Question for traditionalists

[Jock Scot]

I have three kilts all of the same tartan. Sadly I can only wear one ,the others have "shrunk". My Grandfather's and my father's kilts are in the "modern" hue and the one I wear,made in 1995, is of "ancient" hue.I may,one day, have another kilt made and it will be of the same tartan again, I will wear no other although I suppose I could, but I have to confess that I am leaning towards the "weathered" colours. Time will tell.

[Riverkilt]

Hope I'm being helpful here, not out of line. Know you asked Jock, and other Scots on the board, but read that you were also seeking how other's thought.

Ignore this if I misread.

I have five kilts in variations of Macdonald tartans. Two are the same, a USA Kilts semi- trad and a SportKilt in the generic Macdonald tartan.

I have 8 kilts in ancestral clan tartans, 4 Gordon variations, Scott, Gunn, Cameron, and Fraser.

I have Army, Navy, Leatherneck, Royal Air Force, and Firefighter Memorial tartan kilts to honor family service.

I have Caledonia and Isle of Skye district tartans.

I have a saffron and an Ireland's National tartan to represent the four Irish branches of my heritage.

I have two "cause" tartans - Antarctica and Warrior (purple for Domestic Violence prevention).

All my tartans have personal meaning for me.

Ron

[Snowbear]

The way I find the tartan to wear is by going the straight line of my father till the first tartan comes up. That would be your right one.

As for other tartans to wear I would not show myself outside with another clan tartan. The only compromise I could do is to wear a district/pipeband tartan. I'm not too eager about district tartan, but will get myself a kilt in my pipeband tartan when I'm good enough to play with them on gigs.

[kilty]

The way I find the tartan to wear is by going the straight line of my father till the first tartan comes up. That would be your right one.

That would be difficult for most of us. My father is of French lineage - no tartans there.

My mother's father was Irish (Sullivan) and her mother was Scot (MacKay). I chose the MacKay tartan to wear: a direct blood link with the MacKay clan and a way to honour my grandmother who was like a mother to me.

[Nighthawk]

Hope I'm being helpful here, not out of line. Know you asked Jock, and other Scots on the board, but read that you were also seeking how other's thought.

Ignore this if I misread.

I have five kilts in variations of Macdonald tartans. Two are the same, a USA Kilts semi- trad and a SportKilt in the generic Macdonald tartan.

I have 8 kilts in ancestral clan tartans, 4 Gordon variations, Scott, Gunn, Cameron, and Fraser.

I have Army, Navy, Leatherneck, Royal Air Force, and Firefighter Memorial tartan kilts to honor family service.

I have Caledonia and Isle of Skye district tartans.

I have a saffron and an Ireland's National tartan to represent the four Irish branches of my heritage.

I have two "cause" tartans - Antarctica and Warrior (purple for Domestic Violence prevention).

All my tartans have personal meaning for me.

Ron

Those are some great reasons! I was personally never concerned about the labels others put on me. I know what I am, and as the song says, if you don't like me, then leave me alone. I have similar tartans for similar reasons. Wolfe and saffron for the Irish side, Colorado tartan because I love my home (and it would take an act of the gods to get me to leave my own highlands!), Clergy to wear when I officiate weddings, Albannach because I'm a huge fan of the band (I know- it's frivolous. I ain't perfect!) and really, that's it for tartan kilts! I haven't gotten a MacLeod yet, though that it next on my list- it's from my grandmother on my fathers side. So it seems to me that unless that you're a Highlander living in Scotland, there are lots of very good reasons to wear different tartans. That thing to remember is that we as descendants of Scottish ancestors have an obligation to be respectful of the tradition, but are not bound by them.

[Jock Scot]

Those are some great reasons! I was personally never concerned about the labels others put on me. I know what I am, and as the song says, if you don't like me, then leave me alone. I have similar tartans for similar reasons. Wolfe and saffron for the Irish side, Colorado tartan because I love my home (and it would take an act of the gods to get me to leave my own highlands!), Clergy to wear when I officiate weddings, Albannach because I'm a huge fan of the band (I know- it's frivolous. I ain't perfect!) and really, that's it for tartan kilts! I haven't gotten a MacLeod yet, though that it next on my list- it's from my grandmother on my fathers side. So it seems to me that unless that you're a Highlander living in Scotland, there are lots of very good reasons to wear different tartans. That thing to remember is that we as descendants of Scottish ancestors have an obligation to be respectful of the tradition, but are not bound by them.

I say this with the greatest of respect and I hope you try to understand when I take issue with your last sentence. There are many Scots who feel that you(not you personally, necessarally!) are falling short of that "obligation to be respectful" you talk about, by wearing different clan tartans. I quite understand that you feel that you should not be bound by those obligations, and from your point of view, that's fair enough. Just don't expect some Scots to view it that way.

[Nighthawk]

I say this with the greatest of respect and I hope you try to understand when I take issue with your last sentence. There are many Scots who feel that you are falling short of that "obligation to be respecful" you talk about, by wearing different clan tartans. I quite understand that you feel that you should not be bound by those obligations, and from your point of view, that's fair enough. Just don't expect some Scots to view it that way.

Jock, my friend, I realize that very well. That's exactly why I won't wear any family or clan tartan that I don't have blood ties to. The only Scottish clan /family tartan I will wear is MacLeod. I'll wear my state tartan, I'll wear my Irish family tartan- but only one clan tartan. I realize that more than a few people will take issue with me on this- but tough. Not to put too fine a point on it...

[Jock Scot]

Jock, my friend, I realize that very well. That's exactly why I won't wear any family or clan tartan that I don't have blood ties to. The only Scottish clan /family tartan I will wear is MacLeod. I'll wear my state tartan, I'll wear my Irish family tartan- but only one clan tartan. I realize that more than a few people will take issue with me on this- but tough. Not to put too fine a point on it...

Fair enough. It is a shame that you think that way,though.

[Nighthawk]

Fair enough. It is a shame that you think that way,though.

I grew up with a Scottish (protestant) grandmother and an Irish (Catholic) grandfather. No matter what I wore, one or the other got mad at me. They hated each other- Grandpa didn't want my mom to marry my dad, and Grandma did want my dad to marry my mom! I developed that attitude as a method of coping. And really, I'm as closed off as I sound. I just can't think of a more eloquent way of describing myself. Rex could... but I can't.

[heilanner]

I say this with the greatest of respect and I hope you try to understand when I take issue with your last sentence. There are many Scots who feel that you are falling short of that "obligation to be respecful" you talk about, by wearing different clan tartans. I quite understand that you feel that you should not be bound by those obligations, and from your point of view, that's fair enough. Just don't expect some Scots to view it that way.

as a Scot i feel obliged to chip in here. 99% of Scots don't own a kilt. they hire them as and when they are needed - mostly for weddings, Burns suppers and for hogmany. kilt hire shops seldom stock more than 4 or 5 tartans, so people wear whatever happens to be available at the time.

if someone does ask about the kilt, the conversation goes along these lines; "That's a nice kilt, which tartan is it?", "Oh, thanks. I think it's a Baird", "Is it your own?", "No no, just rented", "Well you look very smart in it".

next to nobody in Scotland cares which tartan people wear because next to nobody in Scotland will ever own a kilt.