Help and advice on choosing a tartan

[James MacMillan]

(consider Bill Clinton).

I'd really rather not, thanks just the same!

But back to the subject - - -Pick a tartan by what you like to look at, then with a very little sleuting (sp?) or imagination you can come up with all the family ties that you want!

If you like the colors, have shirts and hose that go with the tartan - who cares?

[gilmore]

....-Pick a tartan by what you like to look at, then with a very little sleuting (sp?) or imagination you can come up with all the family ties that you want!...

In other words, invent a pack of lies?

[Archangel]

In other words, invent a pack of lies?

For those with a narrow morality, it would be a pack of lies. For any history student, the weight of probability would be sufficient, given the usual historical accuracy in these matters.

As Gilmore stated earlier, most traditions are created and then "became fact".

As to what clan tartan to wear, they were all invented well over 100 years after your forefathers came to the US, but if you don't want to wear one, there are always district tartans.

Keep in mind, clan is not heraldry. Bloodline is not the only entry into the family. Clan is based on blood, marriage, or "adoption". You'll get some argument on this, they're wrong. It's covered on other threads. In the historic times, clan was based on: you stand by me and mine, I'll stand by you and yours.

Here's the deal, if you have some hint of affinity with McGregors, or any other clan, embrace it. Some will say that you need the chief's permission but that's not really the case. The modern chief structure came after the clan period (back to Gilmore's point).

As a McGregor, I invite you to join me.

[James MacMillan]

In other words, invent a pack of lies?

Yes! That's exactly what I meant!

I am not a tartan bigot...... I wear what I like! If some clan chiefie wants to take my kilt, let him try!

[gilmore]

Yes! That's exactly what I meant!

I am not a tartan bigot...... I wear what I like! If some clan chiefie wants to take my kilt, let him try!

The problem with inventing a pack of lies is that some people take genealogy and such matters seriously, might actually believe him, pass on the story as truth until it becomes an accepted fact about his family, only to be overturned years later after much wasted research based upon it. Saying "I don't know" is acceptable. Intentionally lying isn't.