Allowed tartans

[Conroy]

There is some thing to be said for bring able to recognize folks from your own family or clan by the tartans they are wearing, at scottish events.

[macwilkin]

There is some thing to be said for bring able to recognize folks from your own family or clan by the tartans they are wearing, at scottish events.

Exactly. Stuart Erskine, in The Kilt and How to Wear It, says:

As for the kilt itself, Erskine advocates the wearing of “rough homespun or some tartan (hill-check)… agreeable in colour and design” for every day wear of the kilt. “Some quiet, unobtrusive tartan or homespun is far more suitable for country wear.” For “games, county meetings of all kinds, and other similar extraordinary undertakings,” he suggests the clan tartan be used. “The public knows (more or less) its clan tartans or liveries, whilst it knows little or nothing of tartan (i.e. hill check) in general; hence it is, reader, that on all occasions in which you may desire to appear branded or labeled as it were with the stamp of your origin, you will do well to discard your hill check.”

This quote is from Matt's excellent article, which can be found here:

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

Regards,

Todd

[Monkey@Arms]

There is some thing to be said for bring able to recognize folks from your own family or clan by the tartans they are wearing, at scottish events.

Given the extremely subtle differences in some tartans, plus the multiple variants, and the same tartan going under different names (e.g. Campbell=Grant Hunting=Munro Hunting=Sutherland District=Black Watch) you sometimes need a really good eye to do that. (Loud McLeod excepted)

Best regards,

Jake

[macwilkin]

Given the extremely subtle differences in some tartans, plus the multiple variants, and the same tartan going under different names (e.g. Campbell=Grant Hunting=Munro Hunting=Sutherland District=Black Watch) you sometimes need a really good eye to do that. (Loud McLeod excepted)

Best regards,

Jake

That's half the fun of Scottish events for me, though -- trying to ID tartans. Besides, it's a good way to socialize wi' folks -- I love it when people ask me about my tartan -- but we history teachers love to give lectures at the drop of a bonnet!

T.