To Wear A Tartan.

[Andrewson]

As a fully paid up member of Clan Forsyth (my mother's family name) can I just say:

(a) I found the clan connection helpful in picking out tartans from the vast array of possibilities on offer (far too many to consider) and I suppose I wear the clan tartans with a bit of extra pride.

but

(b) I don't want to stop anyone, Scots or non-Scots, from wearing my clan tartan. I take it as a great compliment if they have chosen "my" clan tartan. If I ever had the luck to meet someone wearing one of our clan tartans he (or she) would get an extra warm greeting from me. In a sense I suppose I'd consider them part of the family. Given the very loose structure of traditional clans, I think this is an entirely appropriate feeling too.

[davedove]

For instance, I would think it entirely appropriate for someone who was never in the Marines to wear the Leatherneck in honor of his father, who served a full career in the Marines.

I wouldn't.

And this is just another example of people drawing the limits of "connection" at different places. I'm NOT saying that Ronstew is wrong and I am right. We just have a difference of opinion. Just as James has an opinion different from others.

I do NOT advocate the wearing of official uniform items by those who have not served. However, the Leatherneck tartan is not official. So, I feel that to wear the tartan in honor of someone is legitimate. Note I said it is worn in honor of someone else, not that the wearer is trying to pass himself off as a Marine. That would be wrong in my eyes as well.

And just another point of thought, what if the wearer's father had given his life serving the Marines?

[arrogcow]

No one seems to want to wear the USMC tartan if they haven't served, but how many wear the Black Watch (probably the best selling tartan out there)?

Just pointing out logical inconsistancies. I agree that one should probably have a reason for wearing a particular tartan (at least if that tartan has a connection to a Clan, District, organization). The problem is that some people take it to extreems (i.e. you can wear a clan tartan only if your father's name is linked to that clan and you can prove a blood line back to the original clan). Several people have told stories of being jumped on by people demanding to know why they dare to wear a particular tartan. It is not anyone's place to question why I wear anything.

Adam

[MacSimoin]

It is not anyone's place to question why I wear anything.

Perfectly said...I couldn't agree more.

[Tattoo Bradley]

Perfectly said...I couldn't agree more.

Agreed.

[Scott Gilmore]

Agreed.

Tritto.

Regards,
Scott Gilmore

[Pour1Malt]

an tae just expand oan this....

if ya are no frae San Francisco- ya have nay richt tae wear blue jeans.... :rolleyes:

[RoderickOfClanMadHaggis]

from another perspective :

I feel somewhat out of place when I (MacFarlane) put on my Pipe Band's Kilt (Ancient Logan)
Read into that what you will...

I'm not a Tartan Police Officer, but i think choosing a family tartan (if one has no connection to it) because it's got pretty colours has questionable taste, considering the vast amount of 'generic' tartans available in every which colour these days...if i saw someone wearing the MacFarlane tartan i'd assume they were of the bloodline.

IMO <----that's IN MY OPINION so don't spam me

[MacWage]

so don't spam me

Scene: A cafe. One table is occupied by a group of Vikings wearing horned helmets. Whenever the word "spam" is repeated, they begin singing and/or chanting. A man and his wife enter. The man is played by Eric Idle, the wife is played by Graham Chapman (in drag), and the waitress is played by Terry Jones, also in drag.

