Annoying Crossbelt Questions

**OC Richard** · 7th April 14, 03:02 AM

Well here's on that's been on Ebay for a while, close but not right? The label says chest 33"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Scot...item2330e2b1fa

Thing is, jackets of your size are often listed as "women's" or "youth" or "boy's" due to the small size... keep in mind that the people doing the Ebay listings often don't know anything about what they're selling. You have let the photos speak for themselves.

**PiperOfThePlains** · 7th April 14, 06:06 AM

I'll keep a close eye on that one. I saw it yesterday, but I wasn't thinking about the mislabel. It'll take some minor repairs, but that poor tartan thing (the mutilated remains of a plaid, perhaps?) looks like it has been through a shredder...

**OC Richard** · 9th April 14, 03:36 AM

Here ya go, 34

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1964-BRITISH...item4172c3f768

**PiperOfThePlains** · 9th April 14, 07:27 AM

Interesting. I don't know of any regiments that wore red doublets. Would you?

**Downunder Kilt** · 9th April 14, 02:45 PM

See link for Black watch uniform up to the Boer War. http://www.blackwatch.50megs.com/uniform.html

**OC Richard** · 10th April 14, 06:18 PM

That style of jacket isn't a 'doublet' but is called a Patrol Dress jacket.

One normally sees them in extremely dark blue, worn by officers of Scottish regiments with trews.

All ranks of the Scottish regiments wore scarlet ones in the latter half of the 19th century for active service, instead of the costlier doublet.

The khaki Service Dress jacket introduced for WWI is somewhat similar though with a different collar.

Here's the 19th century scarlet ones, being worn by The Black Watch

**OC Richard** · 18th April 14, 05:20 AM

Oooh oooh Piper Of The Plains here's a gorgeous jacket very cheap that should fit you

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-ar...item461d96b072

**PiperOfThePlains** · 18th April 14, 08:02 AM

Thanks, OC. I have one very similar in green. Thanks, though!

**Piobair** · 26th May 14, 06:24 PM

Not sure if this has been noted - are you actually wearing a sword or just putting a number one together? If the former, you'd be better off buying sword frogs. There's also protocol for how to hang the sword, but I'm guessing/hoping that you're not actually adding a sword, so I'll skip it.

To echo what Richard said - military (as in actual MOD issue) doublets sit above the hips, which is usually not an issue for high waisted military kilts. I find that if the doublet and belt are snug, stuff doesn't move around too much. A belt around the bottom of the cross belt and tightly wrapped plaid on top (I'm not a fan of the belt over the plaid) will keep you bundled it and won't get shifted too much when you tuck your pipes.

Few things feel as secure or look as good as a Number 1 uniform that fits well and is worn correctly. Unfortunately for a lot of pipers outside the military, that's a rare combo. Just take a close look at most of the bands that still parade in full dress... it's rare that they pull it off (and don't get me started in the half civilian/half-military stuff.... Ugh).

Another source for cross belts - see if anybody is selling old drummers cross-belts. They're kind of a white elephant these days, as they have a steel ring on the bottom where the sword would go if you were a pirate or a drum in the days before drum harnesses. They tend to sell cheaper than standard Piper's cross belts, but as far as I can tell they're just about the same. And I'm sure a bolt cutter could sort the ring out right quick.