Quote Originally Posted by Jock Scot View Post
There are some,not many,tartans that I really like and if I were a "colonial"(sorry!)type who has been brought up with a healthy dis-regard to conventions or even rules then I would very happily go out and wear them.I am afraid that whilst this traditional old Scot is still breathing I am doomed (and proud) to have worn the same tartan for all my years.
Being one of the colonials who has ties to Scotland, although they are back several generations, I have no direct line to any one name. While hunting for a tartan for my recent kilt purchase I looked at the tartans connected with all my ancestrial names. Some of these tartans caught my eye, and others made me think "well...." and in the end I chose the Caledonian as much for the district as because I (and as important I suppose my wife) liked the look of the tartan.

To some of the traditionalists on this board this might appear to be a sketchy way to choose a tartan, and for my next I'll certainly choose on connected to a particular ancestor's name. However, that being said I had the thought process that I'd rather be comfortable in getting to wear a kilt that I truely liked over wearing a tartan just because of the name. Just my two cents for what it's worth.