Ladies - Pictures please to help me out!

[Father Bill]

When I get around to ordering my next kilt, I want to also have a vest (front panels only, bias cut, black satin back) a fly plaid (because if I were ever to want it later it will only match if I order it at the same time) AND at least a sash for my darling wife.

I can say this openly because she's not a member here - she's lukewarm to my Scottish thing, but I'd like to entice her in, so it will be my gift to her with the hope that she will make appropriate use of it.

So . . . I note so many ways that ladies wear their sashes. Would you please post pictures of yourself or friends, or links showing classy ways my classy lassy might wear one for various formal/ informal occasions? As you post or link for me, I will print them out so that she can see them when we get to that point. My own highland gear is very traditional - woollen kilt, braemar or argyle jacket, coloured hose and flashes, etc. and it tends to be worn on more formal or at least semi-formal occasions, so that's what it might match

What are the normal dimensions of such a piece of cloth?

How is is usually finished?

What else do I need to know in order to keep the dear girl happy with this gift?
Should I be so brave as to have a skirt made to accompany it? (Yes, I do have her measurements!)

What are your thoughts? The bank account is not there yet, but it's headed in the right direction, so I'd like to plan ahead.


Thank you so much for your support and direction!

Bill+

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Father,

The general demensions of a lady's sash vary from 10" to 12" in width and from 72" to 90" in length. Generally there is at least a 4" fringe on the two narrow ends.

They can be made from wool or silk. In wool, the lighter weights have a more soft, feminine drape to them, in my opinion.

You will find that there are many different ways for a lady to wear her sash, and that is indeed part of the charm of this particular accessory!

These photos from our recent Burns Supper show my wife wearing her sash arranged differently at various points in the evening.



For the above two, she had it pinned at the shoulder. At some point during the evening she must have gotten a bit chilly and so she wrapped it more around her neck.



And when she decided to drape it over her shoulder again, this time she did without the pin and simply tied it at her waist. You can see the lady standing next to her is wearing it the same way, only on the opposite shoulder.


You may also be interested in reading my article on the lady's sash:
http://www.albanach.org/sash.html

[Father Bill]

There now, Matt! I should have just searched your site in the first place!

Thank you - I'll continue to collect pictures too!

[Tobus]

That style of sash-wearing is very attractive. By all means, avoid the usual "Miss America" style narrow strip of a sash that is so often seen.

Do you think she might wear an Arisaid? Or would that be a little too much to coax her into the tartan-wearing world?

[creagdhubh]

That style of sash-wearing is very attractive. By all means, avoid the usual "Miss America" style narrow strip of a sash that is so often seen.

Do you think she might wear an Arisaid? Or would that be a little too much to coax her into the tartan-wearing world?

My wife, Stephanie (Robertson), who is of Clann Donnachie descent (Robertsons of Struan in Perthshire) has an Arisaid in Robertson hunting tartan from Lochcarron - such a great look! I'll see if I can locate a photo of her wearing it.

Cheers,

[TurboKittie]

For a little more casual daywear kind of look, Mickey got me a wool sash from Stillwater that I wore with a large brooch on my shoulder (which is hard to see) and belted at the waist over a simple black dress. I liked the look and got many compliments that day.

[GoodGirlGonePlaid]

For a little more casual daywear kind of look, Mickey got me a wool sash from Stillwater that I wore with a large brooch on my shoulder (which is hard to see) and belted at the waist over a simple black dress. I liked the look and got many compliments that day.

Love it! Great belt too!!! #iWant

[AKScott]

Perfectly acceptable ( I think) for her sash to be in a different colourway or sett, as long as (I think) it is either the same clan as yours, or in some instances the bride may wear the sash of her natal clan.

I suspect these customs are explicated on Matt's blog, I found them on my Clan MacMustardUSA website.

Good idea.

[ShaunMaxwell]

Here's an old one of my wife wearing a Texas Bluebonnet tartan sash casually at the San Antonio games... Apologies to Tobus if this is the "Miss America" style he mentioned.

[Tobus]

Here's an old one of my wife wearing a Texas Bluebonnet tartan sash casually at the San Antonio games... Apologies to Tobus if this is the "Miss America" style he mentioned.

OK, so now I feel like I've pretty much "stepped in it". I hope no offense has been taken where none was intended.

Shaun, I think it still has an imaginative and somewhat free-flowing look, the way she's wearing it. I like that she used a simple knot or wrap-over at the bottom, and the top has a sort of 'draped' form. It looks like she's wearing it comfortably and, for lack of a better word, naturally. For some reason, I always think tartan looks better when it's allowed to drape. I suppose it allows the pattern to be broken up a little bit (the straight lines formed into natural curves, interacting with each other), making it more visually interesting. Complexity, I suppose, would be the concept.

Whilst kilts are necessarily worn with the tartan hanging straight down, making curved "drape" impossible, I always enjoy seeing sashes, plaids, shawls, scarves, and other upper-body tartan accessories take a more flowing form. Especially when worn on the female figure, which is well suited to curves and such. That's purely my own aesthetic preference, though, and has nothing whatsoever to do with what's "correct" vis-a-vis tradition.

The same is true, Kyle, of your great-aunt in the dancing photos. In the picture showing her right side, see how the tartan pattern "flows" down her back? How lovely is that? She looks for all the world like she's been wearing it comfortably and naturally all her life (which perhaps she has!). I really think that this free-flowing look displays the simple beauty of tartan at its finest.



Now this isn't to say that wearing it in a more straight-line folded fashion, and pinned together at the bottom, isn't "correct" or traditional. Your wife, Kyle, looks absolutely lovely in the photos, and indeed you should be proud to have her on your arm. But do you see what I'm saying about how much more interesting and natural a tartan sash can look when it's allowed to drape and flow?

I hope this is all taken in the spirit in which it was intended, viz., interesting conversation and food for thought.