Can anyone wear any tartan?

[Sionnach]

Got it!

[Sionnach]

Aye, understood!

[Beertigger]

It's an exception because the claimants of the tartan don't want others wearing it.

Whether you choose to respect that claim is of course up to you; just the same as with any other claims or restrictions on any sort of clothing - at least in the U.S. Perhaps the restriction on wearing Balmoral has a legal basis in Britain; I dunno....

[cavscout]

Balmoral tartan which was designed by Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert and which can only be worn by the Royal Family. No weaver in the United Kingdom would produce that for anyone other than the Royal Family. Some overseas weavers have ignored the longstanding convention and produced what purports to be Balmoral. Such behaviour is viewed with great disdain by the Scottish industry and anyone who wore it in Scotland would be committing a great social (but not legal) sin!

[george7]

On the flip side, it's best to be respectful. There are so many tartans to choose from anyways.

[george7]

Balmoral tartan as worn by a piper.

[ardchoille]

Technically, except for special tartans like the Balmoral tartan, you can wear any tartan you like. However, I would speak with the owner/designer of tartans listed as "personal" just to be respectful - but that's just me.

[macwilkin]

So can someone explain why Balmoral is an exception? Inquiring minds wish to know.

It's an exception because the claimants of the tartan don't want others wearing it.

That's not correct.

The Balmoral tartan is a "royal" tartan, and may only be worn with permission from the sovereign. For example, the Queen's Piper wears the Balmoral tartan:

http://www.royal.gov.uk/OutPut/Page3370.asp

Regards,

Todd

[O'Callaghan]

Balmoral tartan as worn by a piper.

To be exact, the Balmoral tartan may be worn by the Queen's piper as well as by members of the Royal family. Hopefully, that's who the gentleman would be in the picture?

Now I've followed the link in the previous post, I see that it is the very man himself, and your picture is one of the pictures there. Interestingly, the later pics show him in the Balmoral tartan, but the first few pictures show him in a different tartan, mostly blue and green. I don't think it's Black Watch, although the pictures aren't very clear. Anyone know what it is?

[macwilkin]

To be exact, the Balmoral tartan may be worn by the Queen's piper as well as by members of the Royal family. Hopefully, that's who the gentleman would be in the picture?

Now I've followed the link in the previous post, I see that it is the very man himself, and your picture is one of the pictures there. Interestingly, the later pics show him in the Balmoral tartan, but the first few pictures show him in a different tartan, mostly blue and green. I don't think it's Black Watch, although the pictures aren't very clear. Anyone know what it is?

Stewart Hunting; see the aforementioned article.

T.