British Highland Light Infantry Plaid Brooch (2)

The British Highland Light Infantry Plaid Brooch is a traditional item of military dress used by members of the Highland Light Infantry regiment. This brooch, typically made of silver or silver-plated metal, served both a functional and decorative role. Its primary purpose was to secure the plaid—an arrangement of tartan fabric worn over the left shoulder—part of the full Highland military uniform. The brooch often features a circular design, sometimes ornamented with regimental insignia, thistle motifs, or other emblematic details connected to Scottish heritage and the regiment itself. The Highland Light Infantry, established in 1881, was an infantry regiment of the British Army, with roots in earlier Scottish regiments. Items such as this plaid brooch are representative of regimental identity and the ceremonial traditions of Highland dress. The brooch illustrates the distinctive visual elements associated with Scottish military units in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.