Tartan Police!

[bear]

James,
I'm afraid I believe the exact opposite and that Yaish has it right.
I personally don't care to associate with anyone who would say one thing to my face and another behind my back. I honestly don't care what these people think of me.
I'm off to start a post about the porigins of tartans that should prove to be a doozy!

[Archangel]

still looking for that post on the porridge of tartans....

[Riverkilt]

I have a standard two word response to the self-appointed Tartan Police and their unsolicited opinions.

I do honor the historians of our addiction.

Ron

[An t-Ileach]

I think that we need to be a little relaxed about this matter, it's true. On the other hand, just as we tend to take exception to the idea that any old unbifurcated garment is a kilt, and insist on the concept of a "kilt" conforming to certain minimum norms, so too I believe with tartans.

As James has said, there are plenty of area tartans, national tartans, and so on to wear - and the Government Tartan, I think, comes under this heading.

But for whatever reason, certain setts have become associated with the clans. I think that one needs to have at least some connection, no matter how strained, if it's only even a matter of aesthetics with the tartan of choice.

Surely to treat the clan tartan as a trivial thing is insulting to the people of that clan, and many have suffered terrible things for their clan affiliation. We should respect their memory through respecting their tartan.

I actually don't mind people wearing the various Clan Donald tartans, but I'd like them to be conscious of what they're wearing, and know something about the Lordship of the Isles, and maybe a bit about famous Macdonalds (more than, say, the fast-food joint) such as Sir John A. Macdonald, the Great Canadian.

[Nick]

Sure there are district/area/etc tartans, but I don't have a drop of Scottish blood in me, as far as I know. So there are those people who would deny me the kilt.

When I get my first traditional kilt, I know what tartan it will be in, what family, and that family's history. I will also know exactly why I chose it, and it wasn't for the nice colors. I respect the tartan and the family, but I have not the blood. I'm sorry if that offends anyone, but it's the best I can do.

[Jerry]

I repeat, when I purchased my first kilt I took the trouble to email several clan associations and "ask about wearing their tartan" . The two tartans I currently own, Macneil and Gordon, are two to which I do have a connection, but both clan associations said I could have chosen to wear their clan tartan even if I didn't have that connection. So, if you are unsure and want to do things the right way, ask first.

[Blu (Ontario)]

... Surely to treat the clan tartan as a trivial thing is insulting to the people of that clan, and many have suffered terrible things for their clan affiliation. We should respect their memory through respecting their tartan...

I agree.

However, tartans are treated trivially all the time... underwear, jacket linings, packaging... and nobody cares what tartan it is. A woman carrying a tartan handbag... nobody cares about the tartan. A tartan lumberjack shirt worn by a farmer... again, nobody cares. The ONLY TIME that tartan seems to take on any significance is when it is being worn by a MAN in the form of a KILT!

DUPLICITY at its finest!

It's not about tartan... it's about tartan kilts. The kilt is a recognized talisman and a totem. However, it leads me to wonder which has more meaning... the tartan or the kilt. Or perhaps it's the tartan that legitamizes the kilt in peoples minds. Or is it the other way around? (I'm stumped.)

How many people wear football jerseys that never played football? Anybody care?!

There is deeper psychology at work here that is beyond my modest brain.


blu

[arrogcow]

I agree that anyone can wear what ever. Heck my tank is a Montegomery. Why, because when I walked in to Thomas Gordon and Sons and said," what've you got?" that was the only thing on their hire rack that fit.

However, now that kilting has become a 95% of the time thing, I do want a connection somehow. But, as noted above and in my thread from yesterday, finding a tartan that you have a connection to, and not just one of the universal tartans, almost always costs you much more, takes more time, and as often as not you can't always get the fabric weight you want even when you can find the tartan. For instance, some book (and the tartan authority web site) say I should wear Aberdeen. Well after extensive searching, I can get it, in 13 oz (want 16) and the kilt that I want costs about 50 more that the more common tartans. Can I afford it, yes, but it still tickes me off.

And universal tartans still have no connection for me either. I would no more want to wear Black Watch than I would the USMC tartan since I was a member of neither. The fact that nobody but me cares about a connection to BW doesn't lessen the feeling that I don't belong in that tartan.

The good news is that there are a lot of "New" universal tartans showing up (i.e. the BLANK of Scotland - fill in the blank with your favorite adj.), that are usually available and have no baggage. I think I may be buying the Braveheart tartan for my upcoming 5 yard kilt.

Adam

[billmcc]

The good news is that there are a lot of "New" universal tartans showing up (i.e. the BLANK of Scotland - fill in the blank with your favorite adj.), that are usually available and have no baggage. I think I may be buying the Braveheart tartan for my upcoming 5 yard kilt.

Adam

No baggage is one reason I like the Highland Granite tartan.