Where to purchase a day plaid

[figheadair]

So the "day plaids" are ordinary kilting cloth? I had imagined they might be heavier fabric.

It depends on the period. Some Victorian plaids were heavier but in the first half of the 19th century the same cloth seems to have been used for both kilt and plaid which seems to be the way most often seen today.

[figheadair]

I have heard from at least one Scot either here, or perhaps one of the Facebook groups, that his day plaids are made of a looser-weave, woolen fabric, which is more of a thicker blanket material. They're a bit warmer that way.

I wear the same weight as my kilt cloth, never had a problem with the cold.

[Jock Scot]

My day plaid, which I haven't seen for about ten years and gave up wearing it some forty years ago is made out of the same stuff as the kilt. Thinking about this and that, kilts these days are I think generally made of much lighter weight cloth. My kilt and the plaid all that time ago, from an imperfect memory, was made out of tartan cloth that weighed much heavier, maybe 20 oz. or even 22 oz.. The 16oz. cloth which these days is considered "heavy weight" is not at all the same in character. In consequence, I am not at all sure todays day plaids would "carry" in the same way, or be as warm.

[figheadair]

I think the closest photo I have to a modern "day plaid" is this one

Richard, do you happen to know anything about this one? It's obviously taken at Mar Lodge which was own by the Duke of Fife at the time so I'm presuming a guest.

[OC Richard]

Richard, do you happen to know anything about this one? It's obviously taken at Mar Lodge which was own by the Duke of Fife at the time so I'm presuming a guest.

Interesting, the photograph is from the studio A. G. Taylor, London.

That's all I know.

[OC Richard]

My kilt and the plaid all that time ago, from an imperfect memory, was made out of tartan cloth that weighed much heavier, maybe 20 oz. or even 22 oz.

Ah, that makes perfect sense.

I used to have a very heavy Canadian military kilt which was probably that weight, and the fabric looked and felt around halfway between usual kilting cloth and a wool tartan travel rug, which would be perfect for the purposes of a Day Plaid.

[Jock Scot]

Ah, that makes perfect sense.

I used to have a very heavy Canadian military kilt which was probably that weight, and the fabric looked and felt around halfway between usual kilting cloth and a wool tartan travel rug, which would be perfect for the purposes of a Day Plaid.

Your post has got me thinking and for clarity's sake I think you need to know the kilt and plaid in question was a hand-me-down from one of my uncles, it was I am pretty sure made by Alex(?) Scott of Aberdeen probably in the 1920-30 period. If ever the title of "tank" was appropriate for a kilt, then this was it. I have mentioned here on occasion, that in my youth I had loads of kilt attire from my relatives to choose from and this kilt in question fitted me like a glove at one particular growth stage in my life, sadly and all too quickly I grew out of it and like much else in due course was passed on to relatives and friends. The plaid I kept as it was so warm and even when wet through it still kept in the warmth. It did valiant service in the dreadful winter of 1963 I recall. But-------it was a real bother to keep in place on the shoulder that in the end as the plaid fashion faded and the Barbour and then the even better "Husky" quilted coats prevailed, it became redundant.

[McMurdo]

Your post has got me thinking and for clarity's sake I think you need to know the kilt and plaid in question was a hand-me-down from one of my uncles, it was I am pretty sure made by Alex(?) Scott of Aberdeen probably in the 1920-30 period. If ever the title of "tank" was appropriate for a kilt, then this was it. I have mentioned here on occasion, that in my youth I had loads of kilt attire from my relatives to choose from and this kilt in question fitted me like a glove at one particular growth stage in my life, sadly and all too quickly I grew out of it and like much else in due course was passed on to relatives and friends. The plaid I kept as it was so warm and even when wet through it still kept in the warmth. It did valiant service in the dreadful winter of 1963 I recall. But-------it was a real bother to keep in place on the shoulder that in the end as the plaid fashion faded and the Barbour and then the even better "Husky" quilted coats prevailed, it became redundant.

My first kilt was from Alex Scott and Co from Aberdeen, it was my dad's and it to shrunk in the closet one night when I was not looking at it. Funny how they shrink so quickly when left to their own devices. As to kilt weight, yes the 22oz kilt I have from the Great War period is something different than the 16 oz modern versions. I relegate it to the cold days and thus it will be going away for another year shortly, I must remember to watch it from time to time lest it to shrinks in the closet.

[Tobus]

I wonder when the fashion of folding your plaid into a neat rectangle and putting it over one shoulder started.

In Victorian photos one very rarely sees that. (I say "rarely" but in fact I don't have a 19th century photo showing it.)

I just saw several photos elsewhere on the internet (not able to be shared here) from 1890, with each individual wearing a folded day plaid draped over their left shoulder. So I suppose we could start there and say it has been done since at least 1890.

[OC Richard]

I just saw several photos elsewhere on the internet (not able to be shared here) from 1890, with each individual wearing a folded day plaid draped over their left shoulder. So I suppose we could start there and say it has been done since at least 1890.

Cool. I would love to see these photos. They would show that the fashion at least dates to the end of the 19th century rather than the beginning of the 20th.

In any case, as we've seen Highland Dress underwent thorough transformation around the turn of the century so that would fit in.

The same thing has happened with the small pocket-shaped leather "Day" sporrans, which ousted the long hair sporran for Day Dress in the immediate post-WWI era. What evidence I had suggested a possibly military origin, these sporrans being introduced in 1908 as part of a complete overhaul of British army uniforms and equipment.

Yet, a few earlier photos of these small leather sporrans exist, being worn by Ghillies towards the end of the 19th century. That would mean that these sporrans, like nearly everything else in Highland military uniform, had a civilian origin.