Fly Plaid - When?!

[HuDonald]

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that fly plaids are necessarily a new trend.

Sorry, Tobus, I didn't mean that fly plaids were a fad or trend, rather, that "the proliferation and overuse of the fly plaid" is the new trend / fad. I could have worded that much better.
:P

[Deirachel]

I'd be quite happy if they'd just take off their baseball caps... *sigh*

Add actual shoes, not shower thongs, and I'm there.

[auld argonian]

Fly plaid - when?

In my case....never....sorry...way too trad...

Best

AA

[Tuirc]

I'm no authority on when to where this bit or that, however I will make this observation that may assist you. The company I work for is in Washington, DC, we have a branch in Glasgow, Scotland. A couple of years ago, about a dozen of the lads from Glasgow came over for our holiday party. All wore kilts with fly plaids. Take from that what you will.

[Jock Scot]

I am not wishing to be contraversial here but, I make two observations. I think the "from Glasgow" might give us a clue here and secondly, I wonder how many of their outfits were hired?

[Tuirc]

As to Glasgow, ah ken wha' ye mean. I flew in and out of Glasgow for a wee visit to Scotland and haven't spent two hours there. I flew right out to Islay on the way in and caught the train from Edinburgh just in time to make an early flight out.

Were they hired? Ah dinnae ken. I can tell you that that given their arangements, if they were hired, they hired them in Glasgow.

[Jock Scot]

Who knows if they were hired and where the kilts and attire might have been hired from, but I understand that it is usual for kiltless Scots----- and there are a large percentage of those---- who need to cut a dash abroad, hire their attire from home.

[Tuirc]

Thinking back on it, there was very little if any variance in their attire, so they probably did hire it. They had to fly from Glasgow to New York. Spent the day and a night there. Then flew down to DC and the party was that night. They then flew back to Glasgow. That's why I said they probably hired before they left.

[OC Richard]

I should point out that there is no "traditional" manner of wearing a "fly plaid", because no such thing existed until quite recently.

The ways that plaids are listed and described in vintage Highland Dress catalogues may help clarify:

RG Lawrie LTD Glasgow (1930s)

EVENING DRESS

H 420 Belted Plaid, fine weight tartan, fringed and pleated, with shoulder tongue.

Paisleys LTD Glasgow (1930s)

Paisleys Highland Dress Costume for Gentlemen

Tartan Belted Plaid

William Anderson & Sons LTD (1930s)

PLAID. The belted Plaid may be worn at any evening dress functions. It can easily be discarded when dancing. The Plaid is held in position at the shoulder by a silk cord or other means, fastened to the shoulder strap button and secured with a shoulder brooch.

We illustrate two styles of Plaids, namely, the Long and the Belted.

The Belted Plaid has become the universal favourite for evening wear, being less cumbersome and more easily manipulated that the Long Plaid.

Long Plaids are very much in evidence at Levees and Weddings, and a fair sprinkling of them may be seen at any of the Highland Games.

William Anderson & Sons LTD (1950s)

9. Long Plaid fringed ends
10. Belted Plaid saxony tartan, fringed all round

As we can see, "belted plaid" was the universal term for this item (a rectangle of tartan, fringed all round with rolled fringe, pleated at one end and "let" into a matching tartan cloth belt, with a "tongue" of matching tartan, also fringed, which is put through the jacket's epaulette). This traditional "belted plaid" is a complex and expensive garment. (Unfortunately we today use the term "belted plaid" to also refer to the feilidh mor, creating confusion.)

As we can see, there was no such thing as the simple modern "fly plaid" (a simple square of tartan) listed or sold or mentioned at that time.

[SemperFyffe]

To answer that, we must look at the origins and history of the fly plaid. It originated in the 1950s when jet-liners were really becoming popular for global travel. Highlanders of the time were looking for a convenient blanket to take on the plane so they could sleep on those long overseas flights. Hauling a full-size plaid onto the plane was just too much. So a smaller version was adopted for trans-oceanic flights which would provide light cover over the torso whilst sleeping, and be portable enough to make for easy stowing when the flight was over. It was designed with one corner pleated so it could be tucked into one's collar whilst eating an airline meal so as to serve as a long napkin. It was very well suited for airline travel. Hence the term "fly plaid". This is its most appropriate (and originally intended) role.

There was a curious occasion where a Highlander by the name of Hugh MacSnodswold was to be married to an American girl in New York. He was to fly from Scotland to America on the day of the wedding and proceed directly from the airport to the church. So he traveled in his finest kilt outfit for the wedding. This being a trans-Atlantic flight, he of course brought his handy fly plaid. However, the plane was late in arriving due to weather, and he was all discombobulated when he arrived. In his haste to disembark from the airplane, he forgot about his fly plaid, which fortunately got hung up on the epaulet of his jacket. As he ran through the airport, kilt pleats swishing, the fly plaid managed to find its way over his shoulder and behind him. He arrived at the ceremony in the nick of time, and the guests were delighted by the stylish addition to his otherwise traditional wardrobe. And so the tradition of the fly plaid being worn at weddings began.

And now you know "the rest of the story".

THANKS Tobus! Just after reading your story, there I was on a flight watching everyone loading and taking their seats when on comes a woman with a plaid scarf tied around her purse at the shoulder looking just like your "fly plaid" story. It took all I had not to laugh out loud.