Some general questions

[luna]

I'm trying to find a suitable family tartan (from my Scottish name) for my non-Scottish husband's kilt but am very confused by the wide range of samples, as well as inconsistencies, between/amongst websites.

Could anyone kindly tell me what to look for in terms of authenticity? I've seen 'modern', 'ancient', 'hunting' and so forth, but each site seems to have a slightly different set of patterns.

Does anyone know of a reliable site with historically authentic tartans, which also explains the various uses?

Thanks for your help, and sorry if this topic has already been covered.

[highlandtide]

Luna-

www.tartans.com has a pretty definitive list of tartans and family names. You will find out though that there is no absolute when it comes to choosing a tartan. There are different styles and sets wich don't really mean that much when it comes to modern use. If we still lived in 1700's Scotland we might wear our hunting tartan for hunting and our ancient tartan for funerals but these days you can pretty much pick which ever tartan you like the best. Show your husband some swatches from your Clan's list and let him choose whichever one he likes best. And if he doesnt like any of them, choose the one he likes form another Clan's tartan.

Anyone have a different opinion?

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[luna]

Thanks, Highlandtide. That's exactly what I needed to know. Will check out the link.

[Blu (Ontario)]

Hello, Luna and welcome to Xmarksthescot. I should start by congratulating you for helping dress your husband in that most manly of garments...the kilt. I should point out a couple of things about correctness" and authenticity. Traditionally, wearing a family or clan tartan is a symbolic gesture of a blood tie or allegience to that family or clan. The most appropriate tartan to wear would be the one carried down the male side of the family. IF you are concerned about "correctness", tradition would dictate that a husband does not wear the wifes family tartan. The wife would wear the husbands family tartan. If it sounds a bit chauvinistic, it probably is. If there is no family tartan on the husbands side, there hundreds of "open" tartans and district tartans that are appropriate for anyone to wear. Some clans and families have more than one tartan and these tartans can be woven with bright or muted dyes which are generally appropriate for all kilts. I should point out that there are "dress" versions of many tartans where one of the main colors has been replaced with white, and these are usually considered best reserved for "dress" (formal) occassions. "Modern" tartans are woven with bright dyes. Ancient or O/C (old color) tartans are woven with muted colors to mimic old natural dyes. "Hunting" tartans tend to sport darker colors with less "flash". All make wonderfull kilts. If you decide to abandon tradition, correctness, etc., and ignore all of the aforementioned...pick a tartan that you like. (some might consider it bad taste to wear a tartan of the British Royal Family) The best website I've found on tartans can be found here....

http://www.house-of-tartan.scotland.net/

Does this answer your questions at all??

[Colin]

You be honored that you're husband would wear your tartan, and your husband should be proud to wear it. The rules of tartan are only guidelines, and hold very little true weight. Those of us that have a tartan(s) only wish to hold on to them for our own pride. Feel free to use your family tartan, or any other tartan for that matter.

[luna]

Hi, Blu, and thanks SO much for the welcome and great information!

You've given me a good idea about what I should be looking for. My husband is not only not Scottish but is a very dark-skinned Central American. And, yes, he should be congratulated for his willingness to shed all sorts of cultural issues and wear a "skirt"!

It's occurred to me that he might just look silly in a kilt given his non-white heritage - I certainly wouldn't want him to be derided.

Ahhh, no worries, he's old enough make his own decisions and this is one he's made all by himself.

Thanks so much for your info and help.

Luna

[luna]

Many thanks, Colin! I am, indeed, incredibly honoured that he will wear the cloth of my ancestors. This is a huge compliment to me.

[highlandtide]

Luna! Galicia Spain is one of the 7 Celtic Nations of the World. Unless your husband is from a Native family of Central America he may have Celtic ties from the Spanish Celts. Then there wouldnt be any question as to whether or not it was "appropriate" for him to wear a kilt!





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[Blu (Ontario)]

Luna....No man looks silly in a kilt unless he wants to. If either he or you have any questions or concerns, there is a wealth of experience here to draw on. And remember...Real men wear kilts! (Of course the ladies already know this )

[luna]

Highlandtide, thanks so much for your post and its very interesting info. I had no idea that Galicia Spain was amongst the celtic nations. Like most CA's, my husband is mestizo - a mix of Spanish and Indian. However, he looks completely Indian. He'll be
amazed by this information. And, from a purely personal perspective, he will (I believe) always fall on the Native side of mestizo - so don't know where this will lead.

Blu, thank you. Yes, my husband could never look silly no matter the garb. I guess I'm worried that there'll be such a huge disconnect between his ethnicity and the kilt that others will make him uncomfortable (but then, he's not the type to let others' ideas matter - so why do I worry?).

Oh, oh, oh.