Convensions & rules

[knotty]

... I especially cringe when I read about folks wanting to buy the USMC tartan because their grandfather served...
... but I would rather you didn't if you don't belong.

My feelings also. There are plenty of others out there. Between states/provinces, national, heraldry then the universals, if I have the money I might never have to play pants again lol.

[Dale Seago]

IWhere "the line" is between five days and eleven years I guess is a personal choice. I especially cringe when I read about folks wanting to buy the USMC tartan because their grandfather served. I guess technically if the CMC wanted to make the USMC tartan a restricted tartan he could just do it, and he hasn't so I guess it's OK; but not me thanks. Earned never given and all.

I guess the foregoing is partly a reflection of how I would feel if I found someone in my clan tartan and it were to turn out in conversation the owner bought it because it was "pretty" without any other claim to it.

I sortakinda feel where you're coming from with that, but for some reason my own mind wants to "compartmentalize" it differently.

"Clan tartans" seem to have been, from their origins in the early 1800s, indicative of a family "membership" type of relationship/association.

The same sort of thing is true of military tartans, at least regimental ones, in the U.K., though Black Watch now being a "universal" sett perhaps confuses that a bit.

American military tartans, though. . .No American service branch has officially endorsed any of the US service branch tartans, so those actually (as I see it) are "universal" tartans anyone can wear for their own reasons. Certainly I, as a former Marine NCO, would have no issues with someone wearing the Leatherneck tartan because they think "the Corps is cool!!" I'd be delighted to see the sentiment expressed that way, actually -- though if the CMC officially endorsed/accepted the tartan and made it optional in uniform attire for Marines I might find my mind changing a bit.

[Ryan Ross]

With regards to the OP:

1. No.
Yes.
2. In a sporran.

...but since all of that's been dealt with already, welcome to Xmarks from Atlanta GA.

And welcome to the kilt wearing world, as well. You'll find that wearing a kilt can make doing even the most mundane things seem interesting.

[MacMillans son]

Isnt the whole state refered as "The land of fruits & nuts"? :P

Steady there newbie!! It's bad form to come on a board and crack wise about other people's home states, especially since you failed to list your own.

[knotty]

Steady there newbie!! It's bad form to come on a board and crack wise about other people's home states, especially since you failed to list your own.

{shakin in my boots} LOL

[English Bloke]

... partly a reflection of how I would feel if I found someone in my clan tartan and it were to turn out in conversation the owner bought it because it was "pretty" without any other claim to it...

AK, respectfully me ol' mate, I guess we all have varying mileage on this issue. I believe that as the whole clan/tartan thing is a Victorian, romantic concoction, fabricated and perpetuated (arguably) by the English and Lowland Scottish Gentry, I don't believe I need to worry too much about who's 'personal' tartan I'm wearing, provided there isn't an official restriction in place.

We'd better not go into whether the The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) who are currently based at Fort George near Inverness are an active unit or not...