Wrong Tartan

**skruse** · 8th August 13, 09:44 AM

I ordered a second kilt from the Scottish Lion in New Hampshire. I have ordered several items (fly plaid, flashes, hat, wife's skirt, a cummerbund, etc.) from the Scottish Lion. Service and quality were excellent. On this order I received a new kilt in the wrong tartan. Scottish Lion refuses to budge insisting they are correct and their hands are tied by the mill in Scotland.

This seems bizarre as the Muir modern (not the ancient) tartan is all over the Web. The California tartan is based on the modern Muir tartan. I am returning the incorrect kilt and am disturbed by the Scottish Lion's response. It is clearly a mistake. Yes, things change from time to time, but not to this extent. Scottish Lion states I have an "old" kilt and the dyes have changed (kilt purchased 7 years ago).

I cannot identify the incorrect tartan. I have sent multiple photographs of the correct tartan to Scottish Lion, but they insist the tartan has changed.

**BCAC** · 8th August 13, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by skruse

I ordered a second kilt from the Scottish Lion in New Hampshire. I have ordered several items (fly plaid, flashes, hat, wife's skirt, a cummerbund, etc.) from the Scottish Lion. Service and quality were excellent. On this order I received a new kilt in the wrong tartan. Scottish Lion refuses to budge insisting they are correct and their hands are tied by the mill in Scotland.

This seems bizarre as the Muir modern (not the ancient) tartan is all over the Web. The California tartan is based on the modern Muir tartan. I am returning the incorrect kilt and am disturbed by the Scottish Lion's response. It is clearly a mistake. Yes, things change from time to time, but not to this extent. Scottish Lion states I have an "old" kilt and the dyes have changed (kilt purchased 7 years ago).

I would return the wrong kilt, ask for a refund, and buy the right kilt elsewhere!

**creagdhubh** · 8th August 13, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by BCAC

I would return the wrong kilt, ask for a refund, and buy the right kilt elsewhere!

Back in 2006, I purchased a heavyweight, 8-yard kilt in the Macpherson Hunting Ancient tartan (Lochcarron Strome) from the Scottish Lion Import Shop out of New Hampshire and it arrived pleated to the sett when I explicitly stated that I wanted it pleated to the line. I had to go through a bunch of red tape in order for them to even budge and correct the mistake! They said that they could have their kilt-maker in Scotland redo the kilt, but I would have to wait another 12 weeks...uh...no. I don't think so. I simply sent the incorrectly pleated kilt back to them, cancelled the whole order and demanded a full refund, of which they agreed to only after speaking with the "owner" over several e-mail and telephone exchanges. It was a complete and utter headache!

"Never again," I told myself. From then on, I have dealt directly with my kilt-maker via Kinloch Anderson, but now, I will only go through Matt Newsome or Barb Tewksbury.

**davidlpope** · 8th August 13, 10:03 AM

What tartan did you order?

What tartan was supplied?

There's a great variability in tartan from mill to mill and color scheme to color scheme. Unless you were very specific, (i.e. MacDonald Clan Tartan, Ancient Color Scheme, 13 oz., House of Edgar Mill) then what you wanted and what you ordered may be two different things.

**RockyR** · 8th August 13, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by davidlpope

What tartan did you order?

What tartan was supplied?

There's a great variability in tartan from mill to mill and color scheme to color scheme. Unless you were very specific, (i.e. MacDonald Clan Tartan, Ancient Color Scheme, 13 oz., House of Edgar Mill) then what you wanted and what you ordered may be two different things.

Ditto what David said. Also, if you don't order the fly plaid / flashes / etc at the SAME TIME as the kilt, it's difficult to match it up accurately later.

Perhaps if you post a picture of the tartan(s) side by side, we can give you a bit more feedback of where the mistake lies.

**OC Richard** · 9th August 13, 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by RockyR

Perhaps if you post a picture of the tartan(s) side by side, we can give you a bit more feedback of where the mistake lies.

Yes that would make everything clear.

Even getting the same mill and same precise name (weathered, ancient, muted, etc) doesn't necessarily mean getting the same tartan. In the HOE pattern books at our local Highland Outfitter shop a certain tartan in a certain weight is called "modern" though the colours are clearly what HOE ordinarily calls "muted". In other words, in their "modern colours" range of one particular weight one of the tartans in fact uses "muted" colours. Someone ordering "X modern" would be surprised at what they received. (In their other weights the same "modern" tartan does use "modern" colours.)

**JohntheBiker** · 9th August 13, 06:29 AM

Buying a sample of a tartan before ordering a kilt is good insurance. One way to ensure that you are getting what you want. A vendor doesn't have much of a leg to stand on if the two don't match.

**English Bloke** · 9th August 13, 08:02 AM

My Bruce Hunting Modern is what I would regard as "ancient" colours. When I initially asked at the point of ordering, I was assured by the vendors that it would be woven in Modern colours. On receipt of the Kilt and before I voiced any concern, further investigation showed the colours used by the mill were almost identical to the electric swatch for the tartan that the Scottish Tartans Authority website had displayed at the time. They used to display a swatch, which would enlarge on clicking, and also a mock-up of a sofa and a kilt in your chosen fabric (I see when drafting this post that they don't anymore). So I concluded that with them being the "Authority" I had no room to grumble. In fact I was impressed that the mill had matched the STA colours so accurately.

I am not knocking the Kilt in any way, it's fabulous but it isn't quite what I had in mind when I pulled the trigger.

For comparison.
Left: Lochcarron Strome Bruce Modern (Vestiarium) Ref No. 1848 Right: DC Dalgliesh Bruce Hunting Modern. Ref No. 1816
Note also the sett size is smaller. I appreciate that these are NOT the same tartan but the Hunting sett is the Bruce Clan sett (Ref No. 1821) reversed. Both these setts have black guard lines on the white and yellow which the Vestiarium sett (pictured here) does not. Irrespective, the green and red yarn colours shouldn't, in theory, be any different. No denying they are though so it's just a different mill's interpretation of the same thing. I don't personally have a problem with that.

If on the other hand the Tartan you're supplied is not as stated in your order, ie. a different sett (tartan pattern) entirely, then you have a cause to take issue and the company that supplied the errant garment should put it right...

I agree we need a picture of your kilt.

If you went out and bought a Jaguar and the company you bought it from delivered a Ford Mondeo you'd be a bit miffed... Oh hang on... The X Type was a Mondeo...

**creagdhubh** · 8th August 13, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by davidlpope

What tartan did you order?

What tartan was supplied?

There's a great variability in tartan from mill to mill and color scheme to color scheme. Unless you were very specific, (i.e. MacDonald Clan Tartan, Ancient Color Scheme, 13 oz., House of Edgar Mill) then what you wanted and what you ordered may be two different things.

I couldn't agree more. Great points, David.

**skruse** · 8th August 13, 11:12 AM

I ordered the Muir modern tartan. I received a dark green (not Muir) tartan. the Muir modern has a yellow stripe through it. The kilt I received is dark green with a light red stripe. I have checked multiple web sites for the Muir modern kilt (that match what I have). Scottish Lion is either extremely ignorant or does not admit mistakes.