A few thoughts on choice and selection: tartan, clans, etc.

[MacLowlife]

I guess my point was don't overTHINK things. I personally enjoy overTALKING, in case nobody noticed. People are going to ask this question every so often. I apologize for eating more than my share of bandwidth, but I wanted to lay a foundation, as it were. Next time, I promise to limit my answer to "see my previous post".

The part about ancestors comes down to this: Sure, you are befuddled by trying to acknowledge so many connections. But so was your ancestor living in 1400. He could think of ancestors four or five generations back and he managed. You can, too.

And nobody got E I McDonald, outstanding in his field. e i? E-I? Oh.

[Bill]

Thanks for the laugh this morning! Your point was well taken.
At last count I have connections to about ten tartans some direct and some tenuous. I would like to have them all in a kilt but don't have the resources. I do have kilts that I have no connection to the tartan at all I just like them, but they are worn with pride!

Slainte'
Bill & Sir Brinkley the Exubrant my LeaderDog

[Pinkrose]

And nobody got E I McDonald, outstanding in his field. e i? E-I? Oh.

Did that happen to be agriculture?

[BBNC]

My better half has connections to a minimum of 3 Scots family or Clan names, and doesn't like any of the tartans. So she's going with either Isle of Skye or Spirit of Scotland (she better hurry cause I'm ordering it for Christmas).

[TheOfficialBren]

I would be very interested to hear the opinions and views of Native Scots regarding the aesthetics of family tartans. For example, if Mr MacOnion isn't fond of the MacOnion tartan then what's he to do? Wear Blackwatch or some other universal sett?

I always felt a tiny, ennsy, weensy bit left out until I was able to get a kilt in a tartan to which I have a direct familial connection (which I should receive it the day after my B-Day. Very good news! )

(Some jesting ahead...)
Btw, Mr MacOnion gets used as an example a whole lot around these boards. I propose that Mr MacOnion be declared our official mascot in honour of his service.

[StevieR]

I would be very interested to hear the opinions and views of Native Scots regarding the aesthetics of family tartans. For example, if Mr MacOnion isn't fond of the MacOnion tartan then what's he to do? Wear Blackwatch or some other universal sett?

I always felt a tiny, ennsy, weensy bit left out until I was able to get a kilt in a tartan to which I have a direct familial connection (which I should receive it the day after my B-Day. Very good news! )

(Some jesting ahead...)
Btw, Mr MacOnion gets used as an example a whole lot around these boards. I propose that Mr MacOnion be declared our official mascot in honour of his service.

If Mr. MacOnion doesn't like the MacOnion tartan, he wears it anyway. That's my way of thinking, at least. I can understand wanting to wear a universal or regional sett - who doesn't like Isle of Skye? As an occasional alternative, yes. Instead of a family tartan because you don't fancy MacOnion sky blue pink - no. Mr. MacOnion might of course still have a choice. Dress or Hunting MacOnion, ancient or modern, muted or weathered

I'd suggest though, that MacOnion does like his tartan. He likes it because it is his.

[TheOfficialBren]

If Mr. MacOnion doesn't like the MacOnion tartan, he wears it anyway. That's my way of thinking, at least. I can understand wanting to wear a universal or regional sett - who doesn't like Isle of Skye? As an occasional alternative, yes. Instead of a family tartan because you don't fancy MacOnion sky blue pink - no. Mr. MacOnion might of course still have a choice. Dress or Hunting MacOnion, ancient or modern, muted or weathered

I'd suggest though, that MacOnion does like his tartan. He likes it because it is his.

Hmm...sound thinking, sir. I can say that I am quite grateful that whoever designed our tartans over the years did a fine job. They happen to be among my favourites (even objectively setting aside my own personal bias ) and incorporate my favourite colours (blue, green, red, black) in proportions that I like. It must run in the family. Lol.

[David Thorpe]

IMHO, this can be a case of cart before the horse. The kilt and tartan are an integral part of clan and family tradition, however recent and mythical its origins may be. While I like the aesthetics of many tartans, clan and otherwise, I wear those of my clan with pride. It isn't a fashion statement, but rather a recognition of who I am, who my family are and from whence we came.
Again IMHO, those who have a clan connection but choose a tartan not their own for aesthetic reasons miss the point entirely.
I fully understand that others' opinions differ and respect their freedom to feel differently.

