Tartan dilemma

[Carlo]

As posted in the:
General Kilt Talk - Section
under:
Do any parts of your outfit have special meaning?

I'm not a great writer so you might get bored

about 10 years ago I bought a cheap (still my second most expensive garment) kilt. As a non scot I couldn't buy my family tartan so what would I do. Obviously I took one of the stock tartan (MacKenzie Modern). Now many of you say that you never get asked what tartan you wear or if you are part of the clan. I was asked that while I was trying the kilt on by an australian lass that took part in the Edinburgh Tattoo. I said I was sorry if there was a problem with me wearing her tartan and that I wouldn't wear it if there was. She said it wasn't a problem and that she's honored by me wearing her family tartan.
Some years later on a trip to Skye I was sporting my kilt because we went to a ceilidh on our way. Beside that we also went to Eilean Donan castle. A castle that once was a MacKenzie stronghold. As some of you may know, taking pictures inside Eilean Donan castle is forbidden. Well, have a look at my Avatar
And back in 2008 I traveled around Scotland on public transport. I decided to wear my kilt because it was practical. Anyway on my way from Edinburgh to Thurso I met a nice elderly man who asked me if I was a "caberfeidh". Obviously I'm not, but from that we started talking about our lives and the fact that he was with the Seaforth Highlanders and in the falkland war.

So for me it's actually the tartan that has special meaning because of the opportunities and discussions that only happened because of it.
This is all brilliant but it's a dilemma for me, I'll buy a new kilt soon. Will I take the same tartan to honour the people I met and the things that happened to me while wearing that beloved tartan or do I choose a different tartan.

for any spelling mistakes.

[Barb T]

You pick the one that means the most to you. You want to be able to say to someone, THIS is why I am wearing this tartan. For some it's because they simply love the tartan - I love the pattern and color, and THIS one really does it for me - makes me happy when I wear it. For others, it's because of an event or a connection. Me, I will eventually make myself a kilt in the Mull Millenium tartan, because it is one (maybe the only) tartan that is based on the geology of a place. Our daughter dances in the Antarctica tartan because she has been to Antarctica - a very special place and memory for her - and she pipes in the Air Force tartan because she is an Air Force Captain. And my husband wears the New Hampshire tartan, because that is the place that means the most to him. That about covers the spectrum (save the obvious of a clan connection!).

[Glen]

... Now many of you say that you never get asked what tartan you wear or if you are part of the clan. I was asked that while ...

I wear the government tartan (AKA Blackwatch) and I am frequently asked. It also has a family connection, being the tartan of the unit, and the one I recall my grandfather wearing, although he would have also worn the Northumberland tartan as a lad...