Allowed tartans

[Nighthawk]

My personal rules, for what it's worth, are very simple- I don't wear tartans with "royal" in the name. I don't wear tartans that I don't have some sort of family association with. I would wear Cameron since I had a great great grandfather who was in the New York 79th in the Civil War. They were Cameron Highlanders as I recall. I wear the Black Stewart and the Weathered MacKenzie because I had ancestors who fought in the 1745 uprising, and these were as far as I know military tartans developed for the regiments. I am trying to save up the funds to get my own family tartan and a Colorado state tartan kilt. I have no problem at all with universal tartans. For me, it's a matter of respect to not wear other clan tartans or ones with which I have no historical ties. On the other hand, the truth of the matter is that the clan tartan concept is a reletively modern one and very, very few have a pedigree older than the 1700's. No native born Scot that I have ever talked to has had an issue with non clan member wearing their tartans. In fact, I have read posts with titles like "Knock off this rediculous clan allegiance nonsense." So there you have it- rules that seem to me to be simple and sensible. However, those are my own personal rules and I see no reason to force them on anyone. If you're a Mertz and want to wear my family tartan, knock yourself out.

[ChromeScholar]

I follow the "wear whatever you like" tradition, since it is far older than the "clan tartan" tradition

[Larry124]

Time and Place:
Around home I wear any tartan.
At Highland Games, I might wear a Hunting tartan, but more likely a Universal or Fashion tartan.
At a non-Scotland-related event I wear any tartan except one of the US armed services tartans since I am not a veteran.
I might wear an armed service tartan in a support or celebration circumstance -- and if a vet had my back. Veterans are not issued wings and a halo, so (especially in a drinking venue) some can become aggressively possessive of anything related to their branch of service. Even if it’s not “official”. Even if they didn’t know it existed. It’s just the way things are.

I want the wearing of the kilt to become more widespread. If it is to become so then tartans need to be widely available and in large variety. To me that consideration must outweigh (Victorian?) tradition, modern gentlemanly preference, and the idea of Clan Dress or Scottish National Dress.

And if a tartan has become common for shirts and boxer shorts and pajamas etc. then in my view it has become universal by usage.

I do support formally (manufacture/sales) restricted tartans since those owning them have sought and accepted the narrow availability and cost.

[macwilkin]

I want the wearing of the kilt to become more widespread. If it is to become so then tartans need to be widely available and in large variety. To me that consideration must outweigh (Victorian?) tradition, modern gentlemanly preference, and the idea of Clan Dress or Scottish National Dress.

Of course, not all of us share this viewpoint. And since the kilt & tartan wouldn't be what it was today without traditional Highland attire, respect should be given to custom and tradition, especially when worn by someone who is not Scottish in nationality and/or heritage.

I have no problem with anyone wearing the kilt for whatever reason, so long as they respect my reason for wearing it as well; namely to honour my Scottish heritage.

Regards,

Todd

[Kid Cossack]

Of course, not all of us share this viewpoint. And since the kilt & tartan wouldn't be what it was today without traditional Highland attire, respect should be given to custom and tradition, especially when worn by someone who is not Scottish in nationality and/or heritage.

I have no problem with anyone wearing the kilt for whatever reason, so long as they respect my reason for wearing it as well; namely to honour my Scottish heritage.

Regards,

Todd

ESPECIALLY by someone who is not Scottish in nationality and/or heritage? Here I have a different take---I'd be far more forgiving of, say, a Nigerian (or Samoan, or Kazakh, or Russian) who was wearing one of "my" tartans "improperly" (or without sanction) than a Scot who was!

With that minor quibble, I whole-heartedly agree with Todd's concluding paragraph.

[macwilkin]

ESPECIALLY by someone who is not Scottish in nationality and/or heritage? Here I have a different take---I'd be far more forgiving of, say, a Nigerian (or Samoan, or Kazakh, or Russian) who was wearing one of "my" tartans "improperly" (or without sanction) than a Scot who was!

With that minor quibble, I whole-heartedly agree with Todd's concluding paragraph.

So would I, Kid. That came out wrong.

T.