Romsdal district tartan or Sinclair hunting tartan?

[Johnny Selkie]

Most of you probably know the history of clan Sinclair http://www.clansinclair.org/history.htm and the Sinclair hunting tartan http://lochcarron.com/tartanstrome/s...r_hunting.html so I won't go into any details about neither the history of the clan or the hunting tartan, but I can't help to think that even if I'd become a member of clan Sinclair (working on my membership application at the moment) it still would've been nice to wear a kilt in a tartan that is being used in norway today, but at the same time I don't have any hestitations about showing pride in the connection between Northwestern Norway and Orkney, Shetland by wearing the sinclair hunting tartan as I have several genealogical, historical and geographical connections to clan Sinclair through the norse line.

The Romsdal district tartan comes from Måndalen ("the Moon valley") a small place in Romsdalen in the county of Møre and Romsdal, Norway where my great grandfather was born and raised. Its a registered tartan http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tar....aspx?ref=3544 dating back to at least the latter half of the 19th century. How well would a kilt in this tartan be recieved? As its a rare tartan scotweb offered me to pay 400 pounds for 8 yards of fabric woven by DC Dalgliesh. Should I shell out my last monestary loot for a kilt in this tartan or should I opt for the Sinclair hunting tartan choice?

The pictures below are of bunads (folk costumes) from Romsdalen.

[cessna152towser]

Only you can decide which tartan you prefer.
I have never seen the Romsdal tartan before but from your photos it looks a nice tartan which would be well received anywhere. One to wear proudly if you have ancestry from that district.
If money is no object I would say go for two kilts, a Romsdal and a Sinclair Hunting.

[Johnny Selkie]

Just like you scots, we western norwegians have a reputation (here in Norway) for being cheap, but generous to strangers, so my genes tell me I've to go for one of them I'm afraid.
Here in Norway people own one district bunad and thats it for most people (some might have a kofte (sapmi dress), kilt/other national attire instead or as well). I would rather like one handmade quality kilt than two mediocre kilts in different tartans as all decent bunads in Norway are handmade most have plenty of silver as well.

I'm very fond of the both the Romsdal tartan and the Sinclair hunting tartan, I want a bunad after my first kilt so perhaps I should go for a kilt in the Sinclair hunting tartan to honor my Northwestern/norse roots and when/if I can afford one a bunad in the Romsdal tartan(or even a pair of tartan trews) to honor my great grandfather?

[nloken]

First of all, as I think I missed your "presentation post", Welcome from Oslo.

Secondly, and to the more pressing issue at hand, the tartans.. This is not an easy choice, and it is truly one which you alone can make. The Romsdal tartan is quite lovely and you would certainly look smashing in it on events such as 17 May where you might find yourself alongside men and women clad in the Romsdalsbunad where, as you have illustrated, the tartan is splendidly put to use. It would certainly give the more spectacular effect of the two tartans on such occasions. Not an easy choice at all, but whichever way you go, you will always have the option (finances allowing) to get the other one at a later time..

[Mike_Oettle]

Well, seeing that this is a kilt forum, my advice would be to go for a kilt first. If you can afford it, a kilt in Romdsdalen tartan would be ideal.
If you then still feel you would like a bunad, and can then afford it, how about a bunad with a waistcoat in Sinclair tartan?
That way you would be incorporating your ancestral colours in ways which demonstrate your heritage in a not so obvious way.
Whichever you choose, wear it with pride!
Regards,
Mike

(Not Norwegian myself, but with a touch of Swedish ancestry.)

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Only you can decide if the custom weave is worth the extra money to you. There are factors involved that no one else on this forum can be aware of, such as your amount of discretionary income (can you afford it?), and how connected you feel to one tartan over the other.

Making this kind of decision for myself, assuming money were not the issue and I could afford either one, I would base the decision on two factors.
1. Which of the two tartans do you find more visually appealing? You will be wearing the tartan, after all, and it helps if you actually like the look of what you are wearing.
2. Which of the two tartans would you rather talk about? This last one is a factor most people overlook, I would imagine, but it is important. When you are out and about in a kilt, you will often be asked "What's the tartan?" People will want to know what it is, and what your connection to it might be. It gives you a story to tell. Imagine yourself talking about both tartans, and why you chose to wear it, and see if there is one story you'd rather tell (over and over again).

