Significance of white in a tartan

[OC Richard]

That's a new one for me too which I'll add to the 'Tartan Myths' mix.

Is there a "Tartan Myths" paper in the works? It would be very entertaining.

The best myths I recall were told to me by Americans and concerned tartans in the British military.

One guy was telling me about the plain khaki kilts worn by Scottish troops in WWI. He showed me his proof: a black & white photo of members of the London Scottish.

Another guy who claimed the same thing showed me a photo of WWI troops wearing kilt aprons.

The most bizarre was the guy who claimed that his grandfather had been Sergeant Major of the Black Watch and that he, alone in the regiment, had permission to wear his personal Clan tartan while in uniform on parade.

Of course there's the usual stuff about a complete system of Clan tartans which existed from the earliest times, reinforced by the likes of Outlander which shows Clan tartans existing in the 1740s.

Everyone knows the significance of white in tartans: adding white makes any tartan a "dress tartan" which is the only proper tartan to wear with your Prince Charlie, white socks, semi-dress sporran, and high-laced Ghillie brogues. (Don't forget to have your buckle peeking out from under your waistcoat.)



The myths I'm constantly battling are about bagpipes. Sadly the same utterly unfounded myths are repeated over and over in Highland Games programmes, by prominent pipers, by museum displays, and by practically any article or book that mentions bagpipes.