Origin of "Muted" tartan?

[Prester John]

Hey guys:

I'm looking, again, at the Clergy Muted tartan.

What exactly is a "muted" tartan, and what is it supposed to represent?

[Prester John]

Anyone?

[Brasilikilt]

Hey Prester

If I remember correctly, a muted tartan is supposed to have the appearance of an older well-worn kilt made of wool colored with natural dyes as opposed to all this bright synthetic crap they have out nowadays.
Hope this answers your question

[Sir Robert]

I beleive that the muted "ANCIENT" tartans are are exactly that an attempt to appear hundreds of years old even new. Thus they say my roots are older than your's are. Typically sold to those who really are new to the game.

For example to be titled in the UK you only need to own land that has an associated title. For example you find for sale an old home with a title like "Lord of the Manor," then borrow money from a bank, buy the land and pow! You are "Lord William," where you were Bill Smith one minute before.

One can see how such a bozo might want a muted tartan.

A ligitimate use might be by a Clan Cheiftan who wishes to point out that he speaks for an OLD bloodline.

Re-Enactors often use muted color tartans in the mistaken impression that because tartans in movies and museums are faded then tartans in period must have been too. NOT TRUE.

[Prester John]

Thanks guys

In my relatively fruitless search for a nice clergy tartan, especially since I am limited in funds, I was directed to Clergy Muted, and wondered about it.

It's nice and clean, and doesn't have the powdery image of the Clergy Ancient, at least in images I've seen of it, but I have not seen a kilt in it.

Or in Clergy Blue Ancient for that matter, but I understand that Matt, and possibly someone else will post one soon.

Thanks for your help and patience with my incessant questions about Clergy tartans!

[James]

I think this is one where we can get too clever: certainly I for one cannot know how the various methods of dying would appear say a couple of hundred years ago.

However I do have kilts in my own hunting tartan - three are so called modern dyes-and one is muted: yet in all cases the actual weave is identical. The muted makes a nice change, and oddly enough the other three arev all slightly different in hue if not the weave.

In essence wilst continuing to wear my own tartan-I can ring the changes.

James

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I strongly object to "Sir" Robert's post that only a fool new to kilt wearing would want a muted tartan.

The muted Clergy blue is woven by The House of Edgar -- they have a whole range of tartans in the muted colors. They are softer than the modern colors, but not nearly as faded as the ancient colors. It's just one more color option that provides us kilt wearers with another choice.

In actuality, Edgar's muted color range comes fairly close to the true colors of the nineteenth century. Just a shade lighter than what we call "modern" colors, but not near as light as what we call "ancient."

Wear the muted colors if you like them. If you don't like them, wear something else. That's all there is to it.

M

[Prester John]

Thanks again Matt.

I can always count on you for filling in the whole story.

You sure you don't want to move the museum to northeast Ohio?

[Colin]

I strongly object to "Sir" Robert's post that only a fool new to kilt wearing would want a muted tartan.

The muted Clergy blue is woven by The House of Edgar -- they have a whole range of tartans in the muted colors. They are softer than the modern colors, but not nearly as faded as the ancient colors. It's just one more color option that provides us kilt wearers with another choice.

In actuality, Edgar's muted color range comes fairly close to the true colors of the nineteenth century. Just a shade lighter than what we call "modern" colors, but not near as light as what we call "ancient."

Wear the muted colors if you like them. If you don't like them, wear something else. That's all there is to it.

M

I agree with Matt. My next kilt will be in Watson Ancient colours. Why? because my last name is a sept of Watson and their tartan is more easily found in Ancient. Besides, it is not about trying to have your kilt look aged, to me it is just an alternative form of a family tartan. This also applies to the "weathered" tartans. After all, the tartans do not change, only the tone of the colours. In my opinion, some of the ancient and weathered tartans are nicer than the "modern" versions....just look at Buchanan!

[prattw]

The "ancient" colors often display the sett better than modern. In the case of my own clan, Grant, the preference of the current Chief is for ancient colors both in the "regular" and hunting (aka Blackwatch) tartans, so you see a lot of ancient colors at Grant gatherings. Grant is one tartan that definitely looks a _lot_ better in ancient than modern colors.

Will Pratt