Tartan Etiquette

[Psynister]

One of the questions that I've had in getting started wearing kilts is which tartans should someone wear.

In the research I've done, I haven't come up with a definitive answer so I wanted to post it here and see if I can at least come to some conclusion by popular vote if nothing else.

The answers I have found to this question so far are these:

1. If you don't have a legitimate claim to it, don't wear it.
2. If you can buy it, you can wear it.
3. For casual events or everyday, wear whatever you want. For formal events, wear what you represent.

So, I now present this question to you, XMTS community: Which tartan(s) should a person wear (and when).

[Jock Scot]

If push comes to shove, you can wear NEARLY any tartan you like. Whether you should, or not, is entirely up to you and how you feel about traditions.

One of the social "niceties" to be aware of, is that the wearing tartans of different clans at the same time is best avoided. The other thing to be aware of, is that the more traditional of us wear ONE tartan, but again that is down to personal choice. Hope this helps?

[Father Bill]

Hi Psynister.

I'm no expert, but you'll get a lot of answers here matching the ones you already have.

Generally, if you have a clan name, wear it. If not but you have a clan heritage, wear that one. If you have neither, you can always wear a "regional" tartan. For example, in Canada, the Maple Leaf Tartan has been officially recognized by the government as a national symbol along with the flag, the national anthem, etc.

And then, there are those who say as you've noted, "If you can buy it, wear it" although there are also those who would frown on that.

BUT....

You're a member at X-Marks, and there is an X-Marks the Scot Tartan. It's what you see at the edges of your screen, so you're 100% entitled to that one.

Cheers & Blessings!

Bill+

[Nathan]

As mentioned above, there is a diversity of opinion on the matter. Fr. Bill sums it up nicely and there have been countless threads on here about this very topic that you may wish to review.

My school of thought is that my tartans represent my clan/family (MacDonald) and so I don't like it when people with no affiliation to our clan wear it as I feel like they're misrepresenting themselves as MacDonalds. This is a common view and is the reason that weavers and others have designed so many generic, reagional, national and fashion tartans for people with no clan affiliation to wear and enjoy without the prickly possibility of causing offense or looking like a "wanna be".

Others may tell you they are honoured when someone wears their tartan. They may also give you permission on behalf of their entire clan to wear "their" tartan. Alas, unless they are the Chief, it is not their permission to give, and moreover, since you aren't violating a law, no permission is required. What you'd be violating is recent tradition (the last 200 years) and kilt etiquette. If I see someone in MacDonald tartan at a Highland Games, I will certainly strike up a conversation with them as a kinsman. If they say to me, "Actually my name is Gerdhardt Wong Rodriguez and I'm not a MacDonald or even Scottish but I got this on ebay for $100 bucks and my buddy Mike MacDonald told me he's ok with me wearing it. Isn't it cool?" I'm going to be annoyed.

What can I do about it? Nothing. Does he have a legal right to wear the cloth he paid for? Certainly. Does he have respect for my cultural and familial traditions? Not really, or so it would seem - yet he wraps himself in the garb of my people. Perhaps he does this because he admires the look, perhaps to attract attention.

I only weigh in with this view because I want anyone who makes this choice to wear another clan's tartan to know that we're out here. There are those of us who don't appreciate others wearing our tartan and who would never wear another clan's tartan (unless it was part of a uniform). If you take that into account and decide it's worth saving a few bucks and to hell with us, then so be it. I just don't think it's cool.

There are hundreds of tartans that anyone from anywhere can wear, so why not just do that?

If you don't know where to start try:

Black Watch
Royal Stewart
These two are common and easy to find used.
Saltire
Heritage of Scotland
Texas Bluebonnet Tartan
American National Tartan
Xmarksthescot.com tartan** ---> ty Father Bill

A quick Google search on generic tartan also yeilded:
Holyrood Tartan
Auld Scotland Tartan
Patriot Tartan
Flower of Scotland Tartan
Scottish National Tartan
Scotland Forever Tartan
Caledonia Tartan
Highland Rose Tartan
Isle of Skye Tartan
Pride of Scotland Modern Tartan
Royal Pride Tartan
Help for Heroes Tartan
Capercaillie Tartan
Amnesty International Tartan
Your alma mater or religious denomination may have a tartan also.

And it none of those are to your liking, you can design your own and have it woven for about the same price as having a kilt made in an existing tartan. You can call it the Psynister Tartan and so it shall remain forevermore.

That way when someone asks, "What tartan is that?" You can give them a proud answer that tells them a little bit about who you are and to what you'd like to show loyalty rather than, "I think its McChicken but I'm not really sure...who cares?"

