Jewish Tartan

[sydnie7]

Phrases along the lines of "unlike traditional tartans which are made of a linen-wool blend, this one is all wool to avoid violating the law of shatnez" have me, and other posters, wondering. Thought traditional kilting tartan was 100% wool? But perhaps they are talking about the full kilt construction, lining and stiffener and the lot, being 100% wool. Thread, too? Boggles the imagination (and you thought that old-school Dual Duty stuff was hard to stitch with! Try wool thread!).

That aside, I agree the Telegraph version is a classier look, and the commercialism at jewishtartan.com gives me pause.

[Morris at Heathfield]

By the time King Charles III banned tartan and traditional Highland clothes in 1747,

Well, if that isn't the height of ingratitude, I don't know what is.

[Morris at Heathfield]

Phrases along the lines of "unlike traditional tartans which are made of a linen-wool blend, this one is all wool to avoid violating the law of shatnez" have me, and other posters, wondering. Thought traditional kilting tartan was 100% wool?

The most frequently cited etymology of the word "tartan" has it coming from the French tiretaine or tertaine, which referred to a rough linsey-woolsey cloth. However, I am not aware of any account of historical Highland dress which refers to the plaid or the kilt being made of anything except pure wool. If the etymology is correct, at some point the meaning was transferred from the type of cloth to the woven pattern it contained, but when, where, and how the change occurred is unknown to me. I believe it's safe to say it occurred sometime between 1500 and 1800 in the Scottish Lowlands.