My last piece of advice is not to sweat it. There is no reason down the line for you to not have two kilts one day, so whichever tartan you don't get this go around, you can always make your choice for your next kilt.

[dea3369]

Only you can decide if the custom weave is worth the extra money to you. There are factors involved that no one else on this forum can be aware of, such as your amount of discretionary income (can you afford it?), and how connected you feel to one tartan over the other.

Making this kind of decision for myself, assuming money were not the issue and I could afford either one, I would base the decision on two factors.
1. Which of the two tartans do you find more visually appealing? You will be wearing the tartan, after all, and it helps if you actually like the look of what you are wearing.
2. Which of the two tartans would you rather talk about? This last one is a factor most people overlook, I would imagine, but it is important. When you are out and about in a kilt, you will often be asked "What's the tartan?" People will want to know what it is, and what your connection to it might be. It gives you a story to tell. Imagine yourself talking about both tartans, and why you chose to wear it, and see if there is one story you'd rather tell (over and over again).

My last piece of advice is not to sweat it. There is no reason down the line for you to not have two kilts one day, so whichever tartan you don't get this go around, you can always make your choice for your next kilt.

I agree on two points. First, people will indeed ask you what tartan it is you are wearing and why you're wearing it. It's a great icebreaker and, personally, a wonderful chance to sow the seed of kilt-wearing on others. Second, having two kilts of different tartans isn't unusual, especially among many in this rabble. In fact, you'll find out that there are quite a few members who have more than two, more than ten, and one, more than 70! It's almost a given that their collection of kilts isn't just one tartan.

Personally, I could afford it, I would select the Romsdal district tartan for my first kilt because it would pull from both your Norwegian and Scottish roots. From the men's bunad you show, it seems the men's traditional dress involves pants. However, taking the Romsdal tartan, which the man in the photo wears as a vest, and wearing that as a kilt would say two things at once.

My two pennies.

[Oddern]

As a Norwegian and obsessively interested in Norwegian tartans I should tell you to go for the Romsdal tartan. The Sinclair tartan can always be aquired later, and it will always pop up a good bargain on the Sinclair tartan in the future. But from your own arguments it seems to me that you are leaning towards the Sinclair tartan. So if it's the Sincliar you really want, That's the one you should go for.
If you order the Romsdal tartan, prommise me you send a picture to me so I can post it on my sites www.kilt.no and www.tartan.no

Skål!

[Johnny Selkie]

First of all, as I think I missed your "presentation post", Welcome from Oslo.

Secondly, and to the more pressing issue at hand, the tartans.. This is not an easy choice, and it is truly one which you alone can make.
The Romsdal tartan is quite lovely and you would certainly look smashing in it on events such as 17 May
where you might find yourself alongside men and women clad in the Romsdalsbunad where, as you have illustrated,
the tartan is splendidly put to use. It would certainly give the more spectacular effect of the two tartans on such occasions.
Not an easy choice at all, but whichever way you go, you will always have the option (finances allowing) to get the other one at a later time..

Hi there Nloken, I too see how it would look splendid on the 17th of may or on a visit to the caledonian society or perhaps at a clan gathering (if I get my clan membership that is), but I'm not sure if I should opt for it would sort of show disrespect for my great grandfathers familly which both parents originated
from Sunnmøre and Nordfjord back to at least the end of the 14th century with connections to clan sinclair. I guess I'm still 50 50 regard the choice of tartan. Who knows? One day I might be standing in front of the cupboard trying to decide which kilt I'm gonna wear.

Well, seeing that this is a kilt forum, my advice would be to go for a kilt first. If you can afford it, a kilt in Romdsdalen tartan would be ideal.
If you then still feel you would like a bunad, and can then afford it, how about a bunad with a waistcoat in Sinclair tartan?
That way you would be incorporating your ancestral colours in ways which demonstrate your heritage in a not so obvious way.
Whichever you choose, wear it with pride!
Regards,
Mike

(Not Norwegian myself, but with a touch of Swedish ancestry.)

