To Wear A Tartan.

[MacSimoin]

James,

As it is food for thought, I appreciate posts like yours even if I find I'm not in 100% agreement (no harm in that).

I often seem to be the odd man out when it comes to such things as to whom can wear this or that tartan, and without doubt my approach contradicts some of the experts, and will annoy those who look to the right to wear what they like. So I have decided to offer a fuller explanation of the reasoning behind my thinking.

This is most appreciated. I've read some of your other posts but declined to respond based on my not fully understanding your views. Now that I have a better grasp on where you're 'coming from', I'm mildly surprised to find that our collective views on kilt wearing are not at all too dissimilar.

Now to another point, why do so many newcomers to wearing the male skirt, look to the kilt: rather than say the sarong, fustanella, maybe the lava-lava: after all would the Utilikilt be any less a male garment if it was called The Utilisarong?

AND..

...or are you looking to destroy the very heritage you are seeking to claim?

I place the above quotes back-to-back because they appear related (to me). My own opinion? Skirting the skirt issue (no pun intended), I personally feel pockets belong on pants (trousers, trews etc) and not on kilts; so, you'll never see me wearing a Utilikilt (or anything like it). I know that offends a lot of Utilikilt wearers (and the like) but honestly, I'm not concerned if my opinion is offensive. Your views (or others) may differ but I can't be bothered to be offended by someone who doesn't agree with my own opinions. There's just not enough time or space in my life for me to get worked up over it. If you choose to wear kilts with pockets (or whatever else you may find), that's your own business; plainly speaking, I won't berate you over your choice and I won't offer you unsolicited kilt wearing 'advice' (as some here often do). Long story short: I choose not to wear such garments; it's as simple as that.

...Having written that, I do think the increase in kilt wearing is a good thing for many reasons, and certainly I support newcomers to what some see as a movement.

I agree; an increase in kilt wearing is pleasing to my mind (for a lot of reasons) and I wholeheartedly encourage interested people I meet to 'get kilted'. I've often said that the kilt is as versatile a garment as any; it's manly, comfortable, and looks damn good.

I also support the development of new tartans, be they district, American State, or whatever...

As someone who's designed a newer tartan (Fitzsimmons), I appreciate your comment here. Thank you.

So I would suggest that all kilt wearers should ignore the ‘anything goes’ idea, and wear a tartan with which they have a genuine connection: be that of family, State, district, arm of service/regiment or whatever. This way we would all be preserving our heritage, and oddly enough make the wearing of the tartan more interesting, for there would be a reason for our wearing this or that tartan: not just a case of liking the pretty colours.

Adding to my previous response (above), honoring my heritage was my own personal goal in designing the Fitzsimmons tartan. Specifically, and personally, the tartan honors my own great-great grandfather Andrew Fitzsimmons; as the only one of his family to survive the Great Famine, he emigrated to America in 1852 (at the age of 16) and well, here I stand. I wholly appreciate his being (as my Grandmother has said in the past), "a fierce and fearless Irishman". To spell it out, he (Andrew) is the reason a Fitzsimmons tartan even exists; as such, the tartan preserves my heritage, something both good and honorable.

However I do think that the principle should be then ordering a kilt, to look for one with which there is a genuine link, be it of clan or whatever. Failing that there is a long tradition of plain kilts, an entirely honourable option.

I totally agree with this assessment and feel it ties in with Matt's own viewpoints.

...the above has nothing at all to do with academics, rules and the like: it is to do with the heart and the blood...

As I have no Scottish tartan kilts (at this time), I can still agree with this. My next tartan kilt will (hopefully) be the Mitchell (in honor of my great-great grandmother Phoebe, Andrew's wife); her parents were from Ireland (her father a Mitchell, mother a Wilson) and to those who feel or say I can't honor my heritage by wearing a tartan associated with a feminine bloodline, well, I won't dignify that with a response.

Thanks for the insightful post, James.