Tartan Etiquette

[BBNC]

There was a time Jason when I would have said wear your family/clan tartan and thats all you can wear. My surname is Baxter, so i got my kilt made up in ancient hunting MacMillan. Recently i have traced my family tree back to the mid 1500's (a GGGG...... Grandfather on my tree and possibly the same man on another persons tree is still to be confirmed). From this research i found that all this lineage is on the East Coast of Scotland, from Lanarkshire through Fife to just north of Dundee; and its all through the male line. This area where my ancestors are from is no where near the West Coast MacMillans, I know the MacMillans branched east to Perthshire, but that was to around the west end of Loch Tay and still about 80/90 miles from where my (probably weaving ancestors) lived. I suppose my point is that if you need to go back to the time of Galileo Galilei, to get a "legitimate" claim to wear a clan tartan, you really are stretching the point.

As was seen on a recent BBC TV programme, it is probable that it was a couple of Welshmen that invented / popularised the whole tartan cult anyway. So, given your details, I'd say you have a legitimate claim to pick what ever tartan you like. What ever tartan you wear, wear it with dignity and respect; no matter its origins, tartan in general and tartan kilts in particular do after all represent a Nation.

My mother's side are Muirheads (Morehead) from the Lanarkshire region, who apparently were displaced by the removals to Ireland, before coming to the US in the 19th Century. All in all though, I think etiquette is over-rated.

[MacCathmhaoil]

I too am afflicted with an Anglo-Irish last name but a successive list of 8 grandmothers of Scottish highland blood. Kilt wearing has been adopted, as a result of one particular grandmother, and taken one step further. The tartan we wear associated with her is tradionally worn pleated to the red/white/red stripe to recognize the livery colours that members of the Anglo-Irish side of the family have used in their arms for centuries. Grandmothers tartan pleated to remember the Grandfathers family, how's that for weaving a tradition on top of another.

[Liam]

Hey Nathan,

Can I ask a question on what you've said. I'm a Rennie Sept of MacDonald. I know this because of my family tree. But I'm not a registered member of the clan here in Australia yet. As a MacDonald do you think it would be acceptable for me to wear the MacDonald tartan?



Cheers,

Graham.

Graham... another option to commission a kilt in the "Rennie" family tartan as we did. My 2 brothers and their 6 offspring who all are pipers or drummer did so as well.
http://i1037.photobucket.com/albums/...107_1867_2.jpg

[Grum]

Very good idea! I imagine that is probably quite costly though. The downside i have at the moment is that both my wife and i are studying we have a 15month old that my wife stays home to look after, I'm trying to work full time to pay for the mortgage so having a Kilt commissioned is a terrifying thought! Lol! That said, it makes perfect sense and it's a great looking tartan as well. Thanks for putting the photo up Liam.

[PiperChick]

I'm really glad to have found this thread. It's answered a ton of questions, and though I see that opinions on the etiquette of tartan can be somewhat subjective, it's confirmed that I'm comfortable with the decision I've made about my first kilt.

I've seen a different "dilemma" in the Great Tartan Issue. I am a Douglas by marriage, a Crichton by birth (a history buff may see the humor in that). When debating which tartan to use for my first kilt, I used to think I would go with Modern Douglas. It's a nice enough looking tartan, as tartans go. But the more piping competitions I've been to, the more I've realized how overused it is by pipe bands in my area (moreso that Royal Stewart). I guess I could be flattered, but instead, it's changed my mind, and I've decided on a less common Douglas (Douglas Grey). I'm not offended, exactly, I just know that if I walk around a highland games in a Modern Douglas, I'll be assumed to be a member of one of those bands, rather than an actual Douglas. The grey also has sentimental value for me, as it's worn by the 103 year old patriarch of my hubby's family, who I adore. I don't think Douglas currently has a chief in place (something about a hyphenated name not being kosher???), so maybe there was no one to ask if it was okay to wear. Or maybe it's become like Royal Stewart, and it's just been one of those "everybody does it anyway" things. The point is, sadly, it's made me not want a kilt in a tartan that IS from own name.

