Unaffiliated?

[Galant]

As I've wandered around these forums to which I am new, the question of uaffiliated tartans has come up a number of times. That is, the question of which tartans have no clan affiliation and are 'free' for wear by anyone.

Now to some it seems, the question is pointless - all tartans are free for wear and most Scots don't have a problem with it. Other however are genuinely concerned since (and perhaps I can't speak for everyone) wearing the tartan of a clan to which you have no claim is like wearing a uniform for a military unit you have not fought or worked in.

My own natural tendency is to side with the latter, but more and more I hear people telling me it really isn't an issue of concern, and one should just choose a tartan for its aesthetic qualities.

Here's what I'd like to know:

1 - On this issue - are you: 'Free for all', 'Stick with your own', or 'Undecided'?

2 - Once and for all - for those who care - what are officially unaffiliated tartans? Perhaps we can create a list here that people can check.

[macwilkin]

I think a quote from Matt Newsome is appropriate here:

So what is there to consider when buying your first kilt? The first question that is the most essential is what tartan do you want to wear. Individual tartan patterns today typically have a great deal of significance. Now, it was not always so. Up until the industrialization of the tartan weaving industry and the romanticisation of everything Scottish in the nineteenth century, tartans did not have names, for the most part, and those that did were typically worn without much thought as to what it might be called in the tartan shop. People wore tartans they liked. Period. And you can feel free to do the same today. In fact, it's probably the most traditional thing you can do.



That being said, time does not stand still. Today, the tradition has evolved to the point where tartans are representative and symbolic. Tartans that represent clans are the most familiar, but tartans can also represent families, cities, states, events, businesses, individuals, occupations, you name it. When you wear a particular tartan, you are identifying yourself with whatever that tartan represents. Most people choose to wear a tartan that has some connection with their heritage. But the choice of which tartan to wear is entirely personal. There are no "requirements" to wear a tartan, no "authorizations" needed. You simply pick the tartan you want to wear, whatever your reason.

Most people, no doubt, choose to wear a tartan associated with their family. Typically, if the actual surname you bear has a tartan affiliated with it, this is the first choice. However, there is nothing wrong with wearing a tartan from your mother's side of the family, or your great-great grandmother, for that matter. Maybe you like that side of the family better and wish to honor them by wearing their tartan. Maybe you find your father's tartan unattractive. Maybe one tartan is simply more easily available than the other. There could be many reasons to consider, but it is entirely up to you.

http://www.albanach.org/advice.htm

I think Matt is "spot on" here, and I also think Jimmy Carbomb's mantra is also correct: Know your tartan -- if you wear a tartan, be familiar enough with the history & background of it to discuss it with some one.

Any reason, no matter how insignificant, is a good reason to wear a tartan -- honouring a friend, a place in Scotland you visited, a personage you admire, etc.

As far as "general" tartans that are "open" for anyone to wear, besides the ubiqitous Black Watch (Government) and Royal Stuart, there is a wide variety to choose from. Stewart Hunting, Caledonia, Jacobite, and the many District Tartans for places in Scotland, the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Canadian provinces, American states -- the list is long.

Cheers,

Todd

[Casey]

If one likes a tartan and be prepared to answer the questions about it (eg. "It's my clan tartan." Or, "I like the colours."), I think one has a winner.

Does one feel "safe" with a Black Watch based tartan or does one prefer "to make a statement" with something like a Buchanan or Caledonian. I like the "loud" MacLeod; unfortunately my wife doesn't, and, I'm not stupid.

I think one should portray a masculine image. Therefore, what one wears with the kilt is important too. What is "your image"?

[Jimmy Carbomb]

If one likes a tartan and be prepared to answer the questions about it (eg. "It's my clan tartan." Or, "I like the colours."), I think one has a winner.

Does one feel "safe" with a Black Watch based tartan or does one prefer "to make a statement" with something like a Buchanan or Caledonian. I like the "loud" MacLeod; unfortunately my wife doesn't, and, I'm not stupid.

