Next wool kilt

[Spartan Tartan]

I am a fan of the Monaghan County Tartan. Easily my favourite of the choices.

[ForresterModern]

IOS was my vote. Like Glen, mine never seems to migrate to the back of the closet due to its frequency of wear. Yes you may be seeing a lot more of it lately becoming a popular universal tartan. But I got no truck with that--it is not like I see a kilt on every corner, let alone one in Isle of Skye. A beautiful tartan remains that until major changes in taste come about, which is slow in coming in general when it comes to tartan at least. How many would say the same thing about Black Stewart, Royal Red Stewart, or Stewart Hunting, or even Black Watch.

My second choice on looks alone would be Donnegal--very nice juxtaposition and progression of colors and wide and narrow stripes. pattern.

[OC Richard]

I voted IOS too. It's my favourite kilt! The others just don't get worn.

I still remember the first time I saw it (a flash memory, like the way you remember a big disaster!) and it just jumped out to my eye as possibly the most beautiful tartan I'd ever seen, somehow simultaneously traditional and edgy, muted and vibrant.

It's funny, I carried around two big swatches of Spirit of Scotland tartan, modern and ancient, struggling to decide which to go with for the kilt I intended on getting. (Some money fell into my lap and it was time!)

I could never decide whether to go with modern or ancient... so I went with Isle of Skye! And I've never regretted it.

About it being over-worn or passé, I know I can wear it to a local Games and it be the only one there. At one Games I did run into a couple people wearing it, and we posed for a group photo! Meeting other IOS wearers was a bit of a novelty for all of us.

About pipe bands, no band around here wears it. Back east I saw The Balmoral Highlanders from Picksburg wear it, but I understand that that band is no longer around. The Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band hired IOS kilts for their one and only competition day. I know of no currently competing band that wears it, though I'm sure there are a couple, because the big trend in the pipe band world is away from tried and true clan and regimental tartans and toward 'fashion', district, and bespoke tartans.

And there are other reasons for going with IOS besides its beauty. For one thing, you already have an earth-tone kilt (Douglas weathered, right? a lovely tartan!) so I myself would scratch Monaghan County off the list. (That's one of the 1996 House of Edgar Polly Wittering designs, isn't it?)

I also would scratch that particular Fraser off the list, personally, because I dislike the Allen Brothers' four-equal-bar creations. The traditional Fraser, which respects common norms of aesthetic design, is a far better-looking tartan IMHO.

[Ron Abbott]

"I also would scratch that particular Fraser off the list, personally, because I dislike the Allen Brothers' four-equal-bar creations. The traditional Fraser, which respects common norms of aesthetic design, is a far better-looking tartan IMHO."

It is indeed. Very nice. Quite similar to (red) Robertson.

[figheadair]

"I also would scratch that particular Fraser off the list, personally, because I dislike the Allen Brothers' four-equal-bar creations. The traditional Fraser, which respects common norms of aesthetic design, is a far better-looking tartan IMHO."

It is indeed. Very nice. Quite similar to (red) Robertson.

.

Not really, it's essentially the 42nd sett in red, blue and green. The reference in #23 to this sett being The traditional Fraser is intereting. This sett can only be dated with certainty to the late 1790's and therefore pre-dates the VS sett by some 30-40 years (allowing for a c1829 date for the Cromarty Mss which was the basis for the VS).

[MacGumerait]

I think we (collectively, not I) may see IOS as passé because we've seen so much of it here - because we pretty much all love it. I've yet to see an IOS out in the wild around here. Yes, some pipe bands may wear it, but I think that generally if any one of us were to wear it out in the wild, most (all?) people we might run into would find it to be a gorgeous tartan, and not at all dated.

That said, I think it's clear what my opinion is - and IOS is next on my list, once I decide whether to make it a 4yd box or 6+ yd knife.

chasem , I very much agree , I think perhaps we here on the forum are more accustomed to seeing IOS than others .

I know that IOS has become more popular recently , however , in the past 20 years of attending games and festivals here in the Midwest , I have only seen it being worn three or four times ( including the last few years ) . Thus as you say , " out in the wild " it's not seen that often .

It is certainly not used as often as Black Watch , Royal Stewart , Stewart Black , Gordon , etc. ( and I do like them all ) . I would venture a guess that it probably won't ever get to that point as it is a district tartan and is of recent origin .

Even though it has gained in popularity , my vote is IOS . It may have become passé to some degree ( which I totally understand ) , I think it will remain as a handsome tartan that is always admired and seldom seen " out in the wild " .

Cheers , Mike

[Richrail]

I've made my choice for something I didn't even put in the poll. I'm going to go for something with a family connection.
Fraser Gathering Hunting ModernFraser Gathering Hntg Mod HOE 13 OR.jpg

[Mike_Oettle]

Well, Richrail, blood is thicker than water, after all.
And the Gathering designs are quite striking.
But I'm sure your Jonesing will turn back to Isle of Skye sometime . . .