[Carlo]

You are annoyed by people who wear your clan tartan (I understand that)
But why then is it okey to wear Black Watch, when Black Watch is the tartan of clan Campbell?
Is it because it is/was a military tartan?
If yes what about the other military tartan?

I'm just confused

[Farquhar]

Personally, I'd only ever wear a tartan that I have a legitimate claim to and would hope that people would honor the traditional ways by doing so too.

However, with saying that, I have no control over other people. If someone is wearing a tartan they have no claim to, I'm not about to go tell them they shouldn't be wearing it (although I might be thinking it). They spent good money on it so they should still be able to enjoy it.

[Nathan]

You are annoyed by people who wear your clan tartan (I understand that)
But why then is it okey to wear Black Watch, when Black Watch is the tartan of clan Campbell?
Is it because it is/was a military tartan?
If yes what about the other military tartan?

I'm just confused

An excellent question Carlo. There is a very long tradition of the Blackwatch and Royal Stewart being considered generic tartans. It has come to be associated with Clan Campbell because of the role of the Duke of Argyll in the raising of the 42nd Regiment, his early loyalty to the Hanoverians and the close association of the Campbells to both the Black Watch and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders over the years.

That said, I think the attempt of Clan Campbell to officially appropriate the Government tartan as a clan tartan is based on some spurious and revisionist history but, that aside, the current official Clan Campbell tartan is actually a lighter version of Blackwatch than the subdued tones of the "Government Sett". I guess you could look at it as Black Watch ancient.

The debate about Clan Campbell's claim aside, the Black Watch tartan is not simply a Clan Tartan and due to its use by a wide variety of Highland Regiments across the Commonwealth, it has come to be considered generic.

See this thread for more on this:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...94/index3.html



Similarly, you don't have to be a Royal or a Stewart to wear Royal Stewart. It's just a question of tradition at this point.

[unixken]

Conversely, if you'd generally prefer to stick with your particular clan's tartan, but would like some variety for different occasions and activities, it is entirely possible to consider building your kilt collection around: (*)

1.) different variants of the same basic tartan ("hunting", "dress/dance")...
2.) different color palettes ("modern", "ancient", "weathered", "reproduction")...
3.) different pleating styles (to sett, stripe, knife, box, kingussie)...
4.) different weights of fabric (regimental through lightweight, as appropriate)...
5.) different yardage (from 4yd box, to a full 8yd tank)...

* Some combinations would NOT make good choices... ie: low-yardage in a lightweight fabric would have no hope of any pleat "swish".

For example, these are all Buchanans...

Modern:
DSCN0296.jpg

Reproduction:
Buchanan Reproduction.jpg

Hunting:
DSCN0335.jpg

[TheOfficialBren]

Ken,
You wear your tartan with style. Very nice photos and sound advice, sir.

Conversely, if you'd generally prefer to stick with your particular clan's tartan, but would like some variety for different occasions and activities, it is entirely possible to consider building your kilt collection around: (*)

1.) different variants of the same basic tartan ("hunting", "dress/dance")...
2.) different color palettes ("modern", "ancient", "weathered", "reproduction")...
3.) different pleating styles (to sett, stripe, knife, box, kingussie)...
4.) different weights of fabric (regimental through lightweight, as appropriate)...
5.) different yardage (from 4yd box, to a full 8yd tank)...

* Some combinations would NOT make good choices... ie: low-yardage in a lightweight fabric would have no hope of any pleat "swish".

For example, these are all Buchanans...

Modern:
DSCN0296.jpg

Reproduction:
Buchanan Reproduction.jpg

Hunting:
DSCN0335.jpg

I will say this:
My clan's tartan is a bit expensive as it is not one of the most common ones. So, until I have the cash to spring for a higher-yardage kilt in that tartan I stick with a generic tartan (Holyrood) I don't have the "collect them all" mentality that some chaps do. I am not knocking it and that's for each person to decide for himself.

Best of luck, Psynister.

[FatherWilliam57]

Jason, I also was initially interested in tartan selection, but only as an intellectual exercise. I had no plans on wearing anything other than the clan tartan. However, if you are debating how many kilts to buy (and of what tartan), I would humbly note that I hope (someday) to have one of each of these (but for very specific reasons):

Clan - Henderson
District - Pennsylvania
Military - Navy Edzell
Clergy - Priest

Of course, there are no real "kilt police," but I choose to stay with those tartans with which I have a legitimate connection. YMMV...

NOTE: As of now, I only have one kilt, the Henderson tartan. If my purse never allows me to purchase any of the other three, I am perfectly satisfied with Jock's worldview: One kilt per customer.