tartans more easily accepted than non-tartan?

[Alan H]

When I first got the notion this past summer that I might try a kilt I originally thought I'd get a plain black kilt. After mulling it over, though, I opted for a tartan one. Why? Because a tartan kilt with a belt and a sporran is clearly "Scottish", and also clearly "male" for anyone who knows anything at all. It makes it a bit easier for people to be accepting, and I'm guessing will make the negative comments less numerous, and ease the stress level on worried spouses and girlfriends. What will make it a bit unusual is the fact that I've not got a drop of Scots blood in me, and I'll have to tell people that when I'm asked. However, as we've discussed here many times, the Kilt is a piece of clothing, and there are tartans that anyone can wear. That will be my response. "know your tartan"....Well, I've read up a bit ont he Black Watch, and can talk for ten minutes about it all at this point.

For those who don't know about kilts, I mean, never even heard of Scotland, kilts, etc....well, there's not a lot I can do about someone who's that totally unaware of the world around them. If someone that ignorant decides to make rude remarks, well, they'd make rude remarks no matter WHAT I was wearing, and they can just go soak their head.

If I were going to live in kilts, then probably the first one would be tartan, but I'm sure I'd soon opt for black/khaki/dark blue and so on fairly quickly. But I digress.

What do you all think? Do you find that if you wear the whole shebang....tartan kilt/sporran/hose/belt do you get fewer stares and more positive responses than if you wear a non-tartan kilt?

Your responses might be food for thought for us first-time kilt newbies, especially those with wives/girlfriends who are particularly dubious about the whole thing.

[Jeremy]

I don't know about fewer stares, but the tartans in my experience tend to bring about fewer off-color remarks... which could reduce the anxiety suffered by some of those who are new to wearing kilts.
Speaking for myself, I broke myself in a couple years ago (I started with a couple UK's) usually wearing them to celtic festivals, and to places where out of the ordinary dress was the norm. As I got used to the comments I would get...I started wearing them everywhere with very little trepidation. Any more, people are more surprised to see me wearing trousers.

[Hamish]

Alan,

What you say is perfectly true and your points are valid, and it could be that things are seen differently back here in the UK. It is true that for the vast majority of the world's population, tartan kilts (plus the accessories) are recognised for what they are - male garments. However, most of the established Scottish kiltmakers are now branching out and extending their ranges by making traditional and leisure kilts in plain coloured, and non-tartan patterned, fabrics - so, the image of the kilted Scotsman is gradually evolving.

You say "there are tartans that anyone can wear". Yes, that is right, but I do wish we could all get over the fixation that we can/should only wear tartans with which we have some connection or family tie. Yes, of course, that is the ideal but, in reality anyone can wear any tartan ...... with the exception of the Balmoral tartan, which can be purchased and worn only by members of our Royal Family! In addition to my Clan Gunn tartan kilts, I have several others made up in tartans that I just happen to like; tartans that I find attractive probably for the combination of colours, or the overall effect. I used to buy trousers (when I wore them) mainly for the colour. Buying a kilt should be the same. The majority of Clan Chiefs would be flattered to think you had selected their tartan to wear, even if you were unconnected with them.

So, please chose a tartan that you like, not one that you feel obliged to wear. How dull this world would be if all those without Scottish family connections elected to wear only Black Watch, Royal Stewart and a few other 'everyday' tartans!

A final point: just because you are wearing a tartan kilt does not mean that you necessarily HAVE to wear all the accessories (such as sgian dubhs, flashes, Ghillie brogues or even a sporran - although the latter is a useful pocket if you do not have one in a jacket ot shirt!). The more you accessorize your kilt with traditional Scottish bits and pieces, the more 'Scottish' you will appear to be. If you ARE Scottish, you would probably want to wear those items (I certainly do, but not always), but they are really only necessary when you are dressed up in the full Evening Dress 'uniform'.

Select your tartan kilt with care [your plain one(s) too] because those garments are going to last you a lifetime, unlike trousers which wear-out very quickly!

Have a look at the 70+ photos in my Photo Album (link below). There you will see many different ways in which our kilts can be worn.

[Alan H]

Hamish, in terms of wearing tartans, and this is just me....clearly many of us have different ideas... I'd not wear kilt made of a clan tartan that I was unaffiliated with. Now, that's just me, eh? However, that leaves me with oodles of wonderful tartans still to choose from. Here's just a list...

