Monochrome?

[Brian K]

Unless you motto is "Honest Sweat Makes Smelly Pants" it is doubtful that a blue strap with a gold buckle will be confused with the insignia of the Order of the Garter.

Thank you, sir. Clever word play is my favorite form of humor!

[Chainsaw02]

ThinBlueLine,

All historical rules and regulations aside I have my Maclaine of Lochbuie clan badge tatooed on my left shoulder in color and it looks great. The plants are green and the (I don't know what it is called) horizontal item above the buckle has red stripes, as in a barber pole. I have had many compliments from my fellow clans persons. Wear it in good health but also remember it is permanant.

Larry Dirr

[macwilkin]

ThinBlueLine,

All historical rules and regulations aside I have my Maclaine of Lochbuie clan badge tatooed on my left shoulder in color and it looks great. The plants are green and the (I don't know what it is called) horizontal item above the buckle has red stripes, as in a barber pole. I have had many compliments from my fellow clans persons. Wear it in good health but also remember it is permanant.

Larry Dirr

The item in question is a torse, or wreath, that the crest of the Chief/armiger rests upon in the clansman's badge, and is depicted in his/her livery colours, in keeping with the contemporary customs and rules of Scottish heraldry.

T.

[Chainsaw02]

To all concerned,

My clan badge does not have any items included that are in my Chief's clan crest. The clan badge is a totally separate item and may be worn by all clansman where as the clan crest can only be used by the chief as I understand.

Larry Dirr

[Chainsaw02]

cajunscot,

If what you say is true, then I humbly stand corrected.

Larry dirr

[macwilkin]

To all concerned,

My clan badge does not have any items included that are in my Chief's clan crest. The clan badge is a totally separate item and may be worn by all clansman where as the clan crest can only be used by the chief as I understand.

Larry Dirr

Your clan badge contains the crest of the clan chief, Lorne Gillean Ian Maclaine of Lochbuie, the 26th Chief of Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie:

A branch of laurel and a branch of cypress in saltire, surmounted of a battleaxe in pale, all proper. The motto reads: "Vincere Vel Mori," Latin for "Conquer or Die."

T.

[macwilkin]

cajunscot,

If what you say is true, then I humbly stand corrected.

Larry dirr

My source:

http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/242.html

Quote: It is correct for...people to wear their Chiefs Crest encircled with a strap and buckle bearing their Chief’s Motto or Slogan. The strap and buckle is the sign of the clansman, and he demonstrates his membership of his Chiefs Clan by wearing his Chief’s Crest within it.



T.

[davidlpope]

To all concerned,

My clan badge does not have any items included that are in my Chief's clan crest. The clan badge is a totally separate item and may be worn by all clansman where as the clan crest can only be used by the chief as I understand.

Larry Dirr

Larry,

I think there's some confusion here. The badge you're describing sounds like the clan badge of the followers of Lochbuie and, by definition, comprises the crest from his arms encircled by the strap and buckle. It is true that such a badge is (generally) permitted to be worn by all those who are adherents/followers of a particular chief.

Here is a link showing the badge for followers of Maclaine of Lochbuie:
http://www.maclaine.org/index.html

Here is another link with a description of the chiefly arms of Lorne Gillean Iain Maclaine of Lochbuie, 26th hereditary Chief of Clan Gillean of Lochbuie(although curiously not a blazon of the arms), where one can see that the crest from the arms composes the central portion of the clansman's badge:
http://www.maclaine.org/21.html

As I've mentioned before, the clan badge is a sign of adherence to the chief (and his descendants who become chief, in turn,), not some blanket statement that one bears a particular surname. In other words, you're marking your body with a symbol that shows a "mark of ownership/required allegience" to another. Just something to consider...

David

Edit: Didn't mean to pile on. After posting, saw that Todd had beat me to this.