What's Your Favorite Universal Tartan?

[Spartan Tartan]

Mine are the XMarks hunting (IOS) and Stewart hunting modern. I have kilts in both tartans.

XMarks Hunting???

[OC Richard]

You'll probably find that the discussion will take a slight detour into "What does 'universal' mean."

I have always felt strongly that your tartan is your tartan, so I'm not much into the idea of picking any tartan based on aesthetics. It's a nametag, and I won't wear somebody else's nametag...

We will have to respectfully disagree on this. Originally tartan choice was purely based on aesthetics: weavers wove whatever colours and patterns they thought were attractive, and people wore them because they looked nice, and for no other reason.

Much later people came along and began assigning names to a number of old tartans, created before the concept of assigning names to tartans existed. To follow your nametag analogy, it would be like showing up at a party and being given a nametag which had a sequence of letters on it randomly generated by a computer (all the other guests likewise wearing randomly generated nametags). The sequence of letters on your nametag is a name, but is it YOUR name? If you now start using it, I suppose it is. But, really, it isn't your name any more than it is anyone else's, because the nametag you're wearing could have been given to anyone at the party. Likewise clan names were more or less randomly slapped onto tartans and these tartans could just as legitimately be called any other name whatever.

Then you have all the "old clan tartans" which the design of which has nothing to do with the clans, or of weavers, or anything Scottish or traditional, but were created by the Allen brothers. They invented a design; they called it X; can somebody named X legitimately call it "my tartan"? Not in my opinion. The Allen brothers could just as easily called it anything else; they seemed to come up with their designs and assign names to them quite randomly, and in my opinion all of them are merely that: Allen Brothers tartans.

Anyhow yes it comes down to what is meant by "universal" and usually this refers to non-clan tartans. Auld Scotland, Spirit of Scotland, and Isle of Skye have obvious geographical references in their titles. True universality would be to return to numbered tartans (many of our tartans started out that way anyhow) or tartans known by colours only. I suggested the latter, somebody designing a series of tartans such as a Blue & Gold tartan which could be worn by anyone, but especially targeted to those living in a state or supporting a sports team having those colours.

[Jack Daw]

Royal Stuart. I don't have a kilt in it, but I just found a silk tie in RS at Macy's on sale for $6. I snatched it up pretty quickly.

[tulloch]

Skye and Maple Leaf are two of my overall favorites.

[fluter]

XMarks Hunting???

I believe IOS has been so designated by our acting chief. For maximum benefit, get a Freedom Kilt in IOS with pockets.

I'll pile on with my love for IOS, Holyrood, Caledonia, Maple Leaf(!), and Culloden as realized in reproduction colors under the guidance of our own figheadair, who rediscovered the artifact it came from:

Culloden3 by arcturus1997, on Flickr

[PiperChick]

The tartan police generally give a pass to pipe band members. Even in Scotland, it is quite acceptable for band members to wear the band's tartan, even if they have no other connection to it. Could a band like the grade 1 78th Fraser Highlanders even exist if it had to recruit only pipers and drummers who were members of or affiliated with the Fraser clan?

As for solo pipers, if they don't wear a band uniform and don't want to wear a clan or family tartan that they are not affiliated with, there are many others to choose from. In the U.S., most, or perhaps all, states have a designated tartan. This is also true of Canadian provinces. I live in British Columbia, and have a kilt in that tartan. There are also many "fashion" tartans unaffiated with any family name or geographical region. Even those bearing a specific place name, though, are not restricted to inhabitants of that area. Should one wear the Isle of Skye tartan, for example, if one has no family or formal connection to the island? Why not? There is no restriction on the tartan. I have seriously considered wearing it myself. After all, I love visiting Skye, have been there a few times and I even have a sticker on one of my pipe cases that says "I kept time with the Isle of Skye Pipe Band" (which does wear the Isle of Skye tartan). After performing with a North-American pipe band in Stirling last summer, the town council gifted each of us with a lovely tie in the Stirling and Bannock tartan, obviously with the expectation that we would wear it, even though none of us had any other direct connection with the town. (I would rather have received a kilt in the same very attractive tartan, but you take what's offered.) You should have no difficulty finding a tartan you can feel comfortable wearing.

Thank you, this was very helpful. I think I kind of forgot that those offering opinions are not necessarily from the pipe band perspective. It lead to some confusion, but I think I'm much more clear now. As a female, I wouldn't likely wear a kilt much outside of the pipe community. I can definitely justify one non-band kilt. 2 would be a stretch, but I might anyway. But wow, are there a lot of beautiful tartans out there. I see why some have a full collection.

Someone mentioned an IOS tweed. That sounds gorgeous.

[artificer]

I believe IOS has been so designated by our acting chief. For maximum benefit, get a Freedom Kilt in IOS with pockets.

I'll pile on with my love for IOS, Holyrood, Caledonia, Maple Leaf(!), and Culloden as realized in reproduction colors under the guidance of our own figheadair, who rediscovered the artifact it came from:

Culloden3 by arcturus1997, on Flickr

Darnitall, I forgot Culloden on my list!


That's another absolute beauty I'd not mind having a kilt made from.

ith:

[Border Bob]

Piperchick and kinswoman,
As a fellow Crichton, you might consider the new clan tartan. It is beautiful. Alas you would have to get it woven custom because no one has it in stock. We are few in numbers but proud. My first kilt is a Johnston (Grandfather's clan). Hopefully someday I can honor my Grandmother's clan as well.


Another route might be the border check as we are lowlanders.

Your Kinsman,
Bob

[TheOfficialBren]

Darnitall, I forgot Culloden on my list!


That's another absolute beauty I'd not mind having a kilt made from.

ith:

I completely forgot about Culloden! It's gorgeous!

[English Bloke]

Some recent acquisitions of 'Universals' to my stable of kilts. Based purely on the pretty colours of course... I'm as shallow as they come!

The price was also a factor, although the DFT was a bit scary!!


Black Isle (Marton Mills) 16oz 8yd hand sewn.


Northumbrian Check (lochcarron) 16oz 8yd hand sewn.


Granite City. (Marton Mills) 16oz 8yd hand sewn.


Clans of Caledonia. (Marton Mills) 16oz 8yd hand sewn.


Braveheart Warrior. (Marton Mills) 16oz 8yd machine sewn.


Dutch Friendship Tartan. (unknown mill - suspect Strathmore) 13oz 8yd hand sewn.


Holyrood Gold. (unknown mill - suspect Marton) 13oz 8yd machine sewn.


Auld Lang Syne Grey. (Marton Mills) 13oz 8yd machine sewn.