I'm the same way, so don't feel too bad. I've always liked tartan as well, and I have quite a few tartan shirts from Woolrich and L.L. Bean in my closet at home..in fact, I'm wearing an L.L. Bean one right now!

The "single-colour kilt" really isn't my style either, save the Irish saffron or the Hodden Grey of the London Scottish regiment, and I think those two are mainly due to their historical significance and military conenction (I do like the Tweed kilts, though) -- but tartan is really what is for me.

I too have wanted a kilt since childhood (this from the kid who stood up in Presbyterian Sunday School and announced that he wanted to be "King of Scotland" when we grew up! 8) !)

The Chief of the Clan Donald reportedly responded to a group of Scots who were upset by all of the Yanks, Canucks, Kiwis and Aussies "playing Scottish" and wearing kilts with "The Blood is strong. Do you really think a couple of hundred years and a thousand miles can stop that?" (not his exact words, but the idea.) The blood he mentioned flows through the tartan, even though we know it is not that ancient and really not that connected with our lineage.

That's why I'm a bluff old traditionalist when it comes to tartan.

Here's to it!
The fighting sheen of it,
The yellow, the green of it,
The white, the blue of it,
The swing, the hue of it,
The dark, the red of it,
Every thread of it!

The fair have sighed for it,
The brave have died for it,
Foemen sought for it,
Heroes fought for it,
Honour the name of it,
Drink to the fame of it -

THE TARTAN!

-- Murdoch Maclean

Cheers!

T.