Which Tartans can I wear without offending the clan - NO Scottish ancestry

[Kaw-Liga]

Which Tartans can I wear without offending - NO Scottish ancestry.

Interested in wearing kilt. Have no known Scottish ancestry.
Which tartans can I wear without offending the clan.

Believe that some groups are VERY offended by a nonmember wearing their tartan.

Thanks,

Kaw-Liga

[McMurdo]

Most are not as against this as you may think, however there are several universal tartans if that makes you feel better. Why not see if there is a tartan for where you live, or perhaps one you might have some kind of connection to.

[Detroitpete]

First off--WELCOME!

Glad you found our corner of the web. Now--hang on because my guess is the advice is gonna come fast on this one and it will sound like this:

Two schools of thought--1) you ONLY wear a tartan associated with either your ancestry, military service etc. etc

2) Wear whatever you like.

Yes its that simple and clear LOL! If you are inclined to seek a 'connection' to a tartan then this allows you an opportunity to do some research. YOu will be amazed at the number of tartans you will have a 'connection' too without having to stretch.

I'll step back now and let the experts give you GREAT advice and point you in all kinds of good directions.

Again,
Welcome!
:ootd:

[ForresterModern]

District tartans (Isle of Skye eg.), national tartans (Pride of Scotland, Scotland's national), fashion tartans (Caledonia, some unofficial clan tartans, Bear tartan, Albannach tartan, Highland Gey Granite), generic tartans (Black Watch, Royal Stewart), tartans of non-scottish origin (Dutch Friendship tartan, tartans of other countries), some corporate tartans (many scottish companies have their own like Aberlour whisky), Irish county tartans (if you feel like a little irish in your blood), American state tartans, masonic tartans, tartans for specific occupations (firefighters), military branch tartans, solid worsteds, shadow tartans, tweeds. I am sure there are more folks can think of.

You can even go to one of the tartan generators like on Scotweb, make up your own pattern, and have it woven into tartan from which a kilt and a variety of other items can be sewn.

[Ancienne Alliance]

I would be happy and flattered if you chose to wear my family's tartan !

Imagine: amongst thousands of tartans you chose mine !

Cool !


Best,

Robert

[Old Hippie]

Which Tartans can I wear without offending - NO Scottish ancestry.

You can always find someone to tell you their opinion why you shouldn't wear "their" tartan. Some with more reason than others, but that's really a personal call on your part. I would not, for instance, wear the USMC tartan. Nothing against the jarheads, mind you, but I was in the US Army and IF I wanted to commemorate my service by wearing a tartan, I would do it with a different tartan than the Leatherneck Tartan.

Actually, you've got a lot of options. You could always go for solid colour kilts if tartan as a whole left you cold but you wanted to wear the kilt. I often have to deal with farm animals. I wear kilts a LOT -- my black canvas Blaklader and my brown canvas Utilikilt kilts can take getting dirty herding sheep. (Sheep are calmer around kilts. Old joke...)

I have a heritage reason to want to wear a particular tartan (Hay in all its forms) but to be honest there are so many other tartans out there that it's not even in the top three on my list of the next ten kilts I want to have made. Next for sure is "Maple Leaf" tartan to commemorate my dual citizenship, after that I'm kind of thinking "Antarctica" because it's just a cool tartan, "All Black" because it's just so subtle, and maybe "British Columbia" which is where I live, or maybe my university's tartan if anyone has designed one by then.

But here's a secret about tartans: Many of them have been "official" for several different names or organizations over the years. What may have been simply a pattern woven by a particular mill, may have been worn by an extended family group living near the mill, and may also have been taken up on contract to supply a regiment in some nearby area, and much later may have been adopted as the official tartan of some business or fraternal organization.

Find out who's going to put up the most fuss, and just don't wear "their" tartan.

::Infra Kiltum Veritas:: (Someone care to correct my Latin?)

[BEEDEE]

First off You don't say where you are, but if you are in Canada or the USA there are a lot of State and national tartans that would work. In the UK there are district tartans and many nations in the EU have their own tartan.

Then there are universal tartans - the Royal Stewart and black Stewart and Black Watch. Finally, USA KILTS have designed several occupational tartans and some national tartans, all of which are on their website.

Happy hunting!

Brian

[cessna152towser]

from the Scottish Borders.

There are many tartans in the Lochcarron range which are not family specific, including district tartans such as Teviotdale and a variety of fashion tartans such as Auld Scotland, Drumlanrig, Grey Granite, Sprit of Scotland and Isle of Skye.

[The Guy in the Kilt at UC]

You can wear any tartan you like, or if you don't feel comfortable doing that you could join a clan society and wear their tartan.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Most are not as against this as you may think, however there are several universal tartans if that makes you feel better. Why not see if there is a tartan for where you live, or perhaps one you might have some kind of connection to.

Glen is right on the money. Traditionally, in Scotland and through out the world of the Scottish diaspora, clan membership, and the claim to a clan tartan, is based on one's surname. If you wish to be respectful of these traditions, then either join the appropriate clan society and wear their tartan, or wear one of the "universal" tartans such as Caledonia or Black Watch.