Question about Kilt pins

[The Thirsty Viking]

You don't have to wear a kilt pin at all if you choose. One is traditional, two is probably unusual and three, depending on, I suppose, what they are, is overdoing it a tad. On the other hand if you were a young man going through a rebelious stage, then half a dozen kilt pins might not be enough!

But what if your rebellious phase has been going on for 30 years?

I have been known to wear up to 3 small ones casually, but for dressier occasions, one really nice one is it.

[auld argonian]

I usually compliment my single kilt pin with a large White Sox button during baseball season...also helps defuse any wiseguy comments that I might get about the kilt...unless, of course, I'm up in Cubs territory.

But that's for casual...when I'm being serious (almost never, thank god) I just wear the one kilt pin.

Best

AA

[Tobus]

My personal opinion is that kilt pins can easily be overdone. A personal touch is nice (i.e. something other than the usual sword-style pin), but it doesn't take much to go from unique and stylish to gaudy.

That said, I do sort of like the look of two similarly-sized small round kilt pins worn one-above-the-other, and in a position higher up than you normally see them (say, about halfway down the apron).

[Jack Daw]

I would steer clear of the types of pin that could snag easily and tear your kilt. I found that a small penannular stays close enough to the fabric to avoid snagging, but that the claymore and horse-blanket pins can easily catch on other objects. Thankfully, I learned from observation rather than experience. That being said, I'd stick with one pin to minimize the chance of tearing.

[Ancienne Alliance]

Nice thread ! This reminds me I have to change one of my kilt brooches before it tears out of the tartan by itself. It is just toooo heavy !


Best,

Robert

[AKScott]

Devil's advocate, two questions:

1. Do you need IT (kilt pin)

A: you think so, yes.

2. Is it necessary?

A: No

I have saved an amazing amount of money since I learned to ask both of those questions.

On kilt pins specifically, there is a user here, I think OCRichard that has been playing the pipes for a pretty long time in a lot of different bands. He has observed two things.

1. If you are wearing a sporran with a traditional two apron kilt, a kilt pin is not necessary to keep twig and berries covered up in fairly windy conditions.

2. If you are wearing a kilt pin it will eventually catch on something and make a smaller or larger tear in your (likely quite expensive) kilt.

I read his posts over and over in threads similar to this my first few months here. I believed him, but I was feeling lucky.

One day I got my one kilt pin stuck in one drawer handle without noticing one time. I pulled only one thread in one kilt that one time, the smallest hole possible. I haven't worn a kilt pin since. To date my really nice (>$500) tank has never yet been subject to a kilt pin.

A pulled thread is not repairable. You will see it for the rest of the life of the kilt, whether or not anyone else ever notices it.

Lots of folks wear kilt pins and I don't mean to sound preachy. Kilt pins are cool, they are traditional, and they are a legitimate avenue of self expression. More power to you.

Personally I would rather do without than take the risk of possibly wrecking an expensive garment. You might think you need one, but kilt pins are not neccesary.

[robbiethepiper]

Any kilt worn in the traditional manner, with one kilt pin is unusual enough and very noticeable. To go further simply labels you as a saddo who is desperate for attention....Robbie

[kc8ufv]

Perhaps someone should do magnet back kilt pins. My parents do that with name badges so people don't ruin nice shirts with pins....

[MacMillans son]

I'm with AK on this one. I put one one on my first wool kilt, didn't like the location, so moved it. It left two pin sized holes (shocking, I know) in the kilt. I have never put one on any kilt since.

For what it's worth, I don't wear jewelry of any kind either. No rings (in any location) bracelets, neck chains etc. So I'm not necessarily wired for metallic ornamentation. Not judging it for others at all, just not a style that I have found necessary for myself over the years.

With that said, if I had a formal event where extra ornamentation was the dress of the evening, I may consider a kilt pin again. Short of that, it's not very likely.

Celt_GravityRebel, I love your confidence, enthusiasm, and inquisitiveness, those are great attributes for ensuring a fulfilling life. Carry on!!

[Celt_GravityRebel]

Celt_GravityRebel, I love your confidence, enthusiasm, and inquisitiveness, those are great attributes for ensuring a fulfilling life. Carry on!!

Thanks Mac's Son! And I sort of know how you feel with the jewelry. Given, I wear aboatload of bracelets and have two necklaces plus a wallet chain. But I wouldn't want to get a piercing (Sticking a needle through my ear, nips, or places seen only by kilt inspecting lassies sounds unnecessarily painful to me). Anyways, like that you have a very plain style. Better to be plain than extraneously sparkly with silver and gold (I swear, some people run on batteries! It burns me retinas! )