Greetings from the Mojave Desert

[Mainer In Exile]

Yep, new member here. I've been reading the forum for a while now, and reckoned I should sign up.

Haven't worn a kilt since I was a younker. But I'm thinking about it, and choosing a tartan is the rub, naturally.

If there's a drop of Scots blood in me, it's only through some mystical infusion as a result of contact with considerable quantities of whisky over the years (I'm a lapsed member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society). The families that produced me are all very much English, as far as I can ascertain: Curtis on my father's side, Smith for the paternal grandmother, and not a trace of Celt as far back as I can take them. I can't connect them to the early c.17th Curtis arrivals in New England, but they're well established in Maine. I'm a Hutchinson on my mother's side, but no indication at all that they were ever Skye Hutchinsons, and so MacDonald, or any other Scottish Hutchinsons; but rather the more prevalent English variety. Again, no direct trace to the early and mid-c.17th Hutchinson arrivals in Massachusetts, although a tortuous lineage provides the almost obligatory Mayflower connection to William Brewster. I can't connect them to the early c.17th Curtis arrivals in New England, but they're well established in Maine; the line arrived in my hometown just after the War of Independence. My maternal grandmother was a Longley, and her mother a Bell (but again, no proof of Border lineage). My maternal grandfather's mother was a Haskell. And it goes on and on: all good early New England families of English origin, always marrying into good early New England families of English origin, present in my home town since just after the War of Independence.

I spent twenty-three years with the Army: eight as an Armor officer; fifteen as a civilian intelligence specialist. I may have trews made for formal occasions in the Army tartan, but I don't care for it so much for ordinary wear. I'm an inactive Mason (and Scottish Rite, and York Rite, and Shriner); but being inactive, I don't feel good about wearing the universal Masonic or Royal Arch, or other tartans. The kids are Jewish, through their mom, so they may get to wear the Glesga rabbi's universal Jewish tartan someday, if they're interested. But I'm not a convert, so... And my college (Bowdoin, also University oif Kansas for grad school) has nothing to offer. Oddly, our high school was at Bonny Eagle, a village in our Maine town, and the team was called the Scots; but only the cheerleaders wore kilts (Black Watch, with white blouses and Glengarries--very attention-getting!).

That leaves me looking at district patterns. California is all right, I suppose, as an everyday pattern, but even after twenty-three years here in the desert, California doesn't seem like "home". (After graduation from college and my commissioning, the Army kept taking us ever westward: Kentucky, Texas, Kansas, and finally here.) Fortunately, I like both the Acadia and Maine-Dirigo tartans, so I suppose I shall have to get on to Tartans of Maine one of these days and learn who in Scotland makes their kilts. I'm fairly certain those are the two I shall settle on in the end for regular wear, with the Army tartan for dress (with a bespoke '30s-style civilian mess jacket). My regular cutter recently left my Savile Row house and has set up on her own; I've already talked to her about doing the mess jacket for the trews, and since she's an enthusiast for historical style, she likes the idea.

Not having a lick of Scottishness has some benefits: one doesn't have to go chasing after "traditional" accoutrements adorned with thistles and the like, but can settle for plain but elegant designs. I can stay with the mess jacket and trews, or someday add an Army kilt, and be quite comfortable at black tie events, whether Scottish or not. I just can't quite get my head around even a regulation doublet, much less a PC. I can see the possibility of a tweed jacket or two, with a variety of weskits, once we move back to northern New England. (Yesterday was the first day we dropped below 90 F. for a high, here.)

By the way, We did the SCA thing over the years--too many years!--even helping to start a Scots-themed shire. But our personae were grimly Saxon! We did RenFaires, even in the heat of central Texas. But once out here, it was just too darned hot to dress up! Many trips to the UK kept me well dressed, booted and suited, and both of us well equipped to tromp around Northumberland and the Borders, which we truly loved. An unexpected kidney removal in '95 (which removed a cancerous tumor as well) caused us to cancel a trip that included the Highlands, and when we rescheduled, we didn't go past Edinburgh. So I don't see a great increase in RenFaire attendance, or Highland gatherings, wherever we are; just no interest in that sort of actvity any more.

The thing is that a kilt is just so darned comfortable. That's what I remember from childhood. My grandmother was an incurable romantic, for a retired school teacher and principal. She maintained, despite the total lack of genealogical evidence, that we had a MacDonald connection: yes, the also obligatory "descended from Flora" tale. She also had a plate that supposedly was given by Flora to another forebear, a Maxwell. (I swear, any good Jacobite should have gone into the commemorative crockery business!) I think my grandmother and mother just spent too many vacations in Nova Scotia and the Great Smoky Mountains... Anyway, they had a wee MacDonald kilt made for me, and I remember well roaming the fields and woods at home, head full of James Fenimore Cooper tales. So I'm looking forward to having one or two--or more!!!--again.

