Wearing a clans tartan

[macwilkin]

Just my thoughts but, I feel a person can wear any tartan they like. With that said personaly i like to know a little about the tartan I am wearing. I do this mostly so i can speak about it when i get questions about clans and so on.

I agree. Since, as Thompson has stated, there is no such thing as a "right" to wear a tartan, then as long as the tartan is not "restricted", such as the Balmoral or certain clan/family tartans (the material has to be purchased from the Chief and/or society with appropriate documentation), it is open for wear -- but, as you have stated, if you are going to wear the tartan, you should be prepared to explain why you chose it and know your tartan, as Jimmy has advised on many occasion.

Personally, the least connection, no matter how small it is, is better than none at all.

Cheers,

T.

[macwilkin]

Just my thoughts but, I feel a person can wear any tartan they like. With that said personaly i like to know a little about the tartan I am wearing. I do this mostly so i can speak about it when i get questions about clans and so on.

I agree. Since, as Thompson has stated, there is no such thing as a "right" to wear a tartan, then as long as the tartan is not "restricted", such as the Balmoral or certain clan/family tartans (the material has to be purchased from the Chief and/or society with appropriate documentation), it is open for wear -- but, as you have stated, if you are going to wear the tartan, you should be prepared to explain why you chose it and know your tartan, as Jimmy has advised on many occasion.

Personally, the least connection, no matter how small it is, is better than none at all.

Cheers,

T.

[Jerry]

I've already posted my reply to this topic, but here is one other piece of info. You are allowed to wear most tartans, but when it comes to the Clan Coat of Arms, it is registered to the clan Chieftan and only he may display it. A clan member is allowed to wear a clan badge, but it must be the clan symbol encircled by a belt. Witness the MacNeil of Barra Clan badge in my Avitar.

[Jerry]

I've already posted my reply to this topic, but here is one other piece of info. You are allowed to wear most tartans, but when it comes to the Clan Coat of Arms, it is registered to the clan Chieftan and only he may display it. A clan member is allowed to wear a clan badge, but it must be the clan symbol encircled by a belt. Witness the MacNeil of Barra Clan badge in my Avitar.

[Jerry]

I've already posted my reply to this topic, but here is one other piece of info. You are allowed to wear most tartans, but when it comes to the Clan Coat of Arms, it is registered to the clan Chieftan and only he may display it. A clan member is allowed to wear a clan badge, but it must be the clan symbol encircled by a belt. Witness the MacNeil of Barra Clan badge in my Avitar.

[macwilkin]

JerMc,

You are quite correct; in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, arms belong to the individual, and not everyone bearing that surname. An individual with arms is known as an "armiger". In Scotland, heraldric laws comes under the jurisdiction of the Lyon Court, whose chief officer is the Lord Lyon, who oversees all matter heraldic in Scotland. England & Wales have the College of Arms, Erie the College of Heraldry, but Scotland's heraldry laws are certainly the most strict when it comes to who can display arms. Other countries, like South Africa, Spain and Canada have their own Heraldic authorities.

But, I will stop there because we are digressing from tartans -- but the Chief's Crest Badge -- not technically a clan badge, since the device in the center of the badge is the Chief's Crest, i.e. the device above the helm on a coat-of-arms -- is proper for anyone bearing allegiance to that Clan & its Chief.

I used to presentations on heraldry for our genealogy department at the public library where I worked, so I'm kinda passionate about this subject! :mrgreen:

A final note: the crest makes up one part of a coat-of-arms. Beware of the "Bucket Shops" here in America peddling "family coats-of-arms", since there is no such thing.

Cheers,

T.

[macwilkin]

JerMc,

You are quite correct; in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, arms belong to the individual, and not everyone bearing that surname. An individual with arms is known as an "armiger". In Scotland, heraldric laws comes under the jurisdiction of the Lyon Court, whose chief officer is the Lord Lyon, who oversees all matter heraldic in Scotland. England & Wales have the College of Arms, Erie the College of Heraldry, but Scotland's heraldry laws are certainly the most strict when it comes to who can display arms. Other countries, like South Africa, Spain and Canada have their own Heraldic authorities.

But, I will stop there because we are digressing from tartans -- but the Chief's Crest Badge -- not technically a clan badge, since the device in the center of the badge is the Chief's Crest, i.e. the device above the helm on a coat-of-arms -- is proper for anyone bearing allegiance to that Clan & its Chief.

I used to presentations on heraldry for our genealogy department at the public library where I worked, so I'm kinda passionate about this subject! :mrgreen:

A final note: the crest makes up one part of a coat-of-arms. Beware of the "Bucket Shops" here in America peddling "family coats-of-arms", since there is no such thing.

Cheers,

T.

[macwilkin]

JerMc,

You are quite correct; in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, arms belong to the individual, and not everyone bearing that surname. An individual with arms is known as an "armiger". In Scotland, heraldric laws comes under the jurisdiction of the Lyon Court, whose chief officer is the Lord Lyon, who oversees all matter heraldic in Scotland. England & Wales have the College of Arms, Erie the College of Heraldry, but Scotland's heraldry laws are certainly the most strict when it comes to who can display arms. Other countries, like South Africa, Spain and Canada have their own Heraldic authorities.

But, I will stop there because we are digressing from tartans -- but the Chief's Crest Badge -- not technically a clan badge, since the device in the center of the badge is the Chief's Crest, i.e. the device above the helm on a coat-of-arms -- is proper for anyone bearing allegiance to that Clan & its Chief.

I used to presentations on heraldry for our genealogy department at the public library where I worked, so I'm kinda passionate about this subject! :mrgreen:

A final note: the crest makes up one part of a coat-of-arms. Beware of the "Bucket Shops" here in America peddling "family coats-of-arms", since there is no such thing.

Cheers,

T.