Quote Originally Posted by Ruth View Post
Still, noone has really answered the question... which is whether wearing the tartan your ancestor had the right to wear (by means of his regimental role) is considered acceptable in terms of the clan theory ideas. I know you can wear anything you like, but it would just be nice to know whether it fits the theory or not.

Thanks!
I am not a native Scot but based on my reading on this site I believe the theory goes something like this. If you are born in the Highlands you grow up knowing your tartan, you wear your tartan, and that is that. If you are a member of the Scottish diaspora and wish to follow a similar theory (practice) you would do a little or a lot of research until you are satisfied, join a Clan Association based on a close or not so close connection, wear your Clan tartan and never look back.

A traditionalist of the first order would wear their Clan tartan to the exclusion of all others, unless they are in a pipe band or a regiment. A traditionalist of the second order would only wear the tartans of one Clan but may wear other universal tartans. Because the Black Watch is a universal tartan, if you want to be a traditionalist of the second order wearing the Black Watch does not preclude you from choosing a Clan, and thus a tartan, in the future, if you do not already have one.

So, if you wear a Clan tartan and Black Watch (not at the same time of course) a few may consider you slightly extravagant but most on this site would think you were showing tremendous restraint and had a poorly developed wardrobe indeed. If someone asks you about the Black Watch you have a perfectly good explanation for wearing it and you are unlikely to be asked anyway because it is widely known as a universal tartan.

Someone please correct me if I have failed to understand or correctly describe the traditionalist Clan theory (or actually practice) as it applies to the OPs question.