Received my kilt made in my clan's tartan

**sbroomheadsr** · 17th July 16, 07:56 AM

It took just under 7 weeks, but my new kilt from Scotland has arrived. I ordered a 'Luxury 8 Yard Kilt by John Morrison' from Heritage of Scotland. The tartan is Dunbar. Flashings, shipping, and customs fees were included.

I'm getting up in years and this will probably be the only family kilt I buy. Thus was the reason behind this choice.

I'm very happy with the kilt. I hope I do my ancestors proud.

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**Mirthlesstroll** · 17th July 16, 05:03 PM

Looks great!

**Mael Coluim** · 17th July 16, 05:18 PM

Congratulations! You look grand.

**GrainReaper** · 18th July 16, 04:55 AM

Very nice kilt, Wear it well!

**bicyclebradley** · 18th July 16, 07:10 AM

Looks great, and that mighty beard compliments the kilt well!

**OC Richard** · 18th July 16, 01:01 PM

Very nice!

The only thing I would do differently (myself being one of those evil traditionalists) would be to wear traditional-style flashes.

**Jimmy the Celt** · 18th July 16, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Very nice!

The only thing I would do differently (myself being one of those evil traditionalists) would be to wear traditional-style flashes.

Not only do they look great, I find they are more comfortable as well.

**bicyclebradley** · 18th July 16, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Very nice!

The only thing I would do differently (myself being one of those evil traditionalists) would be to wear traditional-style flashes.

Please elaborate on "traditional style". those appear to match the tartan, is that not traditional? are you referring to the red/green solid colors?
thanks for any education on the topic! B.

**Profane James** · 18th July 16, 06:51 PM

I think he means garters, tied around the calf, then hose tops turned over on top of the knot, with the ends hanging out underneath.

**OC Richard** · 19th July 16, 04:56 AM

Making flashes from woven yardage, cut to shape and hemmed, is quite recent.

I think kiltmakers had all these piles of tartan scraps about, and finally found something to do with them! (For 200 years they had just thrown them away, I suppose.)

Flashes and garters have always been made of wool (or more rarely silk) woven to the correct width, woven for the specific purpose of making garters/flashes. Traditionally they're woven worsted wool tape, woven in a herringbone pattern. For centuries the most common colour has been scarlet. Green perhaps has been the 2nd most popular colour over the years. Not difficult to imagine why- scarlet and green appear in a vast number of tartans.

Many people nowadays, with their kilts, wear the garters worn with Shooting Socks. These are knit. Possibly the ancient Highlanders wore garters like that too. Don't know if there's evidence for that, and anyhow that's in the purview of historical costume rather than traditional Highland Dress.

Here are modern flashes made of the traditional stuff. This exact stuff, in long lengths, and tied around the legs, has been common for probably 200 years at least.

These guys would have been wearing garters of that same stuff.

Here are Shooting Socks and the garters worn with them. Not traditional Highland Dress per se but very popular with kilts.

Here are the garters. You tie them.