Tartans other than your family?

[Ryan Ross]

A fair question and I expected it. To your list you could add, a dress tartan and a clan tartan in muted,weathered, ancient and modern colours. No it would not be "odd" or "bad form"----------------extravagant perhaps.

Some clans have one tartan, others several (for example Clan MacMillan has ancient, dress, and hunting tartans). In addition to different tartans, these may also be woven in any of three shades: modern, ancient (or old), and weathered. A clansman with deep pockets may elect to have have kilts made in each of his tartans, and in each of the three shades. For someone in my clan this would represent a total of nine kilts-- yikes!

Generally speaking many individuals who have more than one clan tartan to their name will choose one tartan as their "dress" tartan and an other for "everyday" wear. Even in situations where a clan possesses only one tartan it is not uncommon to see it worn in ancient or weathered colours during the day, and with modern colours in the evening.

So, would it be "bad form" to wear more than one of your clan tartans? Certainly not. But it could run to a fair degree of extravagance.

I see.

I have and wear a kilt in Ross(weathered), another in Ross Hunting(modern), and a third in a fancy tartan(modern). From what I've read, I'd perhaps be traditionally seen as extravagant, but not "a little off"? I just wanted to take the opportunity to confirm some traditional Scottish ideas on the wearing of multiple tartans, with an eye to what modern Scots' ethic tends to be.

Thank you very much for the input, gentlemen.

[macwilkin]

Thanks for all of the input. The Tartan in question is Ogilive Hunting in trade for a guitar I have. I do have some other choices for Tartans I can wear, most of which are mentioned above. Currently I have a Blackwatch and an AmeriKilt with an Irish Diaspora on the way, plus a Sport Kilt I bought on this board. Based on shipping cost alone, I may have to pass anyway.

Just a friendly & gentle reminder that it is "Black Watch" -- two words.

T.

[Jock Scot]

I see.

I have and wear a kilt in Ross(weathered), another in Ross Hunting(modern), and a third in a fancy tartan(modern). From what I've read, I'd perhaps be traditionally seen as extravagant, but not "a little off"? I just wanted to take the opportunity to confirm some traditional Scottish ideas on the wearing of multiple tartans, with an eye to what modern Scots' ethic tends to be.

Thank you very much for the input, gentlemen.

To complicate things a tad here Ryan, there are more than some in the Highlands who would regard extravagance as being more than "a little off". Please remember that the Highlands is not generally a wealthy area even by some basic standards and many native Highlanders do not own a kilt for the simple reason that they have other priorities for their limited cash. Those that have money, even a lot of money, see no merit whatsoever in flaunting that fact and in fact, take considerable efforts to keep a low profile..

[Ryan Ross]

To complicate things a tad here Ryan, there are more than some in the Highlands who would regard extravagance as being more than "a little off". Please remember that the Highlands is not generally a wealthy area even by some basic standards and many native Highlanders do not own a kilt for the simple reason that they have other priorities for their limited cash. Those that have money, even a lot of money, see no merit whatsoever in flaunting that fact and in fact, take considerable efforts to keep a low profile..

Thanks for the further insight, Jock. I'm thinking now, should I be able to make a trip to Scotland (the Highlands in particular), that taking along only one kilt would be the way to go. Furthermore, based on other bits I've read, if I really want to blend in among modern Highland kilt wearers, the kilt selected should be a knife pleated eight yard affair.

Very good food for thought, indeed...

[westy1970]

Thanks for the reminder.

[ForresterModern]

Thanks for the further insight, Jock. I'm thinking now, should I be able to make a trip to Scotland (the Highlands in particular), that taking along only one kilt would be the way to go. Furthermore, based on other bits I've read, if I really want to blend in among modern Highland kilt wearers, the kilt selected should be a knife pleated eight yard affair.

Very good food for thought, indeed...

