Tartan shortcoat

[Tartan Jack]

Well, I have seen only two in all the reenactors I know so I think we are safe in our representation. hehe

I've got the material to make a couple, just getting the pattern down before I start so I don't screw it up . . .

Anyone who say my bedding in Paynestown saw the material for one of them (the blue, gray, and green/purple stuff).

[lady constance]

quarter master james----

empirically? AHAHAHHAHAAAA!

and how shall we determine that--what is obvious to your senses is not necessarily so for the rest of us....

scientific method HOW in this scope and sequence??????????????????

:)

[Liam McMac]

If you DO make one, have a HECK of a good reason to have it there.

Well... since my charcter is a Jacobite turned pirate who now sails with Yankee Pirates who raid English ships. I figured at least part of my kit should/could go towards my pirate kit. Although a few of the crew complained about the view when climbing the rigging so I've decide not to wear my kilt at sea.

I thought sailing with Yankee pirates it might be a good way to raise money for the rebellion... plus any enemy of the crown is a friend of ours ay Jack?

Maybe I should post a pic of me in my jacobite kit.

[madPete]

I made a shortcoat of tartan wool some months back for my Highlander/Jacobite kit... just curious if it would be to outlandish to wear it with a pirate kit?

I have seen several plates with sailors wearing tartan breeches and slops but have yet to see any reenactors wearing tartan for pirate events...

What say ye?

tell ya what - I'll test the waters fer ya and let ya knew what they say about it.

Seriously, it's pretty sweet. I'd just go fer it. Though its plaid it seems pretty subdued next to some I've seen

[landlubbersanonymous]

When we acquired this thing from Liam last year, we had no idea it was this famous.

If you're good, we'll be posting pics of it in action in the months to come.

(Our oldest currently wears it. I'm too bloated.)

[BCarp]

Resurrecting an old thread! I sometimes wear a short tartan waistcoat with my seaman's garb, figuring they liked such garish items quite often. Have only received positive comments! ("Tartan" checked fabric was not limited to Scots highlanders...)

[Red John]

Aye! Most Excellent attire my friend!

I do the same from time to time, as when I'm fully in character my persona is of Scots origin, like me own forebears at the time. I'm traveling and w/o my usual sources, but I recall from some source a write up about a Scots pirate captain that wore a bonnet instead of the "obligatory" tricorn. I done that a few times too with a period-correct (and thankfully light-weight) one I have, but very rarely. Then folks don't even think you're a pirate!

Defoe also commented on the huge popularity of mustard-y yellow waistcoats (short, in keeping with the Scottish style - and maritime style I note) with red wool binding/trim (1/4 to 1/2 inch wide or so) North of the Border and among travelling Scots. The design was apparently a subtle way of mimicking the yellow and red-bordered Scots/Stewart Royal Standard (Rampant Lion flag) and an understated expression of patriotism and protest of the Hanoverian Succession, etc.

Thanks for the great photo and post!

Aye,

John

[Jas. Hook]

This reminds me of the song - Fetch Me Old Red Doublet

We'll never know if BCarp takes a hit.

[oderlesseye]

I have wondered if their are any known pirates of GAOP that wore a kilt other than Captain Kidd ?

If so ...where may I find documentation for this.. I have entertained the idea of doing such an impression.

Edited June 22, 2014 by oderlesseye

[Red John]

Aye, I'm not aware of any GAOP pirates wearing a feliadh beag ("little kilt", more or less what we wear today) or a felaidh mor ("great kilt", the big over-the-shoulder, nine-yard blanket types). I can't imagine many if any - as practical a garment it is on land, it would be anything but up in the rigging I'd think. A period-based argument against wearing them would be the fact that, even back then, most on horseback wore trews (tartan pants/trousers) if they had them (gentlemen sorts usually) because kilts are not very practical for riding. So with that example, if the kilts were not practical aboard ship, I am sure you'd rarely if ever see them. But then again, some slops you see around are more billowy than your average kilt, so maybe some did.

Now, delving with some hesitation into a more contemporary venue, I believe we've all seen kilted persons at various reenactments, pirate festivals, what-have-you. Some do actual historical characters (British infantry, etc.) and some do the fantasy pirate thing. Among the latter, a number I see wear the black and grey tartan currently marketed as the "Jolly Roger" tartan, which, with some digging (no pun intended) was originally the MacLeod Mourning Tartan dating from Victorian times. Evidently it was thought (rather appropriately) that the bright yellow MacLeod tartan (now called "Lewis" or "Dress" MacLeod) was just too much for funerals, where black was/is the custom. So, "they" took the pattern of the yellow tartan and substituted grey for yellow, took the wee red stripe out, and left the black as-is, creating The MacLeod Mourning tartan. And, with black being the by-far dominant colour, more current tartan folks evidently thought the pattern ideal for piracy and hence, the "Jolly Roger" tartan you now see.

Yours, Aye-

John