As a side note, in respect to the Stewart tartans: my understanding is, at one time it was considered good form to seek permission from the Queen (or King) in order to wear this tartan. That rule no longer seems to apply. I was in a marching band in high school that wore the Royal Stewart, and the band lore is, when the band was begun in the 60's this WAS actually done, as a matter of respect.

[Farmer Jones]

I feel it is bad form and poor etiquette to wear a tartan to which one in not specially entitled by name or association. It does not take much research to identify a tartan to which any person in the world is entitled. The wearing of colours is done to honour the name to which those colours belong. As far as I can tell every person who acknowledges Her Majesty the Queen as sovereign may wear Stewart, as a result of a proclamation made by HM King George III. Besides that there are at least 10 others to which I am entitled, and may wear. The Maple Leaf tartan specifically may be worn by any Canadian citizen, for formal or casual wear, at any time. The tartan of the Province of Ontario may be worn by any Ontarian for any purpose, formal or casual. I live in the Lanark Highlands, so am eligible for the fabulously beautiful Lanark colours, also for any casual or formal occasion. I have sought and received permission from the head of the MacMillans in Scotland to wear their colours, because my wife was MacMillan before we married. On the other hand that tartan that you see in my avatar may only be worn for formal occasions and with a letter of permission. In fact as far as I can tell from the copyright, it may only be woven with a letter of permission.

[mookien]

It's hard to beat Jock's comments, though I'm not sure what he means by "NEARLY".

I am firmly in the "if you can buy it, you can wear it camp", but with one take-it-under-advisement proviso, to wit ...

If you wear the tartan of a clan to which you have no connection (I have several, because I like the way they look), it's probably a good idea to learn something about that clan's history and traditions.

Usually, they are very interesting and often filled with fascinating stories, legends, and myths. Furthermore, and perhaps more practical, if someone from the clan ever asks you why you are wearing their tartan (that to date has not happened to me), you can honestly tell them all the reasons you admire their signature garment.

Beyond that, carry a large sgian dubh.

[Jock Scot]

It's hard to beat Jock's comments, though I'm not sure what he means by "NEARLY".

I am firmly in the "if you can buy it, you can wear it camp", but with one take-it-under-advisement proviso, to wit ...

If you wear the tartan of a clan to which you have no connection (I have several, because I like the way they look), it's probably a good idea to learn something about that clan's history and traditions.

Usually, they are very interesting and often filled with fascinating stories, legends, and myths. Furthermore, and perhaps more practical, if someone from the clan ever asks you why you are wearing their tartan (that to date has not happened to me), you can honestly tell them all the reasons you admire their signature garment.

Beyond that, carry a large sgian dubh.

There are a few, a very few, restricted tartans, hence the "nearly"bit. Now without going into endless minute detail about copyrights, convention etc, etc, let us please accept that one way or another that they exist. Tha Balmoral tartan is an interesting example with certain historical "grey" areas, but these days it is regarded as a restricted tartan, but if you could find the tartan maker to look the other way (YOU WON'T! Would you upset Royal customers? Of course not.)then you could wear it, but I suspect if you tried it in the UK or Commonwealth "someone " might have a quiet, but firm word in your ear.

A notice at Balmoral about the Balmoral tartan.

[xman]

I think the 'entitled' question ends when you consider yourself NOT of a highland clan. The 'restrictions' placed on us clansmen by ourselves are our concern. IF we want to play the game this is how it's done. Those of other ethnicities are unaffected by the 'rules' and can dress solely according to aesthetic if they please. I wouldn't want anyone else telling me how I was 'allowed' (and sometimes that's how it's interpreted) to dress.

[mookien]

There are a few, a very few, restricted tartans, hence the "nearly"bit. Now without going into endless minute detail about copyrights, convention etc, etc, let us please accept that one way or another that they exist. Tha Balmoral tartan is an interesting example with certain historical "grey" areas, but these days it is regarded as a restricted tartan, but if you could find the tartan maker to look the other way (YOU WON'T! Would you upset Royal customers? Of course not.)then you could wear it, but I suspect if you tried it in the UK or Commonwealth "someone " might have a quiet, but firm word in your ear. ...

Jock: Thanks for the explanation and the Balmoral notice. I would not wear one of those "very few" tartans, and largely for the reasons you state, or that I infer from your comments.

Note that I wrote "firmly in", not "immovably in".

John