Man: You sit here, dear.
Wife: All right.
Man: Morning!
Waitress: Morning!
Man: Well, what've you got?
Waitress: Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam; spam bacon sausage and spam; spam egg spam spam bacon and spam; spam sausage spam spam bacon spam tomato and spam;
Vikings: Spam spam spam spam...
Waitress: ...spam spam spam egg and spam; spam spam spam spam spam spam baked beans spam spam spam...
Vikings: Spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam!
Waitress: ...or Lobster Thermidor a Crevette with a mornay sauce served in a Provencale manner with shallots and aubergines garnished with truffle pate, brandy and with a fried egg on top and spam.
Wife: Have you got anything without spam?
Waitress: Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
Wife: I don't want ANY spam!
Man: Why can't she have egg bacon spam and sausage?
Wife: THAT'S got spam in it!
Man: Hasn't got as much spam in it as spam egg sausage and spam, has it?
Vikings: Spam spam spam spam... (Crescendo through next few lines...)
Wife: Could you do the egg bacon spam and sausage without the spam then?
Waitress: Urgghh!
Wife: What do you mean 'Urgghh'? I don't like spam!
Vikings: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!
Waitress: Shut up!
Vikings: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!
Waitress: Shut up! (Vikings stop) Bloody Vikings! You can't have egg bacon spam and sausage without the spam.
Wife: I don't like spam!
Man: Sshh, dear, don't cause a fuss. I'll have your spam. I love it. I'm having spam spam spam spam spam spam spam beaked beans spam spam spam and spam!
Vikings: Spam spam spam spam. Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!
Waitress: Shut up!! Baked beans are off.
Man: Well could I have her spam instead of the baked beans then?
Waitress: You mean spam spam spam spam spam spam... (but it is too late and the Vikings drown her words)
Vikings: Spam spam spam spam. Lovely spam! Wonderful spam! Spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam. Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Spam spam spam spam!


Spam, spam, spam, spam
Spam, spam, spam, spam
Wonderful Spam, it's lovely spam!
(Monty Python-> the Spam song)

(I'm sorry, it just cried out for it :rolleyes: )

[auld argonian]

Okay...you're entitled to your opinion but I've been following this thread...not with any serious interest but with, let us say, some bemused interest. I've been reluctant to chime in but I have had a few thoughts.

Re: tartans being reserved for the exclusive use of a clan through tradition rather than some kind of legality...maybe once but not now. This assumes a level of civility that just doesn't exist any more; certainly not in the USA (sorry guys, but you do have to admit that it's true) and probably not in the UK or Europe.

I was going to add "respect for tradition" in there but, after some thought, I figured that it wouldn't fit...my impression is that most people approach tradition in the way that the folks that they call "Cafeteria Catholics" (please...I'm not knocking anyone's religion here...this is an established term that I've heard used by religious scholars), that is that they pick and choose what doctrines and tenets they want to observe and leave what is inconvenient behind. Even the most hard-core traditionalist among us is forced to compromise somewhere along the line...and I see that many can't resist adding some element to their ensemble even though it's historically inaccurate.

So we are left with the idea that if a clan feels that their tartan should be exclusive property, they will have to engage the services of an intellectual property lawyer (a growing field these days I'm afraid) and proceed to copyright and trademark their tartan. I'm sure that this would, however, be considered "ungentlemanly" or gauche but, if that's what they want, that's what they have to do...it's not the Nineteenth Century anymore. Kilts can then have a label with one of those WARNINGS that we see at the beginning of a video...$25,000 fine and seven years in Alcatraz for wearing a tartan to which you have no blood ties. This won't stop the Chinese from doing unauthorized knock-offs, of course, and the world will be flooded with cheap Chinese kilts thereby destroying the market and everyone will be wearing them.

I truly wish that I had a clear idea of what tartan I would be entitled to wear. The research will take a lot more time and money than I have on hand right now. I could conceivably just wear the Ayrshire District Tartan...and I would like to get a kilt made in that one day...but for now I'm happy that there are "universal" tartans and that there seems to be enough clans that are generous enough that they aren't making a fuss about their tartans being worn by "non-clan" types. I have made a point of learning some about the couple of clans represented by the few tartans that I have...although I can't find those Nightstalker guys anywhere...

Seems to me that the genie is out of the bottle and the toothpaste is out of the tube. If you want wider acceptance of the kilt, you have to give ground on what a guy can wear.

Imagine, though, how the clans with really unattractive tartans must feel, though...I mean some tartans are just pretty darn out there visually...everybody wants the pretty ones but who wants the weird ones? One of those cases where you find out what the tartan is that you ARE entitled by blood to wear and you say, "...oh...gee, how about that...any chance that there's an Ancient or Muted or Ancient Muted or Hunting or Ancient Muted Hunting version of this tartan?...tell you what, I'll just take Black Watch and hold on on the ole family tartan for a while..."

Best

AA