There are a variety of different ways one can wear a sash which your ladywife may find interesting. Here are some illustrations found on the Scottish Tartans Authority's site. Sashes.

Fly plaids seem to be a 'love it or hate it' item on this forum, but I think most would agree that it should be reserved for very formal occasions.

Hope this helps. I'm sure you'll hear much more from everyone as the day progresses!

[Drac]

Thanks for all the replies.

I realized after people mentioned it that the fly plaid I got was more appropriate for a Ladies outfit than a mans. One of those learning experiences.

There are just so many different accessories available for a kilt that it could be easy to drop a lot of money without knowing where it all went. While reading a book about some of the Victorian outfits I wondered how they were even able to walk. Pistols? Horns?

Jim

[Phil]

There are just so many different accessories available for a kilt that it could be easy to drop a lot of money without knowing where it all went. While reading a book about some of the Victorian outfits I wondered how they were even able to walk. Pistons? Horns?

Jim

I think nowadays the "less is more" school of thought prevails although highlandwear gives you more opportunity to be "dandified" than usual. I take it the "Pistons" was a typo for pistols. And you forgot to mention a sword and dirk. As you say, how were they able to walk?

[Drac]

Corrected.

I figured that the two would be a given Though even the waring of the sgian dubh is an issue let alone the dirk. I work in Corporate America so even if a kilt were appropriate the blades wouldn't be.

Though on that subject I am waiting patiently for a new dagger to go with my kilt. I traded one of my hunters with another maker who is making me a baselard. He has the damascus blade done and is working on a handle with some wood I sent him.

Jim

[billmcc]

I think nowadays the "less is more" school of thought prevails although highlandwear gives you more opportunity to be "dandified" than usual.

I agree with Phil. You don't NEED most of the stuff retailers are trying to sell these days.

[fluter]

Jim, you're off to a fine start.

If you have not found Dr. Nick Fiddes' free e-book on the Scotweb site, go download it. You can build up your wardrobe one piece at a time, just as most of us did/are doing. There are a couple of threads around on that process, especially setting priorities. You may find some useful reading material at the library, which is always my first resort.

I would avoid anything labelled as "semi-dress"---such as sporrans. If you're building the equivalent of a suit and tie outfit, wear a day sporran or a dress sporran: whichever is handy and looks good to you and the Boss. A black leather sporran will do for just about any occasion, until you decide that you want a nice dressy one.

If your wife wants a touch of tartan, she can wear the little plaid as a sash or shawl for a tie-in between your outfit and hers.

Keep up the good work, both of you!