Black Watch
Royal Stewart
Black Stewart
Hunting Stewart, which I understand has sort of come to be the "All Scotland" tartan

Any non-clan, general tartan offered by any of the casual USA kiltmaers like Sport Kilts and USA Kilts, and there must be 50+ of them

Here are a bunch of registered tartans that I can happily choose from as well.

US Navy tartan (my Dad was a navy veteran), a dark, formal looking tartan.

The United States tartan is a beautiful dark blue tartan with red and white stripes.... very elegant.

California State Tartan, based on the Muir Family Tartan. I really like this tartan.

The California Dept. of Forestry, the California "Firefighters" and the California Highway Patrol all have registered tartans. The Forestry tartan is strong with natural green colors, and I really like it. I'm rather the outdoorsman, and spend a lot of time hiking in the forests of my sttate, and the Forest Dept.'s tartan would be a good match for me.

All the Irish County Tartans, the All-Ireland Green and Blue tartans. I quite like the All-Ireland blue.

So it's not like I don't have any choice, here!

My thinking is just that a tartan (read: plaid, who cares what pattern) kilt, along with a few other "Scots" accessories like a sporran make the general public a bit more comfortable with kilts in general. Tartan kilt and hose = Scotland = "OK" which might be handy psychology for those of us with doubtful spouses/girlfriends/family to take into account.

PS: If I was really enamoured of a particular clan tartan and really wanted to wear it, I'd just write a letter to the clan chief and ask him for permission....which no doubt he'd be quite pleased to grant. But I'd ASK, first. But that's just me. My mothers side of the family has a coat of arms, and I'd ba annoyed to see someone who's not a Hall touting that as their coat of arms. I'd assume the same goes with clan tartans. Asking is polite and respectful, and well...it's just what I'd do before I wore a kilt made in a clan pattern.

PPS: WhenI was a lad my parents gave me a necktie in the MacDuff tartan, because I was studying Shakespeare's "MacBeth" that quarter. I still have it, and wear it now and then. If I ever come across a real MacDuff, I'll get to explain it, which should be fun!

[Hamish]

Hamish, in terms of wearing tartans, and this is just me....clearly many of us have different ideas... I'd not wear kilt made of a clan tartan that I was unaffiliated with. Now, that's just me, eh? However, that leaves me with oodles of wonderful tartans still to choose from. Here's just a list...

The List

My thinking isn't that I should be limited to tartans, but that "some sort of plaid", possibly a tartan of some type, along with other "Scots" accessories make the general public a bit more comfortable with kilts in general. This might be handy for those of us with doubtful spouses to work with.

PS: If I was really enamoured of a particular clan tartan and really wanted to wear it, I'd just write a letter to the clan chief and ask him for permission....which no doubt he'd be quite pleased to grant. But I'd ASK, first. But that's just me.

Alan, I appreciate and admire your principles, and that is certainly an impressive list you gave us. Although of Scottish descent, I have only my Clan to provide me with a link to a 'legitimate' tartan!! Fortunately, I am just as happy to wear a plain colour kilt as I am a tartan one - and I am not aware that, here in the UK, it is any 'easier' to wear a tartan kilt, and get away with it, than a plain one.

[Alan H]

Note to future readers...I edited my post while Hamish was quoting it!

[Alan H]

Hamish, I've only started looking into this, but a couple of hours of poking around the web and using the Scottish Tartan Authorities' tartan search engine reveals an astonishing number of absolutely wonderful non-clan-associated tartans. Who knew? I certainly didn't! It seems to me that most anyone can find a few tartans that they'll like that are not linked to a Scottish clan and have real connections with something in their life.

For example, any USA citizen, or resident of the USA should be able to wear the United States tartan, and it really is a beautiful pattern. I'd bet anything that the cloth is reasonably available, which might not be the case for some of the other, non-clan, non-Scottish tartans.

[Hamish]

Note to future readers...I edited my post while Hamish was quoting it!

My apologies, Alan. I meant no disrespect. It just seemed a rather long list to quote when your original post was immediately above mine!

[Alan H]

Note to future readers...I edited my post while Hamish was quoting it!

My apologies, Alan. I meant no disrespect. It just seemed a rather long list to quote when your original post was immediately above mine!

Oh, not at all. No offense taken, whatsoever!!! :P I just wanted to make sure that readers-to-come didn't get confused!

[Andrew Breecher]

Alan, don't forget all the district, state, and provincial tartans. Of course, then you might get into "can I wear the Maple Leaf tartan even though I don't live in Canada?" Really, I used to feel the same way you do, but now I have no problem with wearing whatever tartan I please. But it's certainly possible to have thirty kilts with no clan affiliations, so go for it!

Andrew.