Tartans

[rick401r]

I realize anyone can wear anything they choose, but since I am not Scottish, would it offend if I were to wear a specific clan's tartan?
The reason I ask is that certain colors and patterns look better on me than others. I currently have 2 kilts, one is a Black Watch, the other a solid black Utilikilt. I am about to make my own kilt and I need to choose the material and I don't want to offend anyone.

[Milfmog]

I'm not Scottish either and so I refer you to my signature below however, for what it's worth my view is wear what you chose but be sure to know whose tartan you are wearing. If anyone challenges you, you will at least be able to tell them what it is and I suspect that will be enough for most. Of course there are a few idiotic purists who will take offence at the very idea that a non-scot should wear a tartan kilt but they would also be offended by the idea that the solid black skirt you mentioned should be called a Utilikilt.

You can't do anything without some risk of upsetting somebody else so, if it harms no one else, do what makes you happy and choose the tartan you like best.

Have fun,


Ian.

[RichardA]

I would not be offended as such if someone wanted to wear my tartan (Anderson), but there are non-clan tartans to wear and why call yourself something your not sorry but that's the way I feel, but whatever floats your boat
non clan tartan

[JRMILLER]

Look,
I am OK with your wearing of the Miller tartan so long as you send me and every other Miller $1 per month royalty fee. That will help defray the cost of the tartan design. Let's see, how many Millers are there?

[Ray]

I'd be very surprised if anyone challenged you, but I agree that knowing the tartan is a good idea. It makes you sound as if you know something about the kilt and its history!

My goodness; I've not worn my kilts for a little while. I need to lose a few pounds (injury = flab!) but can't wait to get back to it again. Kilts rock

[Since1982]

You can wear mine if you like. I never wear kilts so it's not likely I'd mind. The Fraser(Scottish) or Jones(Welsh) tartans are mine.

[Ray]

Thanks for the offer!

I don't think Florida + kilts = comfort. It's a bit warm/humid....

[cessna152towser]

Its a personal choice whether to wear a tartan kilt or to go with denim, camo, or solid colours. There is nothing to prevent you wearing any tartan you like, though it would be an advantage to know the historical background of the tartan and to have some form of connection with it so that if anyone asks you about it you are able to have an intelligent conversation with them. Although I live in Scotland, not all of my tartans are specifically Scottish, and you certainly do not need to be a Scot to wear tartan. Some examples of the tartans which I wear:-
Cunningham, Wallace, MacLeod, McKenzie, Hamilton - My family name and family names of ancestors' families, grandmothers maiden names etc. To these you can add hunting and weathered tartans, for example I have a heavyweight Wallace kilt in the hunting version of the tartan where the sett is larger and the red in the tartan is replaced by green as well as a cheap acrylic kilted skirt in the standard Wallace tartan and I have a heavyweight Weathered McKenzie kilt where the colours of the tartan are muted to greys and browns, as well as a cheap lightweight Mckenzie kilt in the standard version of the tartan.
Teviotdale - the District tartan for the area where I now live, which combines the Elliot clan colours because this area was historically Elliot territory, with our local rugby team's colours and the colours of the town of Hexham in Northumberland, in commemoration of the capture of the Hexham standard by the Scots at the Battle of Hornshole in 1514.
University of Glasgow - The tartan of the university from which I graduated.
Royal Air Force - In honour of my late father - had to go through hoops to get permission to wear this one as the tartan is only available from the RAF's official kiltmaker.
Spirit of Scotland - a fashion tartan from Lochcarron mills.
Dark Island - a shadow tartan, black and very dark grey, again purely a fashion tartan
Paisley - the town where I was born and brought up. First woven at the Anchor Mills in Paisley in 1952 this tartan was adopted by the Burgh of Paisley and by the Paisley family.
Black Watch - the government sett. I was never a black watch soldier but I formerly worked in local government, thats sufficient connection for me to be happy to wear it.
County Armagh - an Irish fashion tartan, since I am 25% Irish, though it is fair to say tartans are not widely known in Ireland - I have worn it out and about in Northern Ireland a few times and so far not one person I have spoken to has recognised the tartan. Solid coloured bottle green or saffron kilts are more usually associated with Ireland.
and of course xmarksthescot - the world's first internet tartan, available to members of the forum of that name, no reason why Skirtcafe could not design and register their own tartan. Union Kilts have their own house tartan, I have an illustration of a friend wearing their tartan on my website.
In my experience, wearing a tartan kilt will attract a lot more attention than simply wearing a solid colour kilt or even a plain unpleated denim skirt.