I'm going for a kilt first so don't worry. I've never thought of incorporating the Sinclair hunting tartan into a bunad waistcoat
(The highly popular gudbrandsdalen mens bunad uses a version of Sinclair), but I guess the most conservative of the bunadwearing public would
chase me around with torches and forks if I messed with their dresses, not to mention the astronomical costs as custom bunads are way more expensive
than most highland dress. Its an interesting idea though.

Only you can decide if the custom weave is worth the extra money to you. There are factors involved that no one else on this forum can be aware of, such as your amount of discretionary income (can you afford it?), and how connected you feel to one tartan over the other.

Making this kind of decision for myself, assuming money were not the issue and I could afford either one, I would base the decision on two factors.
1. Which of the two tartans do you find more visually appealing? You will be wearing the tartan, after all, and it helps if you actually like the look of what you are wearing.
2. Which of the two tartans would you rather talk about? This last one is a factor most people overlook, I would imagine, but it is important. When you are out and about in a kilt, you will often be asked "What's the tartan?" People will want to know what it is, and what your connection to it might be. It gives you a story to tell. Imagine yourself talking about both tartans, and why you chose to wear it, and see if there is one story you'd rather tell (over and over again).

My last piece of advice is not to sweat it. There is no reason down the line for you to not have two kilts one day, so whichever tartan you don't get this go around, you can always make your choice for your next kilt.

I agree on two points. First, people will indeed ask you what tartan it is you are wearing and why you're wearing it. It's a great icebreaker and, personally, a wonderful chance to sow the seed of kilt-wearing on others. Second, having two kilts of different tartans isn't unusual, especially among many in this rabble. In fact, you'll find out that there are quite a few members who have more than two, more than ten, and one, more than 70! It's almost a given that their collection of kilts isn't just one tartan.

Personally, I could afford it, I would select the Romsdal district tartan for my first kilt because it would pull from both your Norwegian and Scottish roots. From the men's bunad you show, it seems the men's traditional dress involves pants. However, taking the Romsdal tartan, which the man in the photo wears as a vest, and wearing that as a kilt would say two things at once.

My two pennies.

One of my reasons for wanting a kilt is that its less expensive than bunads so costs is one of my reasons for getting a kilt (as it is less expensive way to showing a cultural connection/heritage from across the north sea),
but I still have a weak spot for the romsdal tartan even though it would cost twice as much or more than a kilt in the Sinclair hunting tartan.
I like both tartans, but unfortunatly the only way to do a tartan swatch comparison with the sinclair hunting swatches I already have is to buy a "huge swatch" as in 4 yards of fabric for the sum of 200 pounds as its a special weave which makes it even more difficult for me to blow the final whistle.
I would probably like to strike a conversation about both of them as they both will lead to conversations which most likely include the words Northwestern Norway, vikings, Ragnvald jarl, Shetland, Orkney and Sinclair.
I'm not sure how most Norwegians would take it, perhaps some our other kilted norwegian members who has seen first action on the front could chip in on this?

As a Norwegian and obsessively interested in Norwegian tartans I should tell you to go for the Romsdal tartan. The Sinclair tartan can always be aquired later, and it will always pop up a good bargain on the Sinclair tartan in the future. But from your own arguments it seems to me that you are leaning towards the Sinclair tartan. So if it's the Sincliar you really want, That's the one you should go for.
If you order the Romsdal tartan, prommise me you send a picture to me so I can post it on my sites www.kilt.no and www.tartan.no

Skål!

As I'm also fascinated by the cultural phenomena known as norwegian tartans and the relations between what we today call Norway and Scotland I'm more drawn to the Romsdal tartan as it somehow feels like the natural choice, but the cost and the possibility of being recognized by fellow "soon to be" clan Sinclair cousins on the street or at pub/game of fotball is also a tempting thought. Personally I wish there was a Sunnmøre (Southern Møre) tartan as well as the Romsdal tartan as it would've ended the tartan search for my first kilt.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Just food for thought, but one way to get the custom tartan you want, without a lot of extra expense, is to have a kilt made with less yardage. Nothing says your kilt has to be made from 8 yards of cloth (unless you just want an 8 yard kilt, of course). But a kilt can easily be made from 4, 5, or 6 yards of cloth, and that would save you quite a bit of expense in terms of the custom tartan. Just to think about...