Non Clergy, wearing Clergy Tartan?

**Joseph** · 30th July 14, 10:06 PM

OK so basically, if I am not supposed to be wearing it, I probably wont even has access to buy it in the first place.

I made reference to colors and gangs earlier. It was really about blood and crip type street gangs. But one of my ministries is the Christian Motorcyclists Association. You may be familiar with us regardless which country you live in. In the MC world clubs register there patches (colors) and if you get caught wearing a patch you don't actually belong to, or in the wrong part of town, it is violently taken from you.

I guess in Scotland and Ireland that applies more so to soccer jerseys than tartans.

**Chaps** · 30th July 14, 10:16 PM

Joseph, if you are wearing a kilt in a place frequented by bloods and crips, you are already in trouble no matter what color your tartan is. (My first church was in East LA.)

Enjoy wearing your kilt, though be careful if you try to wear it on a motorcycle.

**Steve Ashton** · 30th July 14, 10:22 PM

No Joseph, The Clark and Clergy Tartan are readily available and any kiltmaker can get fabric for you. Most of the Mills will also sell retail.

Here is the listing from the Weaving mill Lochcarron which is located in Selkirk Scotland. (but, strangely enough, owned by a Korean corporation).

The Lochcarron listing for Clergy in the Ancient version.

http://www.lochcarron.co.uk/tartan-f...weight-tartan/

The Clark listing

http://www.lochcarron.co.uk/tartan-f...weight-tartan/

And finally the Clergy Tartan in the Modern version.

http://www.lochcarron.co.uk/tartan-f...weight-tartan/

Please note that the prices listed on these pages are retail prices for 16oz fabric. They may be different depending on your location.

**Joseph** · 30th July 14, 10:32 PM

Thanks for all the insight. It was an informative discussion. I asked questions, and got answers.

Originally Posted by Chaps

Joseph, if you are wearing a kilt in a place frequented by bloods and crips, you are already in trouble no matter what color your tartan is. (My first church was in East LA.)

Enjoy wearing your kilt, though be careful if you try to wear it on a motorcycle.

Yeah! LOL I don't frequent the street gangs, I was only using their colors as examples. I also don't intend to motorcycle kilted. IMO bicycles, motorcycles, and horses are why pants were implemented. I do frequent MC gangs occasionally. But I already know how to behave around them and I don't intend to kilt in that company.

I would also recommend that prison guards probably shouldn't kilt at work either. Just sets up an inviroment for failure.

**Ron Abbott** · 31st July 14, 04:38 AM

If it's a tartan that is in some way related to the clergy that you're looking for, I suppose that given the purported origins of the McNabs; that one of the McNab tartans might be worthy of consideration?

**BBNC** · 31st July 14, 04:42 AM

I'm pretty much in line with most of the comments on here. Wear it if you will, and if you happen to be a lay minister, so much the better. You do seem to have a sense of where kilt wearing is, and isn't appropriate.

**Jock Scot** · 31st July 14, 05:01 AM

As a mere observer, as I am not a religeous person, but I do like to know who I am talking to and for me, if you are not ordained then you are sailing under false colours by wearing a clergy tartan. That does not help one bit, for me. Sorry.

**McMurdo** · 31st July 14, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

As a mere observer, as I am not a religious person, but I do like to know who I am talking to and for me, if you are not ordained then you are sailing under false colours by wearing a clergy tartan. That does not help one bit, for me. Sorry.

This is what I was thinking as well, my recommendation would be to find a tartan that you have a solid connection with. Now before you all get your pitchforks and torches out let me explain. I have an extensive collection of kilts and accessories, as the years go by I find myself wearing only the tartans that I have a solid connection with so this from my experience, of course you can do what you wish but I am reminded of the saying just because you can do something does not mean you should.

**Nathan** · 31st July 14, 07:14 AM

In my experience, when people ask about the tartan I'm wearing, it provides the opportunity to tell them something about myself and not just my outfit.

I would therefore only wear a tartan I am solidly connected to. I currently only own MacDonald tartans, but I would wear the Maple Leaf Tartan - I'm Canadian, the Nova Scotia Tartan - I'm from Nova Scotia, the Cape Breton Tartan - I'm from Cape Breton or the tartan of my particular religious denomination.

It is pleasing to me to say this is MacDonald and I too am MacDonald etc...

There are no laws against you wearing the Clergy tartan and I wouldn't be worried about offending people. Clergy are a forgiving lot.

Consider this, when someone says, "What tartan is that?" and you say, "The Clergy Tartan" and they logically ask "Are you a Clergyman?" and you say, "Well...um..not really...but I'm a devout Christian who looks for opportunities to Minister." will you enjoy that exchange? Will they perceive you a poseur of sorts?

Just weigh the relevant factors and decide for yourself.

I like the tradition that the tartan selected tells you something about the wearer but that's all it is; a tradition. I'm sure you're not going to get smoked by some angry vicars in a drive by...

**plaid preacher** · 31st July 14, 08:02 AM

Joseph, I'm not sure what you ride, but if you are associated with the Christian Motorcycle Association, you may be interested to know that there is a Harley Davidson tartan - which I think looks very nice, although I would never wear it since, I do not ride a motorcycle, much less a Hawg. That again is a tartan that you could wear with pride and not have to explain your affiliation. ( if on the other hand you are riding a Honda or a Suzuki, I'm not sure there is a tartan for that)