A bit back I caused a slight furore by quoting one Lady Bowman, interestingly in today's TImes [14.7.05] there is what I think should be seen as a reasonable and considered response. For whilst preserving the integrity of the named clan and family, and of course regimental tartans: it opens up kilt wearing for those not so entitled.

My personal view as a clansman is to agree in respect of the clan/family and regimental tartans: but to suggest that the kilt can be worn by anyone-anywhere.

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A Kilt For Bush?

Sir, Lady Bowman [letter July 6] albeit born a Grant of Moneymusk is not quite correct, is not quite correct. Anyone may wear a kilt, but no one who is not so entitled should wear the kilt of a specific clan, family or regimental tartan. There are non specific tartans such as Caledonia or Jacobite which anyone may wear, and a modern development is a plain black kilt for ‘black tie ‘ wear.

As to where one may wear a kilt, the late Major Percy Hope Johnstone of Annandale, Chief of the Johnstones, a border clan, used to quite his father: ‘The only people who should wear a kilt south of Perth are military bandsmen, comic singers and whores’; on the other hand Lord Borthwick Chief of another Borders clan, wore a kilt of brown dog’s-tooth check. Sir Iain Moncrieffe of that Ilk, Chief of Moncrieffe a Highland clan, defined the southern limit of wearing a kilt as two miles south of where he was at the time. Nowadays a kilt can be correctly worn at the Royal Garden Party at Holyrood Palace, and for evening weaer in the South of England. The range is even wider at American Highland Games, where I have worn mine, dangerously among the cacti of Arizona.

On Lady Bowman’s last point, one of the Mackintosh chieftains is also be ancestral marriage Chief of the American Creek Nation, and I have seen him wearing simultaneously a kilt of Macintosh tartan and his feather headdress. For President Bush all is possible. Hail to the Chief.

From Hugh Peskett [Consultant Editor Scotland. Burke’s Peerage and Barontage.]

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James