prohibited tartans

[JSFMACLJR]

People have no way of knowing what your reasons are for kilting up, or what your ancestry is or is not. Don't let ignorance keep you from kilting, or wearing the tartan that you feel is the right one. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who sees you kilted will have an opinion about it. The only one that matters is yours.

Nonetheless, common sense and courtesy requires one to do a little homework first, find out about the tartan, and then respect the traditions of proper Highland dress, as well as a particular chief's opinions regarding a tartan. If it is prohibited and you are not entitled to wear it, why would you want to?

[St. Amish]

Nonetheless, common sense and courtesy requires one to do a little homework first, find out about the tartan, and then respect the traditions of proper Highland dress, as well as a particular chief's opinions regarding a tartan. If it is prohibited and you are not entitled to wear it, why would you want to?

I wasn't suggesting that one should wear a "prohibited" tartan without permission, only that the gentleman shouldn't be self conscious over assumptions made as to his race. Apologies offered if I conveyed anything else by my statement.

[JSFMACLJR]

Thanks for the clarification.

[David Dalglish]

I wear Tartans of different clans mainly because I like the tartans & wish to wear them. However I always ask permission from the different clan societies to wear them, (although not strickly necessary), I have had permission granted from every clan society so far, so I wear all my kilts with PRIDE.

[Kilt_Like_Objects]

Are there any restrictions on any of the solid color kilts? I was looking at an Irish Saffron from Stillwater Kilts...

Absolutely not!!!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Sir Malcolm MacGregor has made it plain that the tartan often called Hunting MacGregor is really MacGregor of Cardney and should only be worn by those descended of that household, though it is easily obtained with no special permission in modern, ancient and weathered colours. As the story is told, the knowledge of this tartan's history as reported by Sir Malcolm's father was ignored by one of the Tartan Societies(?) recording such things and thus ended up as a common tartan.

You can find the Chiefs letters on the MacGregor website here.

Regards,
Wesley

I had the pleasure of having an in-person conversation with Sir Malcolm about this very tartan while he was here in 2008 for the Stone Mountain Highland Games, and then to spend some time visiting his Clan Society. I asked him what he thinks about all these American MacGregors wearing the MacGregor of Cardinay tartan, knowing that he considered it to be proper only for that one family.

He fully realizes that, since it is popularly marketed under the name "MacGregor Hunting" most MacGregors who wear it are operating under the assumption that it is a fully legitimate clan tartan; he told me he has no ill will towards those who wear it so long as it is worn with pride.

On a related note, while we were talking about this tartan, he mentioned that Cardinay was married in a kilt in either the red & green MacGregor or the red & black (I cannot remember which), but his wife, Lady Fiona, asked him, "Why didn't he wear his own tartan? Wouldn't that have been more proper for him to wear?"

Sir Malcolm just shrugged as said, "He wanted to wear the other one." Enough said!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I did not mean to suggest that the Campbell of Argyle that I wear is the only one available as you correctly pointed out. The one readily available has yellow as part of the pattern. Although it appears in the tartan registry it is not recognised by the Campbell (Argyle) clan. My ancestory is via Argyle Campbells and as there is a plaid available with the Argyle name I chose it despite it not being a recognised CLAN tartan. It was worn with pride at Hogmanay. I also wear the Campbell Family tartan. There are 37 Campbell tartans registered. It is a wonder anyone can chose other than by colour and pattern preference.

A lot of people wear that tartan for the same reason, because of the name. They are a Campbell, their cheif is the Duke of Argyle, they see a tartan called "Campbell of Argyle" and so they wear it. Sounds legitimate.

But that is the exact point that present and past Dukes of Argyle have attempted to make. The so-called "Cambell of Argyle" tartan is not recognized by the Duke of Argyle.

If one wanted to wear a tartan indicating one has ancestry from Argyle, I would recommend the Argyle district tartan (which happens to be the same tartan as Campbell of Cawdor).

If one wanted to wear a tartan indiciating one has ancestry from the Clan Campbell, I would recommend the Campbell tartan (or one of the recognized branch tartans if one is descended from one of those particular families).

But the fact is, no matter how often the Duke of Argyle reenforces this point, the mills still produce the Campbell of Argyle tartan because it continues to be a popular seller. And people continue to buy it, because the mills continue to produce and offer it.

The only way to fix the problem is to educate enough Campbells about their clan tartans so that the popularity of the Campbell of Argyle tartan is reduced to the point where the mills no long wish to produce it as a stock tartan, but this may be a long time coming.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Argyll, as in the Duke of, and the Disctict of, is spelled with two "L"s.

Argyle, as in socks and sweaters, is spelled with an "E".

So, it's Campbell of Argyll, not Campbell of Argyle

[macwilkin]

Post deleted. PM sent.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Argyll, as in the Duke of, and the Disctict of, is spelled with two "L"s.

Argyle, as in socks and sweaters, is spelled with an "E".

So, it's Campbell of Agryll, not Campbell of Argyle

I've actually seen it spelled in different resources both as Argyll and Argyle, and been told that both spellings have been considered appropriate in the past, so I don't get too hung up about it. Both are Anglicizations of the Gaelic at any rate.

However, I'm pretty sure I've never seen the "Agryll" spelling used. :-)