Tartan Etiquette

[Nathan]

As mentioned above, there is a diversity of opinion on the matter. Fr. Bill sums it up nicely and there have been countless threads on here about this very topic that you may wish to review.

My school of thought is that my tartans represent my clan/family (MacDonald) and so I don't like it when people with no affiliation to our clan wear it as I feel like they're misrepresenting themselves as MacDonalds. This is a common view and is the reason that weavers and others have designed so many generic, reagional, national and fashion tartans for people with no clan affiliation to wear and enjoy without the prickly possibility of causing offense or looking like a "wanna be".

Others may tell you they are honoured when someone wears their tartan. They may also give you permission on behalf of their entire clan to wear "their" tartan. Alas, unless they are the Chief, it is not their permission to give, and moreover, since you aren't violating a law, no permission is required. What you'd be violating is recent tradition (the last 200 years) and kilt etiquette. If I see someone in MacDonald tartan at a Highland Games, I will certainly strike up a conversation with them as a kinsman. If they say to me, "Actually my name is Gerdhardt Wong Rodriguez and I'm not a MacDonald or even Scottish but I got this on ebay for $100 bucks and my buddy Mike MacDonald told me he's ok with me wearing it. Isn't it cool?" I'm going to be annoyed.

What can I do about it? Nothing. Does he have a legal right to wear the cloth he paid for? Certainly. Does he have respect for my cultural and familial traditions? Not really, or so it would seem - yet he wraps himself in the garb of my people. Perhaps he does this because he admires the look, perhaps to attract attention.

I only weigh in with this view because I want anyone who makes this choice to wear another clan's tartan to know that we're out here. There are those of us who don't appreciate others wearing our tartan and who would never wear another clan's tartan (unless it was part of a uniform). If you take that into account and decide it's worth saving a few bucks and to hell with us, then so be it. I just don't think it's cool.

There are hundreds of tartans that anyone from anywhere can wear, so why not just do that?

If you don't know where to start try:

Black Watch
Royal Stewart
These two are common and easy to find used.
Saltire
Heritage of Scotland
Texas Bluebonnet Tartan
American National Tartan
Xmarksthescot.com tartan** ---> ty Father Bill

A quick Google search on generic tartan also yeilded:
Holyrood Tartan
Auld Scotland Tartan
Patriot Tartan
Flower of Scotland Tartan
Scottish National Tartan
Scotland Forever Tartan
Caledonia Tartan
Highland Rose Tartan
Isle of Skye Tartan
Pride of Scotland Modern Tartan
Royal Pride Tartan
Help for Heroes Tartan
Capercaillie Tartan
Amnesty International Tartan
Your alma mater or religious denomination may have a tartan also.

And it none of those are to your liking, you can design your own and have it woven for about the same price as having a kilt made in an existing tartan. You can call it the Psynister Tartan and so it shall remain forevermore.

That way when someone asks, "What tartan is that?" You can give them a proud answer that tells them a little bit about who you are and to what you'd like to show loyalty rather than, "I think its McChicken but I'm not really sure...who cares?"