Clan MacLeod tartan question

[NCMC]

Let me preface this questions with letting you know that I have just started to look in to our family genealogy.

Would someone please explain how the two part of Clan MacLeod fit together (based on tartans and clan cap badges)?

I have been looking at the history of MacLeods and how they can be traced to Leod, who was born about 1200, the son of Olaf the Black, King of Man and the Isles. Leod married the daughter and heiress of MacRaild about the year 1220. Through his son, Tormod, came the MacLeods of Harris, Dunvegan and Glenelg, and through his second son, Torquil, came the MacLeods of Lewis.
According to the Clan MacLeod Society website the badge of MacLeod of MacLeod bears the motto 'HOLD FAST', while that of MacLeod of Lewis is 'I BURN WHILE I SEE.' The badges do not show a separation of clanship, but rather a togetherness, and a shared loyalty to one another.

However (stay with me here is the question), now it appears that the MacLeods of Lewis (Loud MacLeod tartan) is also called MacLeod dress on many websites that sell kilts. So is it possible the someone wearing a MacLeod of Lewis kilt (as MacLeod dress) would wear the MacLeod of Harris cap badge but usually wear the MacLeod of Harris tartan while not in a formal setting? When and how would you match the tartan to the cap badge?
I hope that long winded question/rambling didn't confuse too many people.
Any ideas?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

It's been my (somewhat limited) experience that the folks from Harris rarely, if ever, wear the MacLeod of Lewis tartan. They also rarely, if ever, wear the Lewis cap badge. So, my advice would be to avoid "mixing" tartans and cap badges. If you are a Lewis M'Leod stick to that; if you are from Harris, then stick to that and don't confuse yourself with the notion of "dress" tartans.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

This is a very confusing question, especially when you consider that many outwith Scotland may know they are MacLeods but have no idea whether their ancestors were from Harris or Lewis.

As you said, the MacLeod of Lewis tartan is just as often called Dress MacLeod, and the MacLeod of Harris tartan is just as often referred to as MacLeod Hunting.

In my experience with folks here in the United States some people might have a "family tradition" in the sense that "everyone in my family has always worn the yellow dress MacLeod and so that's what I'm going to wear." Most of the time, though, MacLeod descendants here seem to wear both tartans equally depending upon personal preference.

Ruari Halford-MacLeod, president of the Clan MacLeod Society of Scotland (and I believe first cousin to the past MacLeod chief), wears any and all of the MacLeod tartans. He's a tartan scholar in his own right and has published a small book on the MacLeod tartans. So I'm willing to follow his example in this one.

The Clan MacLeod Society of Scotland's web site has a section on tartans, which I assume he wrote himself.
http://www.clan-macleod-scotland.org.uk/tartans.php

On the yellow tartan, he writes:

It is sometimes called dress MacLeod and MacLeod of Lewis, but it was designed long after the family of the Lewes had ceased to be chiefs. Any MacLeod may wear the tartan.

On the green tartan, he wirtes:

The tartan was first recorded in 1831 but is probably older. It is sometimes called MacLeod of Harris, but any MacLeod may wear it.

The Scottish Tartans Authority has this in their notes on the green tartan (which they index simply under "MacLeod (Clan)," but cross-reference as "MacLeod of Harris" and "MacLeod Hunting"), attributed to Halford-MacLeod:

The sett has its source in the MacKenzie tartan used in 1777 by John MacKenzie called Lord MacLeod when he raised a regiment called 'Lord MacLeod's Highlanders'. The family claimed to be heirs of the last chief of Lewis, Roderick, who had died in 1595. (Tartans of Clan MacLeod. Rhuairidh MacLeod (1990).) This tartan was approved by the Chief Norman Magnus, 26th Chief, in 1910 and adopted by the clan society.

As is pointed out on the clan web site, there are actually many more MacLeod tartans than just these two. The Tartans of Clan MacLeod book can still be purcahsed (I am assuming) by writing to the address on the web site.

[Jock Scot]

I think all your questions have been answered. My clan is MacLeod of Harris and me, my father and my grandfather all wore and wear(me) the green MacLeod of Harris tartan during the day and minor formal events in the evening. On the more formal evening events we wear the "dress" Macleod(otherwise known as MacLeod of Lewis, or loud Macleod). These days I have noticed that the green MacLeod of Harris is worn for any formal event. Not surprising really, when a decent kilt costs well over £500 over here, so why have two?

[NCMC]

Gentlemen,
Thank you all for your response. Informative as always, thanks.

Jock Scot,
In your experience during formal events did you wear a cap w/cap badge? If so what did you wear with loud MacLeod?

I think all your questions have been answered. My clan is MacLeod of Harris and me, my father and my grandfather all wore and wear(me) the green MacLeod of Harris tartan during the day and minor formal events in the evening. On the more formal evening events we wear the "dress" Macleod(otherwise known as MacLeod of Lewis, or loud Macleod). These days I have noticed that the green MacLeod of Harris is worn for any formal event. Not surprising really, when a decent kilt costs well over £500 over here, so why have two?

[SFCRick]

wear either, the Isle of Lewis & Isle of Harris are one island, they are not divided by waterhttp://www.isle-of-lewis.com/maps/lewis/page-6-2008.jpg

[Jock Scot]

Gentlemen,
Thank you all for your response. Informative as always, thanks.

Jock Scot,
In your experience during formal events did you wear a cap w/cap badge? If so what did you wear with loud MacLeod?

A bonnet and badge are rarely worn these days anyway, I am an exception, but they are even more rarely(never even) worn to a formal event , unless the Scottish weather is more dire than usual. In that case anything will do! Of course upon entering the building, assuming you are not a piper at the event, the bonnet is removed forthwith.

You may have seen a picture of me at a very formal wedding in France, where I am wearing a bonnet and badge, it would not be something that I would do normally, but I did it to indulge a very pretty bride!

[NCMC]

Jock,
I am sure that many things have been done to indulge brides on their wedding day. Well played sir, well played.

A bonnet and badge are rarely worn these days anyway, I am an exception, but they are even more rarely(never even) worn to a formal event , unless the Scottish weather is more dire than usual. In that case anything will do! Of course upon entering the building, assuming you are not a piper at the event, the bonnet is removed forthwith.

You may have seen a picture of me at a very formal wedding in France, where I am wearing a bonnet and badge, it would not be something that I would do normally, but I did it to indulge a very pretty bride!