prohibited tartans

[claughmohr]

I can speak on the Lord of the Isles Green as I am a Clan Officer and have heard this straight from the lips of the Clan Chief the MacDonald of MacDonald. This is his personal tartan, he will grant permission to any Clan member wishing to wear this tartan, if they request such permission from him. This has been put out at various AGM's, Chief's Tours and other assorted Clan gatherings. I do have to render an a mea culpa concerning the military tartans-I had been misinformed regarding their official status.
I knew the Army tartan was officially recognized, I believe 2 years ago, so this is very new in the scheme of things. It is able to be worn with the Army Uniform with the consent and approval of the Base Commander-per current uniform regulations. I knew this for sure about the Army as I am an Army Veteran and am looking to order my next kilt in the Army tartan-the supplier wants a DD 214 or other proof that I was an Army veteran. The reason behind the official status is related to the increasing usage of bagpipes being played at memorial services and military funerals. There are fewer and fewer buglers around and as they become ever more scarce, many of us are looking to the bagpipes as a way of rendering honors to a fallen warrior. The prerecorded notes on the imitation bugle seem disrespectful to many of us, and a live piper brings a certain dignity to the event.
Another military tartan, which is restricted is the Special Forces Tartan-I am not sure if that is due to an official status or because it is held exclusively by a private organization-I do know that a DD 214 or current evidence of service in an SF Unit is required to order this tartan. The piper for my Legion post is a retired SF CSM and was complaining about having to track down his 214 so he could get a kilt made in it.
I am interested in any information concerning the Military tartans as I am a Legion District Vice-Commander and have a Post in the District forming a kilted honor guard and they want the members kilted in the tartans of their service.

[Deil the Yin]

Sir Malcolm MacGregor has made it plain that the tartan often called Hunting MacGregor is really MacGregor of Cardney and should only be worn by those descended of that household, though it is easily obtained with no special permission in modern, ancient and weathered colours. As the story is told, the knowledge of this tartan's history as reported by Sir Malcolm's father was ignored by one of the Tartan Societies(?) recording such things and thus ended up as a common tartan.

You can find the Chiefs letters on the MacGregor website here.

Regards,
Wesley

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Sir Malcolm MacGregor has made it plain that the tartan often called Hunting MacGregor is really MacGregor of Cardney and should only be worn by those descended of that household, though it is easily obtained with no special permission in modern, ancient and weathered colours. As the story is told, the knowledge of this tartan's history as reported by Sir Malcolm's father was ignored by one of the Tartan Societies(?) recording such things and thus ended up as a common tartan.

You can find the Chiefs letters on the MacGregor website here.

Regards,
Wesley

I had the pleasure of having an in-person conversation with Sir Malcolm about this very tartan while he was here in 2008 for the Stone Mountain Highland Games, and then to spend some time visiting his Clan Society. I asked him what he thinks about all these American MacGregors wearing the MacGregor of Cardinay tartan, knowing that he considered it to be proper only for that one family.

He fully realizes that, since it is popularly marketed under the name "MacGregor Hunting" most MacGregors who wear it are operating under the assumption that it is a fully legitimate clan tartan; he told me he has no ill will towards those who wear it so long as it is worn with pride.

On a related note, while we were talking about this tartan, he mentioned that Cardinay was married in a kilt in either the red & green MacGregor or the red & black (I cannot remember which), but his wife, Lady Fiona, asked him, "Why didn't he wear his own tartan? Wouldn't that have been more proper for him to wear?"

Sir Malcolm just shrugged as said, "He wanted to wear the other one." Enough said!

[madman79764]

The US military tartans are restricted to veterans and active duty members of the various branches, you might need to show a DD 214 to gain access to these tartans. MacDonald tartans are open to any person of the Clan, excluding Lord of the Isles Green, this is restricted to the Clan Chief and his family and can be used with special permission. Again in the US we are not bound by many of these restrictions due to 7/4/1776, but it is in our best interest to respect the clans and persons associated with the tartans.

As a Navy Veteran I did some research and according to the Scottish Register of Tartans there are no restrictions on the military tartans. And if what I found is correct it is more of a etiquette and manners subject by that I am referring to if you did not serve, you should not wear the Navy or Marine Corp tartan just as an example. However, since there is no restriction noted no permission is needed.

[Moski]

Okay, so far we have fwiw, almost no chiefs who have called for restrictions on their tartans. The few mentioned are not at all of interest to me.

[Red Stag]

Are there any restrictions on any of the solid color kilts? I was looking at an Irish Saffron from Stillwater Kilts...

[Jock Scot]

Are there any restrictions on any of the solid color kilts? I was looking at an Irish Saffron from Stillwater Kilts...

I stand to be corrected here,but as far as I am aware there are no restrictions on solid colour kilts.

[McMurdo]

Are there any restrictions on any of the solid color kilts? I was looking at an Irish Saffron from Stillwater Kilts...

None that I'm aware of

[Kilt_Like_Objects]

Are there any restrictions on any of the solid color kilts? I was looking at an Irish Saffron from Stillwater Kilts...

Absolutely not!!!

[David Dalglish]

I wear Tartans of different clans mainly because I like the tartans & wish to wear them. However I always ask permission from the different clan societies to wear them, (although not strickly necessary), I have had permission granted from every clan society so far, so I wear all my kilts with PRIDE.