Origin and Use of "Dress" Tartans

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Let's see, just off the top of my head I have seen men at Highland Games, Burns Suppers and other functions -- not competitive dancers, but just regular attendees -- wearing kilts in the following dress tartans:
-Dress Blue Stewart, weathered
-Dress MacDonald, weathered
-Dress Campbell, modern
-Dress MacDonald, modern
-Dress MacPherson

None of them looked effemenant in the slightest.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Let's see, just off the top of my head I have seen men at Highland Games, Burns Suppers and other functions -- not competitive dancers, but just regular attendees -- wearing kilts in the following dress tartans:
-Dress Blue Stewart, weathered
-Dress MacDonald, weathered
-Dress Campbell, modern
-Dress MacDonald, modern
-Dress MacPherson

None of them looked effeminate in the slightest.

I profess no great knowledge in this matter but, setting aside the gender issue, surely some of these tartans are today what we'd call fashion tartans, are they not? And some of the others seem to be possessed of an antiquity hardly greater than the average age of the graduating class of one's local university.

I am not questioning those dress tartans such as dress Macpherson which are sanctioned by the chief, or the others without the white background one associates with arisaids and dancer's costumes. Growing up I had a number of great aunts who always referred to "dress Stewart" as "Victoria Tartan" or "Queen Victoria Tartan" even though there seems to be a case to be made that this tartan (or one very similar to it) can be documented to the reign of Charles I.

Rather, it seems to me (looking at lists of tartans) that the plethora of so-called "dress tartans" are of a very recent creation and, like the so-called "black MacMillan tartan", have generally popped up like toad stools on a lawn after a heavy rain.

In 1896 John Wight & Co. took out a two page advertisement in W & AK Johnston's book, The Scottish Clans & Their Tartans, second edition, 1896. Now in this book Johnston's lists 96 tartans while Wight's ad reads:

Every Clan Tartan illustrated in this book being represented in our Stock, along with many other Family,Dress and Hunting Tartans not here described. OUR COMPLETE RANGE NUMBERING OVER 190 TARTANS

Wight's, by the way, was located at 105 Princes Street in Edinburgh, and was a ladies clothing store. With that in mind, one can't help but wonder how many of their "more than 190 tartans" were designed specifically for ladies wear?

I would find it extremely interesting to know three things: (1) how many "dress tartans" are there; (2) from whence do these date; (3) how many have "official standing" within the clan?

Can someone please enlighten me?

[PEEDYC]

I would find it extremely interesting to know three things: (1) how many "dress tartans" are there; (2) from whence do these date; (3) how many have "official standing" within the clan?

Can someone please enlighten me?

http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/qre...g=dress&Page=1
Try this link for a start. It is the Scottish Register of Tartans. It may not help you though if you read the post (49) by MacLowlife re the Campbell tartans. There are Five Campbell (Argyle) tartans registered and Campbell of Loch Awe as well which the Clan Chief does not regognise according to that artice. No wonder people are confused over rights to wear tartans and what is a true tartan.