Alternatives to fly plaids

[OC Richard]

I'm not sure if there is an alternative to a fly plaid other than perhaps "no fly plaid"

That was my first thought!

But in the world of piper's dress, some regimental pipers wear a cloak-thing:





So it's outside of the realm of Scottish Highland Dress for sure, but there is precedent for throwing a cloak over your shoulders!

(The pipers in the top photo above appear to be wearing plaids too, probably not "fly plaids" but "belted plaids" such as have been worn in the army since the philamore was abolished c1800.)

[Profane James]

Wow, very striking...I like it.

[Charles Exton]

Charles ,

I'm not sure if there is an alternative to a " fly plaid " other than perhaps " no fly plaid " .

I can certainly appreciate your creative thinking as many sporrans are fur , although , I humbly don't think the look of fur translates well to being a " plaid alternative " . I have to admit that I am a bit of traditionalist but I can stray from those thoughts .

Nothing wrong with thinking " outside of the box " , however , I often tell folks .... it's great to think "outside of the box " , although give that a second thought before going "outside of the warehouse ".

Cheers , Mike

nothing wrong with tradition, but as a non-scot with no affiliated tartan (and solid colour fly plaids look like a table cloth in my opinion) I wanted something that is personal to me as an alternative to the fly plaid, the first thing i thought of was fox fur as i grew up in an area with alot of foxes (loved the little fluffy harbringers of disease xD) and they became a part of my life... so this thought process did have personal backing to it other than just thinking of alternatives.... anyway, i'll experiment with it, see if it can work

[Father Bill]

Respectfully...

If you showed up in such garb as you're proposing, I'd probably automatically curl my lip, raise one eyebrow and wonder what on earth you thought you were.

I would not be positively impressed. I'd just think you had no idea at all about what you were doing and you'd lose my respect at the doorway.

[Liam]

Charles... Many of us who either are Highlanders or have Highland ancestestry either wear or attempt to if you follow Jock Scot's commentary, respectfully and generally traditionally. Perhaps experimentation with alternative interpretations such as you are contemplating would look better with a contemporary style kilt, but as I mentioned in my previous post the vision of a 1930's stole will not disappear. ... Cheers

[Jock Scot]

Jock, was just a thought, mean't no offence

Charles.

I am quite sure that you meant no offence whatsoever.

[Dale-of-Cedars]

I've been thinking that perhaps a fur pelt or something similar...

People, pelisse!

[figheadair]

People, pelisse!

Absolutely, plus sabre and horse

[Charles Exton]

fox fur sporran it is

[MacLowlife]

While I am firmly in the "No Plaid" camp as the best alternative to a fly plaid, I sense that you are perhaps wondering about shoulder adornments in general, such as scarves.

For my middle aged money, a scarf goes around the neck and tucks in the neck opening of my coat. If I am not wearing a coat and it is not pretty cold, I don't wear a scarf. But I have seen men who wear scarves around their necks in the manner some women do- loosely coiled and draped. Think Aristide Bruant, as depicted by Toulouse Lautrec. Think just about any big city hipster whose sister gave him a pashmina. Think "not for those over 24".

In point of fact, when I was in my early twenties, I wandered around Paris in a navy blazer with an entire sweater loosely draped over one shoulder. A pink and green sweater, with lobsters on it.

But that was long ago and very very far away.