Scottish National Tartan.. Jock and other Scots?

[Mither Tap]

You are right Jock, I remember this was a common tartan in my Local kilt hire shop afew years ago. I doubt anyone would ever find it offensive.

Chris S

[OC Richard]

I think of Flower of Scotland and Isle of Skye as popular kilt-hire wedding tartans, and Scottish National as being popular for Scottish rugby and football supporters. Is that how you Scots see it?

In the Pipe Band scene in Scotland, recent decades have seen a huge decline in the number of bands wearing old clan and military tartans and a concurrent rise in the number of bands wearing "fashion" tartans such as Isle of Skye, Flower of Scotland, Spirit of Scotland, Scotland 2000, and also a rise in the number of bands wearing bespoke tartans. (I can't remember encountering a Scottish band wearing Scottish National.)

[English Bloke]

I wear it without any issues. Not that I'm a one tartan bloke.



No-one has ever made any reference to it in England or Scotland other than it's a nice looking tartan. I love it meeself.

[chrisupyonder]

Hummm, I am wondering here. I can well imagine that these non affiliated "fashion" tartans are standard issue for hire companies Chris, I cannot imagine many locals up your way, would have their own kilt made in these tartans. Any thoughts Chris?

The local locals no, but the population of Caithness almost doubled in the 1950's and 60's when they started building Dounreay nuclear power station. Most came from Englandshire and they and their children and grandchildren are still here and fully assimilated. There are many weddings up here that use a non-clan tartan and it keeps McAllans kilt hire dept in business.
Caithness is a very strange part of Scotland, being part Viking, part Scots and now part English and some Scottish lowlanders. The locals call it the Lowlands north of the Highlands.
The history of the Viking Clan Gunn is a fascinating read.

Chris.

[Mickey]

Once again, thanks guys. That's why I love this place. It's nice to have an area to get the real story on things from folks in the know instead of some "expert" who wrote something at some time to try and impress people.

Even locally, I don't talk politics. When foreign politics are involved, I tend to run away in deep fear out of ignorance. Better safe than sorry.

Very happy to hear that nobody cares a whit.

[robert_law]

There is nothing wrong with this tartan, its a modern desine lots of people in Scotland don't have a tartan for there name so can pick this one , although my clan is Maclaren I have a collection of kilts of different tartans some of them because I like the colours ,which to me is one of the reasons I love wearing kilts which beat boring drab trousers any day ! I think it is only to be encouraged to develop more modern tartans

[Kinetikat]

I'mn with Robert on this one - the more tartans, the merrier! I love some of the Ancient tartans, but both my kilts are in 'Heritage of Scotland', a modern 'fashion' tartan that I really like. I'm looking forward to acquiring more kilts, and feeling very free to choose whatever tartan I fancy, to be honest. I have NO Scottish blood whatsoever, as far as my genius genealogist brother can find out. I think that makes me just about unique in this world, where everyone seems to be part Viking, part Cherokee, part Scots, part French and part Egyptian (or some other unlikely and exotic-sounding mixture).

[guardsman]

Wow ,Jock right as usual, but for newer scots!!!! a district or pride Tartan can replace a Clan tartan on an emotional belonging.We all want to belong to something. Good Lord Im drunk again LOL. Well done Jock ,may you live forever, remind me of my Dad