Gordon Tartan Dilemma

[Nervous Jock]

That's what I'm wondering too. I mean, any excuse to buy a new kilt is a good one, but I'm just trying to figure out why the old one is no longer usable. If it's just because it's dirty, well, that's no reason to ditch it! It can be washed.

Sometimes things just wont clean

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Weren't box-pleated kilts invented in Scotland? I'm not certain about the yardage, but they were very much the norm for a standard kilt until the last century.

Sure they were invented in Scotland. They just are not the norm there now, which is what I think Turpin was getting at. But they are not the norm here in America, either, so that's really neither here nor there. My real point was you can't simply assume kilt wearers in Scotland wouldn't be interested in this more historic style of pleating.

You might be interested in these two pages on my web site for historical information about the development of pleating styles and the amount of material historically used in kilts.

http://kilts.albanach.org/history.html

and

http://kilts.albanach.org/yardage.html

[guitarmatt]

Sometimes things just wont clean

Have you tried the elder Jock's method of dealing with tough stains? That is, sticking it in the nearest burn under a few rocks for a couple of days and letting mother nature take care of it? The burn running through the Hermitage of Braid looks cleaner and quicker flowing than Water of Leith or Union Canal. You could probably even buckle it around a branch or something. Just put up a note that says "Do not disturb, spring cleaning." If you don't think you'll wear it anymore anyway, what do you have to lose?

[Woodsheal]

I've always hated the "dress" tartans on men, so I say "Good on ya!" for replacing it!
I'd go for that lovely weathered shade as a first choice, followed closely by the modern in the heavy military-weight fabric....

[Nervous Jock]

You should get the next one about an inch shorter.

I was particularly disappointed with this well know retailers product both for the reason you mention and the build quality. I won't be using him again

[Jock Scot]

I've always hated the "dress" tartans on men, so I say "Good on ya!" for replacing it!
I'd go for that lovely weathered shade as a first choice, followed closely by the modern in the heavy military-weight fabric....

"Dress" tartans are for men! Not all clans have a "dress" tartan, but they are supposed to be worn, if they wish to, by men at "Dress"(formal) evening events.

[cavscout]

I'm not partial to Dress tartans either as I'm just not a fan of white base colors but here's a pic of Simon Fraser - the 18th Lord Lovat, 25th MacShimidh (on the right) in the dress tartan

[Woodsheal]

"Dress" tartans are for men! Not all clans have a "dress" tartan, but they are supposed to be worn, if they wish to, by men at "Dress"(formal) evening events.

I understand that, but they always bring to mind (well, my mind anyways!) the white-based women's tartans of the 17th-18th centuries....

[Jock Scot]

I understand that, but they always bring to mind (well, my mind anyways!) the white-based women's tartans of the 17th-18th centuries....

With the greatest of respect, you really are misunderstanding the term "dress". For example, I don't see much white in MacLeod of Lewis(loud MacLeod) which is the "dress" tartan of MacLeod of Harris.

[Woodsheal]

With the greatest of respect, you really are misunderstanding the term "dress". For example, I don't see much white in MacLeod of Lewis(loud MacLeod) which is the "dress" tartan of MacLeod of Harris.

Jock, I understand that the word "dress" in "dress tartans" means "formal" and does NOT refer to the woman's garment. I'm just foolishly stuck in my historian's mode, and way back in Highland history, so-called "women's tartans" (used for their arisaids) traditionally had a white or light-colored base.

So, when I see, for instance, the "Dress Gordon" tartan, I'm reminded of the historic women's tartans. Dress MacLeod would not fall into that category with its strongly colored ground....