Wearing kilts of other tartans than your clans.

[macwilkin]

If I like it , I wear it, if I don't like it, I don't wear it. Life is way too short to be obsessing over protocols of a past time. Especially as very few Scots of today have ever worn a Kilt at all, and could probably care less.

I just wear 'em cos I like 'em!

Of course, some of us enjoy those "protocols of a past time". As always, different horses for courses.

Regards,

Todd

[Rex_Tremende]

Among the tartan kilts that I have in my collection so far, they were chosen because I thought it was a good economic deal for me at the time - a second-hand or special offer or, in one case, just a cheap-o kilt. My interest in kilts had nothing to do with Scotland or my heritage. Going forward, however, I intend to find some sort of connection to tartans laden with identity or otherwise will choose universal or fashion tartans. To me, kilts (and tartans) are like Lays potato chips: you can't have just one.

Regards,
Rex.

[Andrewson]

I started with a kilt in my clan tartan. As a Scot I had been told that this was the right thing to do. My next kilt was in the tartan of my alma mater (University of Glasgow) and again I could claim adherence.

But by this time I had begun to read about the history of the "clan" tartans and began to realise that the association of a tartan with a clan was, to quite a large extent, arbitrary and dated to the early nineteenth century, particularly the aftermath of Sir Walter Scott's brilliantly organised visit of King George IV to Edinburgh in 1822. There does not seem to be much if any evidence of one tartan being used as a "uniform" to identify clan members when it really mattered i.e. when they went into battle with other clans.

Although I did become a member of my "family" clan - and I still am a member - I had also begun to realise that to claim membership based on surname rather than genealogical descent was somewhat dubious. Especially when you take into account that the Highland surnames were patronymic - MacDonald is the son of Donald but Donald might have been a MacPherson ...

Now before you all rush in with your versions of what really happened I just wanted to explain how this particular Scot became very sceptical about clan tartans. I have a third kilt in one of the alternate tartans of my "clan" but that is because I really like the tartan itself. And the same applies to the rest of the eight kilts I now own and wear regularly.

One good thing about finding some "clan" association - or an association with a district or organisation - is that it helps in making the choice of a tartan for the next kilt a bit easier. That is a big problem. There are just too many tartans now available. Anything that helps to reduce the range of possibilities - even if you know it is really arbitrary - is useful. So long as you end up with a tartan that you are really happy to wear, then I think you have every "right" to wear it with pride.

[flairball]

When picking a tartan one must also remember the history of tartan. It goes a little like this; A mill owner creates a number of tartans, and tiring of applying numbers to these tartans he starts giving them names. Many of these names match that of a clan somewhere. Later, when the clan learns of a tartan bearing their name they investigate, and get a look at said tartan. Many of the clan chiefs, liking the tartan bearing their name decide to adopt that tartan as their official clan tartan. Of course the mill owner is happy that they like the tartan, but he is in no way going to stop selling it to whomever wants it just because a clan adopted it. He'd loose money that way.

Of course we all know there are some tartans designed by individuals, and controlled by them, but it seems that for the most part tartans were arbitrarily named, and later adopted.

So,...what exactly am I trying to say? Where what you want for whatever reason. I've got three. A fashion tartan for whatever, a BW for whatever, and my clan tartan which I reserve for occassions. Because that's how I do it.

[Makeitstop]

I prefer solid colors and contemporaries, so this is mostly a non-issue for me. I do own 2 tartan kilts, black watch and black stewart. I picked them because they were the best looking thrifty kilts SWK had at the time.

Like others here, I don't know what clan affiliation my ancestors may have had. So even if I wanted to wear a tartan, I wouldn't know what clan to go with. But then, I wouldn't care about some ancestor's affiliation if I did know, as it had nothing to do with me, and I haven't chosen to align myself with some clan. And even if I did want to be a member of a clan, I would still care more about whether or not I like the tartan than whether or not they claim it as their own.

So yeah, I just wear clothes I like. If I worried about protocols and who gets to wear what, I'd be wearing pants, as I have been told rather often that men are only allowed to those horrific, crotch crushing, monstrosities.

On the other hand, I do kind of like the idea of getting a family tartan made once I have a family of my own.

[ChattanCat]

I am a Chattan Clan and can wear the MacPhearson. The problem I see is that I would only have a few tartans in my clan to choose from. We have the Chattan, MacPhearson, Hunting MacPhearson, and Dress MacPhearson. Now how could I possibly have only 4 kilts? Even if I get different weights, I would still be limited to about 8 kilts. So, I choose to get all Chattan and MacPhearson tartans. Then I will move onto other tartans yet to be selected (ok, IOS is a must).

Cheers,

[macwilkin]

I prefer solid colors and contemporaries, so this is mostly a non-issue for me. I do own 2 tartan kilts, black watch and black stewart. I picked them because they were the best looking thrifty kilts SWK had at the time.

Like others here, I don't know what clan affiliation my ancestors may have had. So even if I wanted to wear a tartan, I wouldn't know what clan to go with. But then, I wouldn't care about some ancestor's affiliation if I did know, as it had nothing to do with me, and I haven't chosen to align myself with some clan. And even if I did want to be a member of a clan, I would still care more about whether or not I like the tartan than whether or not they claim it as their own.

So yeah, I just wear clothes I like. If I worried about protocols and who gets to wear what, I'd be wearing pants, as I have been told rather often that men are only allowed to those horrific, crotch crushing, monstrosities.

On the other hand, I do kind of like the idea of getting a family tartan made once I have a family of my own.

I may not agree with what you say, but I respect your right to say it. All I ask is that you respect those of us who do value tradition and custom.

Regards,

Todd

[Monkey@Arms]

I may not agree with what you say, but I respect your right to say it. All I ask is that you respect those of us who do value tradition and custom.

Regards,

Todd

Um, where in this thread has anyone shown a lack of respect, such that this repeated admonishment is required?

Best regards,

Jake

[george7]

I only wear things that I'm associated with, with exception to a plain black kilt. There are choices within one's clan, as well as military branch, and pipe band affiliation.

[gilmore]

When picking a tartan one must also remember the history of tartan. It goes a little like this; A mill owner creates a number of tartans, and tiring of applying numbers to these tartans he starts giving them names. Many of these names match that of a clan somewhere. Later, when the clan learns of a tartan bearing their name they investigate, and get a look at said tartan. Many of the clan chiefs, liking the tartan bearing their name decide to adopt that tartan as their official clan tartan. Of course the mill owner is happy that they like the tartan, but he is in no way going to stop selling it to whomever wants it just because a clan adopted it. He'd loose money that way.

Of course we all know there are some tartans designed by individuals, and controlled by them, but it seems that for the most part tartans were arbitrarily named, and later adopted.

....

This scenario just isn't true, certainly not always. At one point clan chiefs and chieftans were asked to provide samples of their tartan(s) for a collection being assembled by a London-based society, whose name and subsequent publication I do not recall of the top of my head. Many of the chiefs then took it upon themselves to research their tartan(s) and provide examples as authentic as they could.

Several of the tartans predate the 1745 uprising and subsequent proscription, such as Campbell and the red Morrison.