First weekend in a Great kilt!

[Brasilikilt]

Hey all

A couple weekends ago I went to a historical encampment great kilted which is a first for me.
Of course, I took over the living room before this for some trial runs, practice pleating etc etc and was happy that I could get my kilt pleated up nicely, so I considered myself ready for the rendezvous.

When I got there I was dressed in modern clothing, and had to pack all my gear into camp from the car. Before I had a chance to enter the camp, some gruff old fellow shouted at me "only primitive allowed!" so I pretty much had to drop everything on the spot, lay out my kilt, do a fast and dirty pleating job on the grass and then go in.

I'm surprized as to how well everything stayed together with just a belt to hold the kilt on. I figured if you were new to wearing a belted plaid, you might have to take it off and redo everything after moving around in it for so long as you would think that snags and tugs would pull everything apart. Not the case.......
I set up camp, cooked, sat in many a funky folding chair, sat on the ground and even smuggled in a modern folding shovel into camp, which obviously isn't that difficult, but the fact that the shovel stayed there in the "pockets" long enough for me to forget it was there while setting up camp was quite surprizing to me!

When night came, and it got quite a bit cooler it was very nice to be able to wrap the top half around me and stay very comfortably warm.

When it was time to sleep, I've NEVER been able to undress easier, just unbuckle your belt and VOILA there's 4 1/2 yards of toasty warm woolen goodness to be used as a blanket!

One thing I do suggest from experience is to use 2 belts with your belted plaid at events. One belt to hold your kilt on, and another for your sporran, knife, shooting bag etc etc......It's very nice to be able to remove your gear and get comfortable without having to completely disrobe before hand.

I didn't take any pictures during this event, but plan to snap some pics in full regalia (with targe and musket) in the near future.

Any other belted plaid wearers care to add their stories?

take care
Iain

[Blu (Ontario)]

Interesting form of recreation.

I saw a documentary a while back on a group of people that were trying to recreate conditions experienced by early settlers.... is this something similar?

.

[switchblade5984]

well we would love to see the pics!

[Andrew Green]

I don't have any stories to really share in regards to wearing the belted plaide. I have yet to fully wear mine, as I am still messing with getting the upper portion arranged in a manner that I like. I also need to find myself a bodkin, or a pennanular or brooch to secure the thing. I used to be quite opposed to putting a pin through my gear... not I am realizing that there isn't going to be much of a way around it. Although as the weather worsens, I may have a story or two to share.

[Tattoo Bradley]

I've wanted a great kilt for a while. But, I just wouldn't have enough (if any) events to wear it to to validate it to myself. Sound's like a great time though.

[Woodsheal]

I've "lived" in a belted plaid for a few weekends at 1745 reenactment events. I agree on the versatility and comfort. Some folks (who haven't actually worn `em!) think they're awkward, but you get used to wearing one in a very short time....

[M. A. C. Newsome]

One thing I do suggest from experience is to use 2 belts with your belted plaid at events. One belt to hold your kilt on, and another for your sporran, knife, shooting bag etc etc......It's very nice to be able to remove your gear and get comfortable without having to completely disrobe before hand.

Congradulations. You just figured out from first hand experience why it is that the sporran is traditionally worn from a separate, secondary belt. This is a question that I've had to explain to many people before, and it's something that no one really thinks about until you've worn a belted plaid like you have.

Aye,
Matt

[setboy]

Sounds fun! some day i need to get a Great kilt

[Caradoc]

You just figured out from first hand experience why it is that the sporran is traditionally worn from a separate, secondary belt.

One note, here.

For the love of wearing the kilt, do NOT wear your sporran on one of those ring-tied leather belts that are so popular with the RenFaire and SCA sets.

The extra length of leather will be a problem. Usually those belts hang almost to the knee, and the leather will either slap the front of your thigh or (if you move it farther off to the side) force the wool to rub against your leg and wear all of the hair off of your thigh.

If you wear a long-tailed shirt under the "great kilt," you'll still get a bit of rubbing on that leg.

So, don't do that. Wear a belt with a regular buckle, or something else that doesn't hang that far down your leg.

(And, yes, I speak from experience on this one - it only took the one time.)

[Robinhood]

I found out first hand about the two belt trick.
With a belted plaid, I place a small belt under
the pleats to get the plaid onto my waist. After
getting up off the ground, while everything is
hanging down, I put on my regular kilt belt over
both layers just below the small belt (which is
then hidden inside the layers.

This two belt assembly keeps everything from
moving in the course of the days activities.
The only down side to using two belts is that
with a 60 inch wide plaid, it won't go over my
head when I need to wrap in the upper half.
It does go over my shoulders easily though,
so I don't complain.

One of the nicer points of wearing a belted
plaid, is the amount you can "adjust" it.
When it is particularly cold, you can put the
belt a couple of inches higher so the lower
edge hits just below the knees. It is surprising
how much warmer your knees will be.

The only down side of a belted plaid is that
the bulk of it is unnecessary in the climate
controlled environments we occupy most
of the time, so that bulk becomes annoying.