So I didn't get the traditional kilt color for my clan (opinion?)

[unclevenus]

Looking for your opinion on this topic. My mind is made up, but I want to know how this looks from the outside. I just joined my clan a few months back. Although I have attended many a game, even visited the clan tent (before being a member) at grandfather mountain, etc. I have not personally interacted with anyone (due to geography).. .After years of seeing photos and also owning one little swatch of my clan's kilt, I did something I didn't think I'd do.. I went with a modern variant of my kilt. The real difference is - just colors. I never have owned a kilt until now. When I was in Scotland, I found the modern or dress black pattern and really liked it. I wound up losing my mind over it, actually. Got it ordered, and it delivered to me today. Would you see this as being a sore thumb or insulting if you wore something a bit different?

Here's what I own (modern/dress? with different coloring) :



Here is what I see most people wearing (ancient):




I'm not trying to be cutting edge. Never thought I'd steer from what I saw for years. I just liked what I liked and now that like = loving it.

Your thoughts??

[Tobus]

Modern colours versus 'ancient' colours is absolutely irrelevant, as long as it's the correct sett for your clan. No one will care. It's simply personal preference. It will not be insulting or a 'sore thumb' at all. As long as you prefer modern to ancient, that's all that matters!

*edited to add:

But upon looking more closely, it does appear that the 'ancient' colour scheme shows a distinct dark band on either side of the green, where your 'modern' does not. I wonder if this is just a function of the colour being so dark on the modern that you can't tell the difference, or if they somehow forgot that part.

[unclevenus]

Thanks! I didn't notice that border, either. Here's a closer look.. Sorry on the lighting on the photo. Distorts the color slightly:

[Kent Frazier]

It appears to me that the dark band is missing in the modern. What clan is this?

[unclevenus]

Clan Pollock. If you see Clan Maxwell, you can see the resemblance.

[Tobus]

Hmm. I looked up Pollock, and sure enough, it should have a distinct band of black (or grey) next to the green. Even the 'modern' colours use a dark green that's recognizable as green. Yours looks all black, as if the weaver substituted black for green. I often see modern colour schemes with blues that look black, but usually not the greens. Do you know what mill this came from?

[unclevenus]

It came from DC Dalgliesh / Houston Kiltmakers (Paisley). They're pretty legitimate. Their website shows it a bit different. I opted for the red. Unfortunately I ordered this on May 1 while in Scotland but didn't write down each thing that I said to the kiltmakers. Got it today. Nonetheless, I love it!!

[ShaunMaxwell]

Good catch, Tobus! I find that to be pretty interesting, as the Pollock tartan is a variation of Maxwell hunting with a white overstripe, though it's hard to tell from the lousy image I pulled from the internet. The modern version definitely seems to be missing the overstripe.

From what I found online, the tartan does seem to be correct, though I find it curious that it's missing the stripe. Here's an image showing the Ancient, Dress Black (which unclevenus has) and the modern.



Compare to Maxwell ancient, modern and hunting:

[unclevenus]

I know what will make me feel better. I'll buy one kilt of each of the above!!!!

[Tobus]

Ah, I see now. I read the initial post as this being a "modern" tartan, thinking it was just "modern colours", when in fact it's a "modern design" called "dress black". Very interesting! I guess they did it on purpose after all!

I still think it shouldn't cause any consternation amongst fellow clansmen, as long as it's a variant sett. And not something you just did on your own to tweak your clan's tartan design.