Tartan Question II

**BroosterB1** · 4th February 09, 09:57 PM

In order not to hijack another's thread I poise for you entertainment and edification a question that is purely hypothetical in nature: What if you Hate your family or Clan tartan?

I know go to a universal; but what other alternatives could we come up with that would not violate the"Tartan Law" or the "Kilt Police" in general?

A follow up to this question would be : what if your clan tartan is not normally manufactured? In my case in point the Birse is close to a Stewart Hunting, would it be wrong to wear the Stewart Hunting and tell people that it is close to my family's tartan, but due to cost that tartan is prohibitive?

ith:

**george7** · 4th February 09, 10:00 PM

The idea is you don't want to get caught with the scenario: Someone approaches you and says "Oh, you're a MacGregor, too!?!" and then you staring back thinking "Crap, is this MacGregor around my hips?" No Mac____ will care if you wear their clan tartan if you know what it is. If you can answer "no, I just wear it because I think it's a great looking tartan and then mumble something about how great their clan is, no kilt police citations will be necessary.

billmcc · 4th February 09, 10:13 PM

If a family or clan tartan isn't an option, I suggest going with a District tartan.

**george7** · 4th February 09, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by billmcc

If a family or clan tartan isn't an option, I suggest going with a District tartan.

District tartans are more of an Irish thing.

billmcc · 4th February 09, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by georgeblack7

District tartans are more of an Irish thing.

Not really. Nearly all areas of Scotland have a tartan, and most existed long before the Irish County tartans were designed. My family is from Galloway which has a standard tartan and a hunting tartan. Isle of Skye is a very popular district tartan. There are many others.

More info here: http://www.district-tartans.com/

**ronstew** · 4th February 09, 10:33 PM

If one really hated his clan tartan, but wanted to wear a clan tartan, he could check for weathered, ancient, muted, dress or other variants. Sadly, not an option for Birse, but Birse is a very nice tartan.

I have the inverse problem. I am a Stewart, so many of my family tartans are pretty-much considered universal. I have my choice of a couple of dozen public domain Stewart tartans, counting the old sett and fashion tartans in ancient, weathered, muted, reproduction and modern colours. Many of them are regularly stocked items. On top of that, there are tartans for Stewarts from several specific Scottish regions. The nice part is that I can easily rent Stewart hunting for formal occasions while I save for my own kit.

A Stewart is unlikely to assume that because you are wearing a Stewart tartan that you are a Stewart. We see "our" tartans everywhere, including on cookie tins.

(If your real question is "What should I do since I can't afford my clan tartan?" I think Black Watch is even closer to Birse than Stewart hunting.)

**The Barry** · 4th February 09, 11:01 PM

Or, find a clan tartan that you like, and marry someone in that clan!

I didn't say it would be easy.

**BroosterB1** · 4th February 09, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by The Barry

Or, find a clan tartan that you like, and marry someone in that clan!

I didn't say it would be easy.

Nice if you can make it work, my wife is Russian and Keyeni (Alaskan Native) I guess I could wear a Polar Tartan!

**BroosterB1** · 5th February 09, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by ronstew

If one really hated his clan tartan, but wanted to wear a clan tartan, he could check for weathered, ancient, muted, dress or other variants. Sadly, not an option for Birse, but Birse is a very nice tartan.

I have the inverse problem. I am a Stewart, so many of my family tartans are pretty-much considered universal. I have my choice of a couple of dozen public domain Stewart tartans, counting the old sett and fashion tartans in ancient, weathered, muted, reproduction and modern colours. Many of them are regularly stocked items. On top of that, there are tartans for Stewarts from several specific Scottish regions. The nice part is that I can easily rent Stewart hunting for formal occasions while I save for my own kit.

A Stewart is unlikely to assume that because you are wearing a Stewart tartan that you are a Stewart. We see "our" tartans everywhere, including on cookie tins.

(If your real question is "What should I do since I can't afford my clan tartan?" I think Black Watch is even closer to Birse than Stewart hunting.)

The question was a hypothetical, Birse is what my family is, and Birse is what I will wear, when I can. Other wise, I am a Lindsay, that tartan is not so hard to procure. BW is a grand tartan, and I have always been affable with it, Birse is a different weft and weave, and one that I would be honored to wear. I may be wrong, but, I believe few Sept's are quite as distinct as Brise from Lindsay. I would be proud to wear either, but my sur name is Byers (Birse), something just cry's out about a tartan and name that is over a 1000 years old.

This I did not know before joining this grand crew!

God bless and keep all my friends.

ith:

**Phogfan86** · 5th February 09, 01:03 AM

My tartan -- Macduff -- is classified as a rare tartan by just about everyone. I'm (1) glad I don't hate it, and (2) I'm glad Rocky found a mill that was offering a great price that made my first nice kilt a major bargain.

So few people are have ties to just one clan. Keep digging, and I can almost guarantee you'll find something you like.