We talk about clan tartans, free tartans and fashion tartans, and it's really interesting as a history lesson, and I love it, but we can all wear any tartan. Which, as far as the kilt as an article of clothing is concerned, makes all tartans just like free tartans or fashion tartans.

Of course most tartans have always been available for anyone to wear, including Black Watch. There have never been laws in the UK restricting the wearing of parts of military uniforms by civilians for work, play or anything else and that applies to kilts as much as kahki trousers.

Royal Stewart, on the other hand, was, or is, a royal tartan and was worn with permission of the monarch. An example of this was the Royal Scots Regiment. The regiment wore Hunting Stewart but the pipe band were given permission to wear Royal Stewart. It has become a free tartan purely by people ignoring tradition.

Peter