I've rambled on enough. But that's where I'm "coming from". I enjoy the diversity of kilt wear exhibited on the forum, and also appreciate the pleasure you all take in planning, wearing, and discussing them. So I look forward to joining in!

Allen

[dougle]

Hi & welcome from Worcestershire England

[frank_a]

Allen, if ya like red tartans, one of the clans we're associated with, Clan Wallace, states right on their home page: The Clan Wallace Society - Worldwide (CWS) represents all Scots of any Clan and all others who wish they were Scots.

I just think it's a cool philosophy.

Having said that, welcome to XMarks from the Capital District of NYS!

Frank

[McElmurry]

The thing is that a kilt is just so darned comfortable. That's what I remember from childhood. My grandmother was an incurable romantic, for a retired school teacher and principal. She maintained, despite the total lack of genealogical evidence, that we had a MacDonald connection: yes, the also obligatory "descended from Flora" tale. She also had a plate that supposedly was given by Flora to another forebear, a Maxwell. (I swear, any good Jacobite should have gone into the commemorative crockery business!) I think my grandmother and mother just spent too many vacations in Nova Scotia and the Great Smoky Mountains... Anyway, they had a wee MacDonald kilt made

Allen

Welcome. I to like to be as accurate as possible about clan affiliation and tartan selection. However, I have been told on this site the phrase "because Nanna says so" carries some very strong scottish mojo. So I wouldn't strike MacDonald off you list quite yet. You may find after considering all your options you are drawn back to the first tartan you wore. It certainly has a great story behind it.

[Scout]

Welcome from another Mainer and former Armor (Cav) Officer. There are a couple of (albeit unofficial) Maine tartans you might consider including the Dirigo which I'm thinking about for my next kilt. There are also a few regimental tartans you might look at depending on who you served with. I like the 7th Cavalry tartan which is also on my wish list as that was my regimental affiliation for 22 years.

[Spartan Tartan]

from Oklahoma.

[Mainer In Exile]

Thank you all! Frank, the Wallace clan philosophy *is* cool, but I'm truly not a fan of red tartans (for myself, at any rate). I suspect that Nannie's choice of MacDonald for my boyhood kilt was partly for the same reason I was equipped with a red-and-black check cap--yes, the kind with the fold-down earflaps--when roaming the woods: sort of the '60s equivalent of hunter orange. Kids in our area didn't go out at all during deer season, but even the rest of the year--you never knew.

You make a good argument, McElmurry. But Nannie was prone to exaggeration. I realize we don't talk about weapons here, but a musket (which I still have) which according to "family tradition" was carried by a Hutchinson during the French and Indian War was revealed--once I was old enough to look it up--as an India Pattern, first made in 1803! And again, I favor blues and greens. But more importantly, I really don't believe there's a true Scottish connection. I'll happily wear kilts, but I don't feel the need (or the "right") to claim a clan.

Mike, I'd seen your posts and wondered if we shared some background. Yep, both the Acadia (which Tartans of Maine controls) and Dirigo have great appeal; Tartans of Maine has also copyrighted the name "Maine State Tartan" for the original ITI 502 pattern. And not to argue agin' one of the elders here--I've read M.A.C. Newsome's blog entry on the subject--but I'm quite happy with either the "Maine State Tartan" or Dirigo as an unofficial state tartan. I expect one or the other will be approved one of these days. In the fullness of time. When the Legislature gets a round tuit.

My regiments are 33d Armor (Men of Steel) under CARS/USARS, and 10th Cavalry: I'm one of the few civilians to have "ridden with the Blackhorse". Got my buckle and everything (and it would look horrible as a belt plate). Somebody arbitrarily assigned me as a civilian member of the Military Intelligence Corps, but I've always ignored it.

Allen

[COScotsman]

from Wyoming!

[Chas]

Hello Allen,

Welcome to XMarks from the other side of the world in Norfolk in England.

Don't overthink this, Allen. Buy and wear what you like. If someone ever questions you, simply say "by marriage" or "a distant relative" and leave it at that.

Regards

Chas

[KenB]

Welcome from Presqu'ile.

MacDonald of the isles is a pretty grand tartan and is readily available if you choose to go that route. However, wear what you like and be proud. Nice to have you aboard.