Dress tartans

**Robin** · 31st August 06, 04:21 AM

What about dress tartans?

To me it seems they're ment to be worn by dancers, as evening wear for ladies and maybe by pipers(?).

I'm not that fond of dress tartans...too much white, just curious.

:confused:

**MacTavishOfJapan** · 31st August 06, 05:40 AM

I don't you can catagorise them all as bad etc, some of them look OK. I quite like my one (Thomson) and would probably have used it if the blue was darker.

I think some of the huntings look weird (I'm not really a fan of the Thomson one) but some look OK.

**RockyR** · 31st August 06, 05:55 AM

MOST dress tartans have a good chunk of white in them, which makes them appear more "feminine". Thomson does NOT have white... it's a blue base. Dress Stewart, Dress Campbell, Sress MacDonald, Dress MacKenzie, Dress Gordon, etc, all have a good amt of white.

I am not trying to discourage anyone from getting a dress tartan... I'm just giving a fact: We'll sell 10 Gordon Mod kilts to 1 Dress Gordon.

**MacTavishOfJapan** · 31st August 06, 06:05 AM

Can't argue with the experts .......

Being in Japan so long must be messing with my concept of femininity - I bet the guys here would prefer the dress tartans 10 to 1.

**bubba** · 31st August 06, 07:48 AM

I vaguely recall reading some time back that the "dress" tartans are Arrasidh tartans, made for womens Arrasidhs, not mens kilts.

**ronstew** · 31st August 06, 08:14 AM

My uncle was aware of the history of dress tartans whan he bought his Dress Stewart kilt. But he likes it, so he bought it.

**Planopiper** · 31st August 06, 10:20 AM

I've yet to see a piper in a dress tartan, though I'm sure they're out there. I don't care for them as much, but that's just my opinion. In the photo above the guy seems to be in exactly the situation where a dress tartan is appropriate. Still, off-white hose for formal wear bugs me. Especially with white.

**RockyR** · 31st August 06, 10:47 AM

Just to be sure... that wasn't a dig on those who DO like dress tartans... they're just few and far between. then again, 90% of men who come into our shop like the DARK tartans (gordon Mod, BW, MacLean Hntg, MacDonald, etc)... only a select few like the bright colored ones.

**David Dalglish** · 31st August 06, 11:32 AM

I think that dress tartans are good for very formal occassions, but you cannot wear then anywhere else, thats why they are a limited market

**Bob C** · 31st August 06, 11:32 AM

I think the dress Gordon looks outstanding - much better than the other variants. If I had a Gordon connection of any sort, I'd get a kilt in that tartan.