Excellent posts, Matt & David -- you've done grand in summing up why for some, the tartan is a "talisman and totem".

Blu: I know several people who wear their "family" tartan not as a kilt, but in the form of a shirt, tie, scarf, etc. and do not see that version as "trivializing" their tartan -- for some, that is the only version of the tartan they can afford at the moment, since a traditional kilt is more of an investment, or they don't (for whatever reason) want to wear one. Granted, you only see the more "common" tartans (BW, Stewart Royal, Buchanan, Lindsay, etc.) in some of the garment types you mention; I would personally love to see someone wearing a Cumming tartan shirt on the street! ;)

I've had some very good conversations with folks wearing garments in particular tartans who knew nothing about the history of tartans, etc.

Cheers,

Todd