How to dress-up...

[Jock Scot]

Most MacLeans wear the hunting tartan for daytime events, and save the red tartan for the evening. I've never seen the Chief in anything but a hunting tartan kilt in the day. If you only have one MacLean tartan kilt, and you plan to wear it for more than just dressy evening events, then I would recommend strongly that you go with the hunting tartan. It's perfect for day and evening.

Sandy, I hope you don't mind me asking, is the MacLean red tartan actually a "dress tartan", or is it, just one of those things that some MacLeans choose to wear for evening/dress wear?

[Meadcrafter]

From the website www.macleanclan.com:

MacLean of Duart Dress Tartan

MacLean of Duart tartan is the most common tartan used my members of the Clan MacLean. It is also the basis for the Royal Stuart Tartan. Since kilts are usually only worn on semi-formal to formal occasions, this tartan is the primary tartan used today.

MacLean of Duart Hunting Tartan

The Hunting tartan of the Clan Maclean is the oldest recorded tartan in Scotland. A discription is included on a charter for lands of Nerrabolsadh on Islay in 1587. It is this, hunting, tartan usually worn for more casual occasions.

Not sure how authoritative the site is, but I've seen the same information repeated elsewhere.

[madmacs]

Sandy, I hope you don't mind me asking, is the MacLean red tartan actually a "dress tartan", or is it, just one of those things that some MacLeans choose to wear for evening/dress wear?

There is actually a white dress maclean tartan too...

[SlackerDrummer]

From the website www.macleanclan.com:

[snip]

Not sure how authoritative the site is, but I've seen the same information repeated elsewhere.

Meadcrafter,

You might check the galleries on this site...
http://www.maclean.org/maclean-assoc...-galleries.php
...which confirm what Sandy says about which tartan is worn when. There are several people effectively wearing the Hunting tartan (green) at the evening events, but other than the pipe bands few if any (I didn't see any) wear the red tartan during the day.

[Meadcrafter]

There is a burgundy and a black and white. A few personal McLean tartans.

[JSFMACLJR]

Sandy, I hope you don't mind me asking, is the MacLean red tartan actually a "dress tartan", or is it, just one of those things that some MacLeans choose to wear for evening/dress wear?

Hello Jock,
No, the red MacLean tartan isn't a "dress" tartan as we know dress tartans. While most Macleans choose to wear the hunting tartan by day, no chief to my knowledge has "pronounced" upon the issue in any "authoritative" way. It's just one of those "understood" things!

Interestingly, when Allan Maclean of Dochgarroch ( a MacLean chieftain ) was in the Maritime provinces of Canada a year or two ago, he did wear a red kilt for an event. And he is usually seen wearing a hunting tartan at black tie events! My guess is that he wore the red because it is the main, principal tartan of the MacLeans and he was there in any official clan capacity.

[creagdhubh]

Well, I would give a pass to the black argyll jacket, and just get a tweed jacket of any colour or pattern. You'll feel much more at home at the Gathering with "the locals." While the black jacket would be fine for the dressy evening events, it will look a bit out of place during the day. Since you are coming from the US, I think nobody will raise eyebrows if you come with one jacket.

As for hose, wear any colour you like! I wouldn't suggest white or black, of course, but any shade of green, or blue, or red, yellow, grey, tan will work perfectly.

As for sporrans, if you take just the tweed jacket, don't worry about it. I wear brown sporrans in the day and at night if the event isn't too spiffy. If you can get an animal mask sporran, or one of the fur Fergusson Britt sporrans, even better. An animal mask sporran is good anytime, any place, any level of formality.

We have'nt committed yet for the Gathering, but most likely will be there. It should be a grand time!

Sandy,

Steph and I will be in Scotland from late July to mid-August 2012 - if you plan to head over, we must meet up my friend!

Sound advice too, by the way...

Cheers,

[creagdhubh]

Hello Jock,
No, the red MacLean tartan isn't a "dress" tartan as we know dress tartans. While most Macleans choose to wear the hunting tartan by day, no chief to my knowledge has "pronounced" upon the issue in any "authoritative" way. It's just one of those "understood" things!

Interestingly, when Allan Maclean of Dochgarroch ( a MacLean chieftain ) was in the Maritime provinces of Canada a year or two ago, he did wear a red kilt for an event. And he is usually seen wearing a hunting tartan at black tie events! My guess is that he wore the red because it is the main, principal tartan of the MacLeans and he was there in any official clan capacity.

This is very similar to the Macphersons. Our 'hunting' tartan is by far our most popular tartan, heavily favoured by the clan, with most wearing it during the day, but some will wear it for evening functions. However, the Macphersons have quite a famous (and old) dress sett, and is also a very popular tartan amongst the clan, so naturally, many choose this tartan to wear for formal occassions. The Macpherson red tartan(s) are seldom worn for both day and evening events, by clan members - though I am fond of their setts produced by Lochcarron and Dalgliesh. I understand what Sandy is saying when he mentioned, "It's just one of those "understood" things!" This is the same case with the Macphersons.

[JSFMACLJR]

From the website www.macleanclan.com:



Not sure how authoritative the site is, but I've seen the same information repeated elsewhere.

Not very authoritative at all. I'm not an expert on the history of various tartans, but the bit about the MacLean hunting tartan being the oldest tartan really isn't true.

As for the hunting tartan used for "casual" events, I would have to disagree. It is worn for daytime events as well as evening events ( by some ) regardless of the formality of the event. Sir Lachlan Maclean of Duart wears the hunting tartan pretty much exclusively during the day.

[JSFMACLJR]

Sandy,

Steph and I will be in Scotland from late July to mid-August 2012 - if you plan to head over, we must meet up my friend!

Sound advice too, by the way...

Cheers,

We're working on it!