No offense taken but when you look at the tartan history books the whole notion of wearing ones "Clan Tartan" its all a fairly resent invention from the late 18th century.
I wear a fly plaid when I'm piping for a black tie occasion. It's got an old school look to it that I like when it's done right. I took this picture in front of a mirror so keep in mind that it's backwards.
Here is Archie MacNeil, The famous blind piper, wearing a fly plaid.
Here is John MacDonald of Inverness (A god to serious pipers) wearing a fly plaid.
Here is Robert Nicol, one of the Famous Bobs of Balmoral. (Royal Pipers) wearing one.
and in this picture is G.S. McLennan, a genius of a composer, and my hero. I think he's wearing one as well but I could be wrong.
As I said, no offense taken at all but I think that when it's worn right ie: good quality tartan not hire shop light weight fabric it can look good.
Could not some or all of these old photos show a belted plaid, rather than a fly plaid? One photo in particular definitely shows the belted plaid:
Could not some or all of these old photos show a belted plaid, rather than a fly plaid? One photo in particular definitely shows the belted plaid:
John McD could be wearing one, but only because the picture isn't clear enough. The others, such as the piper above, don't look to be wearing a belted plaid to me. The giveaway is the lack of fabric above the belt as an extension of the front apron. It wouldn't just disappear.
John McD could be wearing one, but only because the picture isn't clear enough. The others, such as the piper above, don't look to be wearing a belted plaid to me. The giveaway is the lack of fabric above the belt as an extension of the front apron. It wouldn't just disappear.
Sandy, are you referring to the kind of plaid that Matt reconstructed from Erskine? Separate, but attached to a belt? this photo rather looks like one of those to me.
Are we just getting horribly confused by overloading the term "belted plaid" (which in my memory usually means the breacan an feileadh). I begin to see Matt's wisdom in naming the other one "half-belted plaid!"
Ken Sallenger - apprentice kiltmaker, journeyman curmudgeon,
gainfully unemployed systems programmer
Sandy, are you referring to the kind of plaid that Matt reconstructed from Erskine? Separate, but attached to a belt? this photo rather looks like one of those to me.
Are we just getting horribly confused by overloading the term "belted plaid" (which in my memory usually means the breacan an feileadh). I begin to see Matt's wisdom in naming the other one "half-belted plaid!"
Have to agree with Jack Daw on this one. I see no evidence on any of those pipers that their plaids are doing anything other than hanging straight down. There are no indications of the "drape" that you would necessarily get from the garment being attached somewhere in addition to the shoulder.
EDITED TO ADD: When you compare this guy...
...to Matt's half-belted plaid...
...you will notice that the top plaid is fringed at the bottom, while on Matt's, this is actually a fold where the cloth drapes. Completely different animals.
Kenneth Mansfield
NON OBLIVISCAR My tartan quilt: Austin, Campbell, Hamilton, MacBean, MacFarlane, MacLean, MacRae, Robertson, Sinclair (and counting)
...you will notice that the top plaid is fringed at the bottom, while on Matt's, this is actually a fold where the cloth drapes. Completely different animals.
The so-called drummer's plaids, worn by Highland military drummers and officers (and originally by other ranks) from c1800, and also long popular for civilian Evening Dress, are indeed fringed all round but also have a fold at the bottom, as they go up to a cloth belt at the waist. They were usually called Belted Plaids (but not to be confused with the ancient Great Kilt of the same name) but were also called fly plaids or Evening plaids.
They're a fairly heavy and complex garment and quite different in character from modern "fly plaids" which are merely a rectangle of cloth.
These traditional belted/drummers/officers/evening/fly plaids could be mistaken for a modern simple "fly plaid" when partially seen in a photograph, I suppose. In person the difference is clear.
The so-called drummer's plaids, worn by Highland military drummers and officers (and originally by other ranks) from c1800, and also long popular for civilian Evening Dress, are indeed fringed all round but also have a fold at the bottom, as they go up to a cloth belt at the waist. They were usually called Belted Plaids (but not to be confused with the ancient Great Kilt of the same name) but were also called fly plaids or Evening plaids.
They're a fairly heavy and complex garment and quite different in character from modern "fly plaids" which are merely a rectangle of cloth.
These traditional belted/drummers/officers/evening/fly plaids could be mistaken for a modern simple "fly plaid" when partially seen in a photograph, I suppose. In person the difference is clear.
I think you're right Richard (as was Sandy). It's been more than a decade (thankfully) since I've had to put on a #1 dress as a pipe band drummer. I didn't remember the plaid hanging as loosely as in those photos. Here you can see the drummer's plaid in action:
Last edited by SlackerDrummer; 1st March 11 at 03:00 PM.
Kenneth Mansfield
NON OBLIVISCAR My tartan quilt: Austin, Campbell, Hamilton, MacBean, MacFarlane, MacLean, MacRae, Robertson, Sinclair (and counting)
Sandy, are you referring to the kind of plaid that Matt reconstructed from Erskine? Separate, but attached to a belt? this photo rather looks like one of those to me.
Are we just getting horribly confused by overloading the term "belted plaid" (which in my memory usually means the breacan an feileadh). I begin to see Matt's wisdom in naming the other one "half-belted plaid!"
How is Matt's plaid different from a drummers plaid?? I'm not trying to be critical, just honest curiosity.
Originally Posted by Andrew M. Stewart
No offense taken but when you look at the tartan history books the whole notion of wearing ones "Clan Tartan" its all a fairly resent invention from the late 18th century.
Bookmarks