Bad weather brings out the typist in us all. I have been surfing and have found many strange and wondrous things which I ask the advice of wiser men on:

1) Someone posted a link to Tyneside Tartans http://www.tynesidetartans.com/jackets.htm list of rules for the Prince Charlie, including this advice "Never wear a belt with a Prince Charlie" which seems wise, but then their illustration, tiny as it is, seems to show a man in a PC with waistcoat and belt- or maybe just a 4 inch gap between the top of his kilt and the bottom of said waistcoat... I don't even know how to ask a question about this, sorry.

B) A Clan Society's webpage acknowledges that they can't stop me from wearing their tartan, but goes on to talk about the RULES OF THE SCOTTISH CLAN SYSTEM


The rules of the Scottish clan system (I quote): Excepting the "District", "Caledonia" and "Jacobite" tartans, no one should wear a tartan to which invites scorn, and is contrary to the whole principle of the clan system. Nor does one "select" tartans from this or that "line" of ancestors. The vital question is, "To which Clan do I belong?"

1. You "belong" to the clan of which you bear the name or sept name.

2. You have no real right to wear your mother's tartan unless you have taken her name.

3. You cannot belong to several clans at once.

4. Adherents (cliathe) of non-clan names are, as followers, sometimes allowed to wear the tartan (usually a hunting set if any) and to become members of a clan society.
he is not by name or descent entitled. To do so is foolish and ill-mannered,

[Um, that would be the website quoting, not poor MacLowlife...]

Golly. I have been ill mannered in my day, but I prefer not to be foolish. I recognize the authority of each clan chief with in his or her own clan, but I do wonder about this. I would be pleased to hear from Practical Scots and from North Americans, as well as anyone else.

Many Thanks for patience, tolerance, and forbearance...