Your First Tank...

**pdcorlis** · 21st December 07, 08:05 AM

Isle of Skye. Why? Have you seen the Isle of Skye tartan?

**Captain Karrot** · 21st December 07, 08:21 AM

I have just placed my order with Kathy Lare for my first. Since I don't dress up a lot, this will probably be my only tank for a while. I chose the Dress Robinson #2 tartan because (1) that is my surname, and (2) it is a tartan that you don't see every day. In fact, the fabric is a special order - they have to weave it for each order. I can't wait. After seeing the photos of Kathy's work, I am excited to get it.

Now the jonesing starts...tick...tick...tick...Is it here yet? No? Okay...tick...tick...tick

**pipesndrumsnun** · 21st December 07, 08:29 AM

Well, as mentioned before, the only "tank" I've had the privilege of enjoying was the one belonging to my last band. The tartan was "MacKenzie of Seaforth" (i.e. Modern Mackenzie)...the legend of its choosing is sort of fun...the story says that someone donated a huge bolt of the fabric to the band when it was starting out some 86 years ago...SO, this was the tartan they adopted!

**cessna152towser** · 21st December 07, 08:34 AM

Cunningham tartan, my surname and paternal line. Bought it in 1994 when I had two weddings to attend in the space of a few weeks, and I still wear it occasionally. Before that my first venture into kilts was a black watch out of a thrift shop about two years earlier. It wasn't a good fit but I liked the idea of a kilt so I donated it back to them after only wearing it twice and ordered a made to meaure 13 oz wool black watch from a local kiltmaker to wear for Scottish country dancing. Now I have twenty nine kilts in total and one to come, of which five are tanks.

**rdjmchris** · 21st December 07, 09:13 AM

Scott tartan, Ancient Green version. It is my first and only tank (so far) - in fact its my only kilt. Gotta fix that. I got it because I was very close to my maternal grandmother, and her grandparents immigrated to the US. I think my next tank will be the 7th Cavalry tartan.

**Celtic Cyclist** · 21st December 07, 09:44 AM

I recently received my first 'tank' in the Cork tartan. I chose this tartan because grandparents on both sides of my family are from Bantry Bay. Also because the tartan is drop dead gorgeous.

**turpin** · 21st December 07, 10:01 AM

I've seen several posters saying they only expect to get one or two tanks at the most, because they rarely have occasion to dress up. I ask why reserve the best-fitting and most comfortable kilts you own for wearing a couple of times a year? They aren't fragile (hence the term "tank") and if they get dirty or dusty they can be washed. You paid for a top-notch garment only to leave it hanging in the closet, prey to moths? The beauty of (nearly) any kilt is that it can be dressed up a lot or down a lot. I wear my tanks formally when need be, but I also wear them with T-Shirts or polos and boots.

Wear your best whenever you want to! Get it out and take it for a walk.

**Bugbear** · 21st December 07, 10:05 AM

I'm beginning to think my first tank will either be a brown tweed or a shepard's check, or perhaps I'll go for two tanks for my first tank. Figuring out which tartan is what's mainly holding me back from aiming for a tank. And I want at least 16 oz wool.

**Moosedog** · 21st December 07, 10:08 AM

My clan tartan (Robertson) in hunting modern. Versatile and beautiful....my avatar. Actually it just arrived yesterday and I will post a detailed review soon.

Moosedog

**James MacMillan** · 21st December 07, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by turpin

I've seen several posters saying they only expect to get one or two tanks at the most, because they rarely have occasion to dress up. I ask why reserve the best-fitting and most comfortable kilts you own for wearing a couple of times a year? They aren't fragile (hence the term "tank") and if they get dirty or dusty they can be washed. You paid for a top-notch garment only to leave it hanging in the closet, prey to moths? The beauty of (nearly) any kilt is that it can be dressed up a lot or down a lot. I wear my tanks formally when need be, but I also wear them with T-Shirts or polos and boots.

Wear your best whenever you want to! Get it out and take it for a walk.

Very, very well said!

However there is another reason for me. Here, in the summer, my tanks are very warm, so I tend (in the summer, which thankfully is not now) to wear them only in the cool evenings.