From what I have gathered over the past few years about fitting in with the Highlanders, that would actually entail not wearing a kilt there at all, except for the special occasions where a native might---church, funeral, wedding, or traditioal scottish event like a games or Burns night. And even then doing so in a respectful yet casually comfortable way, as if one were dressing meekly and in a way as to not appear to be wearing anything special. That would mean a single family tartan standard wool 8 yd knife pleat kilt, likely worn with a tweed jacket or pullover (sweater), a button down tattersall shirt and probably a regimental stripe or simply patterned tie, simple colored hose with contrasting but simple flashes, and maybe a well-worn (wear and tear worn) balmoral in a simple color, not necessarily matched up like you just walked out of a men's department dressing room session with a professional shopper. As said above, and I have heard many times before, the Highlands is still populated with working class folk who do not flaunt any wealth they may or may not actually have, proud but not boastful, always spiritually and socially proper and correct, who would wear what they already own, comfortable in that style. Anything more than "occasional" kilt wear (and by that I mean relatively special occasions) would likely be seen as boastful, as would owning and regulalry wearing multiple kilts (which if made in the proper highland traditional handsewn way would cost one a pretty pence probably spent better somewhere else in one's relatively meager life).

Jock, Scott, others please correct my impression if you believe it to be wrong, but it seems that although the kilt is the traditional dress of Scotland, it is only infrequently worn by those of true and full traditional Highland background and heritage. As someone said in another thread, if you see a kilt wearer in London, you can assume it is a scotsman; if you see one in Edinburgh or Glasgow, you can assume it is an American tourist. To that I might suggest adding that if you see one in the highlands, it is probably either a wayward American tourist, or you have witnessed a true Highlander going to a traditional highland event, as in the list above.

Spoken by someone who has only been to the central highlands for a few days kilted, but watched threads such as these closely over several years for posts by those who live the life. I personally would stick out like a sore thumb no matter how hard I tried, simply because I would want to wear the kilt every day possible when in Scotland, by itself an extreme highland novelty.

jeff

[Redshank]

Jeff, your not wrong in your assumptions, with the exception of Weddings, Funerals, Highland Games and other special days you will rarely see a Highlander in a kilt, they are a rare breed indeed, however on a wet and windy winters day in Oban you will undoubtably see at least one, when the plethora of kilt wearing tourists have gone home for the season, then and only then will the real Highlander stand out from the crowd.

[Jock Scot]

Pretty well spot on there Jeff, although there are some in the Highlands that wear the kilt on a more regular basis. Oh and I doubt that there are many shirts worn with the kilt(or anything else)with button down collars, unless they are visitors!

I doubt that many civilian Highlanders would wear the kilt in London(apart from the Tartan Army) as many up here still think that the kilt should only be worn in Scotland and a large proportion of those will consider wearing the kilt below Perth(Scotland) as too far South!

[davedove]

Just a friendly & gentle reminder that it is "Black Watch" -- two words.

T.

Now, Todd, as a historian you know that standardized spellings are a relatively recent development.

[seanachie]

I doubt that many civilian Highlanders would wear the kilt in London(apart from the Tartan Army) as many up here still think that the kilt should only be worn in Scotland and a large proportion of those will consider wearing the kilt below Perth(Scotland) as too far South!

I am curious Jock, and truly ask this in the interogative. I had read that the Highlands has experienced a migrationof people, particularly younger ones and that the government was wanting to bolster the population. (I would cite the article but don't have it in front of me). Now if Kilts became popular well beyond Scotland and demand grew, this could lead to economic benefit for the region in terms of increased commerce. But if the pervasive mentality was anyone living below Perth should not wear a kilt, that would likely be hard to gain mindshare. So would most people be indifferent to the idea or is there such an attachment to a piece of culture to be preserved that the idea would be rejected? The comments about not wearing a a handsewn 16 oz 8 yard knife pleated kilt for daily wear make total sense. I own only one wool kilt, but other than work I wear the kilt all the time. I just wear PV or in certain circumstances a non traditional kilt. I am not a person of means, and hope this does not sound like extravagance.