Quick Question

[ckelly327]

I was looking through all of the pictures of the No Cal Burns Night dinner and I was just curious about one thing. Why aren't there more kilts that are predominatly red? I only saw a couple present. I was just wondering if it was a coincidense (sp?) or are there really a lot more tartans that lean toward the darker colors? Personally, I wear a MacDonald tartan to more formal occasions and it has a lot of red in it.

Just asking because everyone looked great.

[Paul Henry]

One reason might be that historically the colour red was always difficult to achieve, there are plenty of rusts and browns, but red was always fugitive.Today of course producing red is not so difficult , but is still often the first colour to fade ....

[MacWage]

One reason might be that historically the colour red was always difficult to achieve, there are plenty of rusts and browns, but red was always fugitive. Today of course producing red is not so difficult , but is still often the first colour to fade ....

Red that was "Coca-Cola Red" was very expensive. The owner who could afford a large amount of it used it as a status symbol. Actually,it was not unlike the Mercedes in the USA (and,unfortunately the Hummer-> a GREAT off road vehicle that most off-roaders cannot afford, especially those that actually NEED a vehicle with its cross-country capabilities).
This symbolic nature is shown in how all-red great kilts are worn in portraits. It was their finest and a "humble" way of showing they could afford enough red for a WHOLE plaid. It is also one reason that SO many of the tartans in portraits are prodominantly (or at least a sizable proportion) red.
Most "modern" clan tartans were developed/adopted in the victorian era, when more "subdued" tones were more fashionable. It is striking (to me) to see the brightness of the 18-teens tartans made by Wilson's and recorded at the time of King George's "tartan-fest" visit in contrast to the victorian ones. In the "adoption" period, many of the early ones recieved a duller/darker "hunting" companion, while newer adoptions tended to be darker in tone.
The above are just my observations. I'll leave it to our Tartan scholar Matt, who has spent MUCH more time reading more authoritative sources than I have ever as access to read/see, to expand/correct my own observations.

[auld argonian]

Not that you feel this way but I have a buddy who seems to be teetering on the verge of getting a kilt and he keeps asking about the red tartans...he has stated that he thinks that kilts should be red and that that is one of the things that distinguishes a kilt from a skirt. Just an interesting phenomena...I can only suppose that it has to do with a popular media portrayal of kilts where the notorious Royal Stewart tartan predominates.

Best

AA

[PiobBear]

he has stated that he thinks that kilts should be red and that that is one of the things that distinguishes a kilt from a skirt.

He should walk right up and run that one past any soldier who's ever worn the Black Watch, MacKenzie, Gordon, or Hodden Grey.

The response should be highly instructive.

[haukehaien]

Actually, I've run into a similar thing. My first kilt is a fashion tartan, red, black and gray. (You can see it here.)
I was wearing my new SWK Gordon to church and someone asked me if it was a new kilt. I said it was, and as I passed on, I heard another person say "Yeah, his other one is red, more of a traditional plaid."

I think that the common usage of Royal Stewart in advertising and so on has really shaped a lot of people's perceptions of what "tartan" is - I suspect most people imagine a red tartan when they think of tartan.

[Erisianmonkey]

When I was looking at tartans for my first kilt a few years ago, my father was looking over my shoulder. His comment was that if he were ever going to get a kilt, he'd want it to have a lot of red in it. I asked why and he said that he thought it looked "more traditional." When I showed him that there were a lot of tartans that had absolutely no red in them he was a bit surprised, so yeah, I'd say a lot of folks who haven't actually done some looking into tartan and kilts would be contaminated by the reds of "advertising" tartans out there.

[MacWage]

What . . .like the Walker's shortbread tins???

[Erisianmonkey]

Exactly. But speaking of Walker's tins. I actually found a Walker's oatcake tin sitting in the thrift store the other day. I bought it, of course, as it makes a nice addition to my tin and bottle collection. (exotics only, no razzing, please.)

[macwilkin]

Moved thread to heraldry & tartans section, since tartan is the subject being discussed.

T.