Am I a MacLeod? Nope. But I sure LOVE to wear my Loud MacLeod (MacLeod of Lewis) tartan kilt with a Steelers or Penguins jersey, or with my USAKilts shirts.

Am I from Cape Breton? Nope. But it looks awesome with my lighter colored shirts.

My saving grace is that I know the history and origin of every one of my tartans. Inevitably, I'll be asked at a Festival or Concert about the tartan, and it's a GREAT feeling to able to explain what it is. The knowledge (in itself) is enough to satisfy the people that I talk to. My personal link to the tartan has never been an issue as long as I can appreciate the history of it.

My Irish National Tartan is the only kilt that I own with my own heritage attached to it... and I take that one seriously. That's why it's an authentic hand-sewn from Scotland.

[Alan H]

After being somewhat concerned on this issue, but getting a response back fromt he chairman of Clan Macnaughton that said "we don't give permmission to wear our tartan, no-one does. People wear whatever tartan they choose" I'm pretty much convinced that it's a non-issue.

Still and all there are so many non-clan tartans out there and the choice is huge that ifyou're not entirely comfortable with it, then don't wear a clan tartan that you're not affiliated with. It's no big deal. However, there are not all that many non-clan tartans in, say poly-viscose material. There are tons of them in cotton and other synthetics and so on (See the SportKilt website and USA Kilts for example). so if you want a wool-like higher quality kilt, but not wool, it seems like your choices are a little bit limited.

If you can afford, or are inclined to buy a wool kilt, then the choices are tremendous. Note that getting a kilt made in the tartan of one the the US States or armed forces means you pretty much have to go with wool...well, Sport Kilts does offer a budget kilt in the Leatherneck tartan.

Personally, I really like the Ramsay blue tartan and my next kilt (after Bear makes my MacNaughton kilt) will probably be a Ramsay Blue....but I don't have the ghost of a connection to the Ramsay clan, whatsoever. I just like the tartan.

[macwilkin]

When I was trying to see about a tartan for US National Park Service Rangers, one option was to adopt a tartan, in this case, the Muir tartan, in honour of John Muir, the Scottish enviromentalist. I wrote the Clan Muir society for their permission, and they were very honoured by the gesture.

Sadly, the idea never advanced any farther than this, but I felt better knowing that the Clan Muir Society gave their "blessing" to it.

Cheers,

Todd

[highlander_Daz]

We call them "free" tartans but they still have symbolism, Royal stuart for example is a Jacobite / hence catholic Tartan, my fave Free Tartan is "Flower of Scotland" named after the symbol of Scotland - the Thistle (a flower!!) and the Scots national anthem.
so even "free Tartans" have some meaning !!

Slainthe'

[macwilkin]

We call them "free" tartans but they still have symbolism, Royal stuart for example is a Jacobite / hence catholic Tartan, my fave Free Tartan is "Flower of Scotland" named after the symbol of Scotland - the Thistle (a flower!!) and the Scots national anthem.
so even "free Tartans" have some meaning !!

Exactly, Daz...some folks with Jacobite sympathies might pick the "Charles Edward Stuart" the "Culloden" or the "Jacobite" tartan. I wouldn't classify the "Royal Stuart" as a Jacobite tartan, though, since it is used by the current royal house and by the drummers of the Black Watch.

There were a lot of Episcopalians and Presbyterians who were Jacobites as well.

But you are quite correct; almost all of the general tartans do have meaning and history behind them.

Cheers,

Todd

[Colin]

We call them "free" tartans but they still have symbolism, Royal stuart for example is a Jacobite / hence catholic Tartan, my fave Free Tartan is "Flower of Scotland" named after the symbol of Scotland - the Thistle (a flower!!) and the Scots national anthem.
so even "free Tartans" have some meaning !!

Slainthe'

Dead on. The Royal Stewart also marks the 300 (?)year Stuart rule of Scotland. The Black Watch and we are all familiar with.

[Buddha]

I'm in agreement to wear whatever you want. but I also have given myself some limits knowing the history of what I wear. for one, being a MacDonald, I would never wear Campbell...but thats a different thread alltogether