Scots outraged over restricted tartan

[ThistleDown]

Hmm, 'outraged' is a fairly strong word. 'Surprised' may be a better one. Until The Scotsman informed them, I doubt most Scots knew the Balmoral was a 'restricted' tartan and wouldn't care much in any case. Generally speaking, Scots wear their own family's tartan or, on hire occasions, the tartans of the hire companies (currently Black Watch, Black Isle, Grey Granite and the like) and wouldn't think of wearing the Balmoral. On the other hand, Scottish Field has an article in its current issue entitled 'Tartan terrors', with a sub 'Unless we call a halt to the riot of garish new designs threatening our national dress -- such as the luminous Incredible Hulk tartan -- we risk losing the collective pride in our national plaid'.