Mystery tartan

**Matt Richards** · 21st October 13, 02:25 PM

I really embarrassed myself yesterday at the Carolinas Renaissance Festival. While walking by the booth selling kilts and other Scottish wear, the seller standing at the door was wearing a kilt that looked for all the world like MacKenzie tartan. I said "Hey! MacKenzie tartan!" to him, since that is my favorite tartan. And he said "Noooo. Cameron." Thing is, I can't seem to find ANY type of Cameron tartan that looks remotely like MacKenzie. I know Cameron of Erracht well, and would have recognized it straight off. It had far-apart red and white stripes over what looked like the usual government blue and green. Any ideas?

**mookien** · 21st October 13, 03:53 PM

It's very possible that he didn't know the difference. Not all Scottish attire vendors, especially at games/festivals, are all that knowledgeable. I wouldn't be too embarrassed by it.

**Steve Ashton** · 21st October 13, 04:15 PM

The Cameron Htg., ITI#3793 and the Cameron of Lochiel Htg., ITI#1535 have a blue and green background with Red and Yellow stripes.

But you did say you were at a Ren Faire. The person may have been sold a Tartan and told it was Cameron and never bothered to check.

**Matt Richards** · 21st October 13, 04:23 PM

Hmmm. None of those really look like it. It definitely had the white stripe. The seller looked pretty venerable, so I figured he knew his stuff!

**mookien** · 21st October 13, 04:39 PM

I look veritably venerable, but I don't know diddley squat.

**figheadair** · 22nd October 13, 12:19 AM

Could it have been Robertson of Kindeace (Htg Robertson)?

**Matt Richards** · 4th November 13, 04:33 PM

Well, we visited the festival this weekend, and that guy was there again. There was no mistaking it this time -- it was 100% MacKenzie tartan. To boot, it looked like a British army surplus kilt, with box pleats to the white stripe and very worn leather straps that showed obvious signs of long use (the dye worn to a pale brown and leather warped with age). I know that in 1961, the 1st battalions of the Seaforth Highlanders and Cameron Highlanders amalgamated into The Queen's Own Highlanders, and wore the MacKenzie tartan kilt and Cameron tartan trews (reversed for bandsmen.) Perhaps this could be the Cameron/MacKenzie connection?