Scottish National tartan- lingering political meaning?

[FossilHunter]

I hope the title doesn’t violate the forum rule on discussing politics as I don’t want to discuss politics at all.

I am curious as to whether the universal tartan, Scottish National, which I read was commissioned by the SNP still has any political connotations.

I may want to get a tartan item for a friend in that tartan but want to avoid giving him anything with unintended meaning. Especially for an American.

At least one site indicated that it no longer has any political associations but thought it best to ask.

[Jock Scot]

I must confess that I have no idea what the tartan looks like, or even if there are/were any political connections to it. My Clan tartan does for me and I really don't take all that much interest in other tartans. I don't think that I am alone in Scotland thinking this way, by any means.

[FossilHunter]

I must confess that I have no idea what the tartan looks like, or even if there are/were any political connections to it. My Clan tartan does for me and I really don't take all that much interest in other tartans. I don't think that I am alone in Scotland thinking this way, by any means.

Indeed. I only wear Macdonald tartan as well but my friend has no known clan kinship so I was just looking for a universal tartan I could get him a necktie in as a gift for being my daughter’s godfather.

Since the universal tartans seem to have “meanings” attached to them more so than clan tartans, I just wanted to be careful.

I may just go with isle of Skye since he likes it the most anyway (haven’t heard back about what he thinks of Scot. Nat. Yet).

Thank you for the perspective jock. I always appreciate it.

PS. I’m probably just overthinking it anyway. I’m an expert at that.

[neloon]

Whatever its origins, it no longer represents any political affiliation.

Alan

[FossilHunter]

Whatever its origins, it no longer represents any political affiliation.

Alan

Very good. Thank you.

[duke_19_62]

I must confess that I have no idea what the tartan looks like,

[imrichmond]

Last year, I acquired a kilt in the Scottish National tartan, which I had long admired, and wore it to a Burns dinner at which I was piping in the haggis. The elderly Scottish gentleman, a retired MD, who was to recite the "Ode to the Haggis" immediately recognized the tartan and told me that he had been a member of the SNP from its earliest days. He confessed, though, that his enthusiasm for the cause had cooled somewhat when the party consulted IRA leaders for advice and was told that what they needed were martyrs. "I wasn't so keen on that", he told me, with a chuckle.

[figheadair]

This is not the Scottish National tartan, that was designed in 1934, but rather a 1994 fashion tartan called Scotland's National. Unhelfully and confusingly, the Scottish Register lists the latter as the former. I will get them to change the entry.

[FossilHunter]

This is not the Scottish National tartan, that was designed in 1934, but rather a 1994 fashion tartan called Scotland's National. Unhelfully and confusingly, the Scottish Register lists the latter as the former. I will get them to change the entry.

Also confusing is that a lot of sellers call the 1994 tartan “Scottish National.”

[OC Richard]

This is not the Scottish National tartan, that was designed in 1934, but rather a 1994 fashion tartan called Scotland's National. Unhelfully and confusingly, the Scottish Register lists the latter as the former. I will get them to change the entry.

Thanks for that clarification.

Though I've not seen it other than the colour-strip there, the 1934 tartan strikes me as a more appealing design than the 1994 one, which is a disappointment for me; mundane, and looking more or less like dozens of other tartans.