[Calgacus]

I would be very interested to hear the opinions and views of Native Scots regarding the aesthetics of family tartans. For example, if Mr MacOnion isn't fond of the MacOnion tartan then what's he to do? Wear Blackwatch or some other universal sett?

I always felt a tiny, ennsy, weensy bit left out until I was able to get a kilt in a tartan to which I have a direct familial connection (which I should receive it the day after my B-Day. Very good news! )

Hi Bren,

I'm a native Scot with that sort of dilemma. I got my first adult kilt when I was in my late teens. Due to cost, I was restricted to ex-hire and got a Mackenzie kilt, a black barathea Braemar, a lovat green tweed Braemar, and all the accessories for £200. I still wear the tweed Braemar, it is of very high quality and despite being "ex-hire" it had never been hired out and was new when I got it. I still wear the kilt too, you can see it in my avatar. Obviously, being ex-hire, my choice of tartans was restricted, so I got what I got.

My second kilt (Macpherson) was chosen because I liked it, at that time being unhappy about the whole Home thing (read on!) At that time, the whole family association thing didn't bother me much, but I find that it has started to do so as I get older.

So what to do...

My paternal family name is Scottish, and traceable back to 1176, but it is a small borders family and so has no tartan of its own. It is allegedly a sept of Clan Home, but I don't put much weight on the sept association and dislike the aesthetics of the tartan. Furthermore for personal reasons I'd rather honour my mother's side than my father's, so for me, Home is ruled out.

My maternal name is also Scottish, from Aberdeenshire this time, but 'lowland' in origin, so again no tartan. It is a sept of Clan MacDonald, which has an attractive tartan, but again for me, the sept association would be trumped by direct lineage.

Going a generation back, my paternal grandmother's name is again Scottish, but this time a small family from Galloway with no tartan.

My maternal grandmother's real family name is unknown for *ahem* reasons we need not go in to, so no tartan there.

So we go back a further generation, and my mother's father's mother was a Johnstone, (which traditionally on that side of my family is said to be the tartan we should wear) and here we have a tartan that I like!

So, my next kilt will be a Weathered Johnstone, which I find aesthetically pleasing, and it honours my dear mother's side of the family.

So as you can see, sometimes it is not so straighforward for Scots, even those with entirely Scottish ancestry. Some may say that's because I'm genetically mostly a lowlander, not a highlander, but I'm a Scot either way so you'd better not try to tell me I shouldn't wear a kilt!

[Liam]

Hi Bren,

I'm a native Scot with that sort of dilemma. I got my first adult kilt when I was in my late teens. Due to cost, I was restricted to ex-hire and got a Mackenzie kilt, a black barathea Braemar, a lovat green tweed Braemar, and all the accessories for £200. I still wear the tweed Braemar, it is of very high quality and despite being "ex-hire" it had never been hired out and was new when I got it. I still wear the kilt too, you can see it in my avatar. Obviously, being ex-hire, my choice of tartans was restricted, so I got what I got.

My second kilt (Macpherson) was chosen because I liked it, at that time being unhappy about the whole Home thing (read on!) At that time, the whole family association thing didn't bother me much, but I find that it has started to do so as I get older.

So what to do...

My paternal family name is Scottish, and traceable back to 1176, but it is a small borders family and so has no tartan of its own. It is allegedly a sept of Clan Home, but I don't put much weight on the sept association and dislike the aesthetics of the tartan. Furthermore for personal reasons I'd rather honour my mother's side than my father's, so for me, Home is ruled out.

My maternal name is also Scottish, from Aberdeenshire this time, but 'lowland' in origin, so again no tartan. It is a sept of Clan MacDonald, which has an attractive tartan, but again for me, the sept association would be trumped by direct lineage.

Going a generation back, my paternal grandmother's name is again Scottish, but this time a small family from Galloway with no tartan.

My maternal grandmother's real family name is unknown for *ahem* reasons we need not go in to, so no tartan there.

So we go back a further generation, and my mother's father's mother was a Johnstone, (which traditionally on that side of my family is said to be the tartan we should wear) and here we have a tartan that I like!

So, my next kilt will be a Weathered Johnstone, which I find aesthetically pleasing, and it honours my dear mother's side of the family.

So as you can see, sometimes it is not so straighforward for Scots, even those with entirely Scottish ancestry. Some may say that's because I'm genetically mostly a lowlander, not a highlander, but I'm a Scot either way so you'd better not try to tell me I shouldn't wear a kilt!

Perhaps you can in on an order of this tartan:
http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/news...sp?newsID=3175