mens Vs. women's sashes

[Spartan Tartan]

No, but her handle isn't "trousered guys wife" either.

You beat me to it!

[kilted guys wife]

thank you so much i will look into day plaids.

[Tobus]

A womans sash is not much more than a quite long scarf you might wear in winter. A mans' fly plaid, which is supposed to resemble the top half of the much older style kilt, is wider and longer, and most often has an attachment device on one end, to hold it to the belt. Sometimes they are fringed on one end, even al four edges.

The construction of fly plaids may vary, but the one I have is just a rectangular piece of tartan cloth, fringed on all edges. One corner of it is pleated with two simple stitches, and meant to act as the corner that gets pinned to the jacket. Basically, the small tucked pleats give it more strength at the pin point, and make for a more decorative appearance. There is no attachment device, though. You would simply pin the brooch (or whatever type pin you're using) through the fabric. And a fly plaid is not meant to attach to a belt. It simply drapes over the shoulder, with the only attachment being the pin at the shoulder.

But again, this may vary between makers. I'm not really even sure there's an industry standard on how they're supposed to be made, since they don't have much of a history in Highland tradition.

[creagdhubh]

Greetings,

I wear a day plaid occassional, usually only in Scotland for my clan's annual gathering and rally in Badenoch, and am quite fond of them - given they are used in the appropriate clime and place. This style of plaid is often preferred by many Highland Chiefs, as well as Chieftains of cadet branches of a particular clan - this is the case with my own clan, the Clan Macpherson - though Cluny (my Chief) hasn't worn a day/blanket plaid in several years.

They can be rather expensive (far more costly than a simple lady's sash, or a gentleman's fly-plaid), with much of the price depending upon certain details regarding the tartan itself. The construction of this style of plaid is fairly straightforward: Typically, 3 1/2 - 4 yards of tartan, single or double-width, with hand-purled fringing (about 4 to 5 inches in length) on the opposite ends, but not on all four sides as in a fly-plaid. It's basically reminiscent of a tartan picnic blanket and can actually be used as such for an 'off the cuff,' inpromptu Highland picnic! Keltoi and the Scottish Tartans Museum Gift Shop offer these type of plaids for sale, or you could simply order the tartan and do the fringing yourself (there have been threads on this forum relating to purled fringing). Best of luck!

Here are several visual examples of a day/blanket plaid in use; they have been a part of traditional Highland day attire for many years:












Cheers,

[Ryan Ross]

Can't a guy even be a jerk around here anymore, without several of his compatriots yanking him down by the sporran belt? Yeesh!!!

[creagdhubh]

Can't a guy even be a jerk around here anymore, without several of his compatriots yanking him down by the sporran belt? Yeesh!!!

Hahahaha! Quite right, Ryan!

[Tobus]

It occurs to me that you never mentioned what purpose you had in mind for the sash. Is this for general wear, or for dressing up, or what?

The reason I ask is because while a day plaid may be firmly rooted in tradition, it's not exactly everyday Highland wear. The examples we have seen are generally of chiefs and other gentlemen of note, when dressing in their best daywear for the purpose of being in the public eye. It might be appropriate in limited circumstances where the weather could turn foul and he could use it as a blanket/shawl/wrap. But as for just wearing it as a standard part of a kilted wardrobe, it's a bit much.

[Geoff Withnell]

Also, if you are in an area with a warmer climate than Scotland, it can get a bit warm. I frequently wear one fall-winter-spring, and find it very useful. However, here near Washington DC about 50 miles south of the Mason-Dixon line, in summer they quickly become uncomfortable.

It occurs to me that you never mentioned what purpose you had in mind for the sash. Is this for general wear, or for dressing up, or what?

The reason I ask is because while a day plaid may be firmly rooted in tradition, it's not exactly everyday Highland wear. The examples we have seen are generally of chiefs and other gentlemen of note, when dressing in their best daywear for the purpose of being in the public eye. It might be appropriate in limited circumstances where the weather could turn foul and he could use it as a blanket/shawl/wrap. But as for just wearing it as a standard part of a kilted wardrobe, it's a bit much.

[creagdhubh]

Also, if you are in an area with a warmer climate than Scotland, it can get a bit warm. I frequently wear one fall-winter-spring, and find it very useful. However, here near Washington DC about 50 miles south of the Mason-Dixon line, in summer they quickly become uncomfortable.

This is why I mainly wear my day plaid in Scotland whilst attending social events such as gatherings, games, and rallies, where others are dressed in Highland dress and the weather isn't terribly hot and humid. I rarely wear the day plaid here in the States, and if I do, it is usually only during the fall and winter months and of course, depending upon the occassion.

[creagdhubh]

The reason I ask is because while a day plaid may be firmly rooted in tradition, it's not exactly everyday Highland wear. The examples we have seen are generally of chiefs and other gentlemen of note, when dressing in their best daywear for the purpose of being in the public eye. It might be appropriate in limited circumstances where the weather could turn foul and he could use it as a blanket/shawl/wrap. But as for just wearing it as a standard part of a kilted wardrobe, it's a bit much.

This is why I had stated previously that the use of a day plaid depends mainly on contextual factors. However, that didn't stop the late Euan Macpherson of Glentruim from wearing his enormous day plaid every time he wore his kilt during the day. The only time he never wore it was whilst shooting in the hills around Glentruim.

For sociable evening functions, Glentruim wore a plaid in the Macpherson dress tartan that was along the style of a 'drummer's' plaid, affixed with an ornate and very old, cairngorm and silver brooch. He was one of the most enthusiastic and traditional Highland Chieftains I have ever had the pleasure and honour of meeting, and now his son, Lachlan, has taken on his late father's mantle.

Cheers,