Is it considered excessive if one wears multiple clan crest accessories?

[Sir Didymous]

I typically only wear a clan cap badge. I sometimes wear a Ferguson kilt pin, but only with my Clergy tartan at church functions when the bonnet isn't being worn. My lapel pin is used solely with my Saxon attire. I have considered a clan crested tie, but again it would only be used with suits and the like. A tartan kilt says a thousand words.

[bicyclebradley]

agree with the masses. less is more. the jacket/waistcoast i wear has antiqued buttons as does my dress sporran cantle/chain so they are not shiny.
i do wear a kilt pin with the clan badge, also antiqued.
but it's small and not to "blingy" but... it has a unicorn, so it's pretty magical...

[Profane James]

I like the antiqued look as well - ah, subtlety.

[MichPherson]

I agree with the crew, however; I will say that the wearing of the clan badge ad nauseum tends to be something newbies do. At least I did, after I bought my first kilts. As a clan convener I still wear the badge but I'm no longer wearing it every where I possible could. I remember looking for a sgain, buckle, patch for my jacket etc. Luckily I overcame that particular fetish. It is on my cap (which doesn't matter as I am so hot natured I rarely wear it). If I'm representing the clan at a function, I will wear my clan badge kilt pin. If not, I'll usually wear a thistle one.
At least I haven't fallen into another fetish I see frequently; that is wearing a badge for every clan you have an affiliation with, no matter how remote, all at the same time. That one bothers even me.

Interesting thread. As a brand-new kilt buyer I'll confess to also buying a clan crest kilt pin, belt buckle and hat badge. After reading this I'll probably alternate wearing them, and avoid wearing them together. I will have others I can substitute.

[macduff67]

I've had two kilt pins break where either the top or bottom of the badge intersects with the sword, which has put me off that design.

There are so many nice Celtic, as well as "generic" lion or thistle designs, that "read better" from a distance than tiny badges, in my opinion.

Didn't Crispin Agnew state in The Highlander years ago that beyond wearing a cap badge and "by convention" a badge on your sporran, all other accessories with badges are technically marked as your chief's property?

[Steve Ashton]

From "The Highland Clans" Moncreiffe, 1967

"A Scottish Crest Badge is a heraldic badge worn to show allegiance to an individual or membership in a specific Scottish clan. Crest badges are commonly called clan crests, but this is a misnomer; there is no such thing as a collective clan crest, just as there is no such thing as a clan coat of arms.
Crest badges consist of a crest and a motto/slogan. These elements are heraldic property and protected by law in Scotland. Crest badges may be worn by anyone; however, those who are not entitled to the heraldic elements within, wear a crest badge surrounded by a strap and buckle. Those who own the heraldic elements within, may wear a crest badge surrounded by a plain circlet. The strap and buckle represents that the wearer is a follower of the individual who owns the crest and motto.
Crest badges are commonly worn by members of Scottish clans. These badges usually consist of elements from the clan chief's coat of arms. Clan members who wear their chief's crest and motto surrounded by a strap and buckle, show they are a member of the chief's clan (family). There are established clans that do not have chiefs recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. In such cases clan members sometimes wear the crest badge of the last known chief. Some clans wear crest badges derived from the arms of individuals who were never recognized as clan chiefs. Although "clan crests" are commonly bought and sold, the heraldic crest and motto belong to the chief alone and never the individual clan member.
Crest badges, much like clan tartans, do not have a long history, and owe much to Victorian era romanticism, having only been worn on the bonnet since the 19th century. The original badges used by clans are said to have been specific plants worn in bonnets or hung from a pole or spear."

For the most authoritative word on crests, badges, coats of arms and other heraldry in Scotland please see leaflet #2 published by The Lord Lyon King of Arms.

http://www.scotarmigers.net/pdfs/info-leaflet-2.pdf

[CollinMacD]

I am rather new to this too, but I thought the Tartan you wore denoted the family clan? Am I missing something? The badges, and crests look nice, but are they necessary. I just soon keep the focus on the tartan rather then the jewelry and accessories. It's like fishing lures for people. Fishing lures attract and catch more people to spend their money buy them, then they do what they were designed for, catching fish.

[Holcombe Thomas]

I wear only a clan badge on my hat, which also serves as something in which to tuck my XMarks dandelion.

Holcombe

[Steve Ashton]

The Tartan you wear may or may not denote a Clan affiliation. The vast majority of Scots are Lowlanders so would not traditionally had a Highland Clan affiliation.

Of the thousands of Tartans a relatively small number are Clan Tartans. Many Tartans denote a region or area. This is the original source of Tartan. Only during the late 1700's and early 1800's did the regional Tartans take on the names we attribute to them today.

Today there are Tartans for everything. Tartan tells the world "Who I am, where do I or where did my people come from, And how did I get where I am today." A Tartan can tell this to the world without being a Clan Tartan. The Official Tartan of Canada does this. "I am Canadian" to borrow a phrase.

Companies have Tartans. Clubs and organizations have Tartans.

So it is possible that someone would wear a Tartan of where they live today or the organization they feel close to and yet still want to show a Clan affiliation through the Clan Crest Kilt Pin or Cap Badge.

But two or more Clan Crests at the same time? Most people would say "That's rather confusing. Can you have fidelity, faithfulness, or loyalty to two at the same time?"

[dcommini]

I know people have weighed in, and there's not been a post in months, but with all of the clan crest stuff it reminds me of newly made Master Masons who go out and buy a plethora of Masonic kit, and wear them all at the same time.

A brother of mine had a belt and buckle that had the square and compass, cufflinks, hats, shirts, lapel pins, the works. He wore most of them together a lot of the time and it looked comical. I understand he was proud of his fraternal affiliation, but he over did it.

In the same way, wearing the clan crest in multiple places all at once looks comical. I'd say just the hat badge should be enough.