Greetings from a British researcher....

**GMan** · 7th October 14, 05:22 AM

Greetings and enjoy.

**nwgb** · 7th October 14, 05:34 AM

Are there any hard and fast rules on who can wear what tartan?

**Father Bill** · 7th October 14, 05:38 AM

Only "Restricted" Tartans - e.g. "Balmoral" - reserved to the Royal Family. There are a number of "copyrighted" tartans for personal use.

Having said that, a tartan in recent times has been a name-tag. Mrs. McLeod wears McLeod Tartan. Mr. MacDonald... you get my drift. So... why would you wear anyone else's nametag? Even regional tartans to me are indicative of residents or former residents or descendents of folks from those regions.

Still, no real restrictions. You're free to wear what you want. I just always wonder from a personal viewpoint why you would.

Cheers!

Bill+

**rtown** · 7th October 14, 05:40 AM

Hello and Welcome

**CMcG** · 7th October 14, 05:42 AM

Originally Posted by nwgb

Are there any hard and fast rules on who can wear what tartan?

As a historical district tartan, I believe it is unrestricted.
http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tar....aspx?ref=4197

Nonetheless, I think it is preferable to have some kind of connection to the tartan one wears, which you have by ancestry.

And welcome to XMTS!

**nwgb** · 7th October 14, 06:22 AM

Thanks for all the welcomes guys.

I have 2 Irish great grandfathers, one from Cork and one from Ulster. I don't want to wear it simply as a fashion accessory, I intend a tartan to be one I have links to.

The Scottish side of the family is interesting, and I am currently researching it - made slightly complicated by the family being in India not the UK!

**Tarheel** · 7th October 14, 06:42 AM

Well met nwqb. I would heed the advice of Father Bill. He has not led the sheep astray on all things kilted, as far as I've experienced. From Oxford, MS.

**CMcG** · 7th October 14, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by nwgb

...
I am born and bred in England, however with extensive family history Ireland (Ulster and Cork) and Scotland (MacLeod and some other unfinished research).

...

Originally Posted by Father Bill

Only "Restricted" Tartans - e.g. "Balmoral" - reserved to the Royal Family. There are a number of "copyrighted" tartans for personal use.

Having said that, a tartan in recent times has been a name-tag. Mrs. McLeod wears McLeod Tartan. Mr. MacDonald... you get my drift. So... why would you wear anyone else's nametag? Even regional tartans to me are indicative of residents or former residents or descendents of folks from those regions.

Still, no real restrictions. You're free to wear what you want. I just always wonder from a personal viewpoint why you would.

Cheers!

Bill+

Just to clarify re: your comment above (bold added), there's no need to wonder because nwgb claims family history in Ulster and is looking at Ulster tartan trews. Perhaps you meant "you" in the plural/general sense, but I wouldn't want our new friend to get the wrong idea

**Mike_Oettle** · 7th October 14, 07:22 AM

Hi, ngwb, and welcome to X Marks from the bottom end of Africa.
It’s good to know that you plan to put those trews to use. I bought my wife (who is of Ulster descent) a shawl in the same tartan, but she refuses to wear it because she doesn’t wear red. (Heaven knows why.)
Regards,
Mike