Allowed tartans

[pbpersson]

Don't parade around in somebody else's colors!

Yes, I keep saying this on this forum and people keep telling me I should wear whatever I darned well please, whatever I think looks nice. However, being a traditional sort of guy and always following "rules" in life I don't know if I can really agree with that point of view.

However, I am NOT Scottish and don't have a drop of Scottish blood but I have already found these tartans that I can wear with pride:

Sweden - where my dad was born and raised
Germany - where my great grandparents came from
Chicago - where I was born
Illinois - where I grew up
Arizona - where I am living now
American National - my country

Along with those, there are TONS of tartans at this site that are of unknown origin. Thus far I have found "orphan" tartans under the following words:

Unidentified
Unnamed
Wilsons

http://www.tartans.scotland.net/tart...?tartan_id=299

I hope this helps.


Phoenix Phil

[Rex_Tremende]

Yes, I keep saying this on this forum and people keep telling me I should wear whatever I darned well please, whatever I think looks nice. However, being a traditional sort of guy and always following "rules" in life I don't know if I can really agree with that point of view.

And yet, Phil, you seem to worry about it quite a bit. No one is making you buy a clan tartan, and by your own posts, an actual traditional kilt is some ways off in the future for you, so what about this concerns you now? Are you finding tartans that you'd like to wear but don't feel entitled, and this is creating some cognitive dissonance for you? It seems that you've already found a list of tartans that is acceptable to you, so why not decide that clan tartans are off limits for you and be done with it? Choose one from your vetted list first and see where it takes you.

As with the Mocker/Original question, there are many opinions about this matter, but the only one that matters is yours. Keep in mind that no one is actually telling you what to do, they are stating their opinion, just as beloitpiper has.

Meanwhile, enjoy that UK that hasn't arrived yet.

Regards,
Rex in Cincinnati

[MacWage]

. . .

Unidentified
Unnamed
Wilsons

http://www.tartans.scotland.net/tart...?tartan_id=299

I hope this helps.


Phoenix Phil

THE reason that many of the unnamed tartans are "Wilsons" is that one of/the premier tartan weaver of the late 18th/early 19th century was Wilson and Sons of Bannokburn (near Stirling and the site of a rather significant famous battle). He/They was one of the first to name tartans after clans and was the "go to" firm for clan chiefs to ID "their" tartans or to weave ones "found" in the clan territories. Earlier, Wilson's used numbers to ID the tartans,but names were more romantic and sold better. Many Wilson's tartans are now clan tartans. Some in the early Wilsons sample books are actually DIFFERENT clan tartans than those known today and some are even DIFFERENT clans entirely. Thus, many tartans were made and sold by the firm that are historical, but now "un-linked" to a particular association.

Be warned though, SOME tartans are legally restricted to certain persons, such as a golf club's members or some particular clan tartans, like that of Harden of Cowenknowles. For the latter, MAKE SURE you get PERMISSION first. Most, fortunately, are not so restricted.

That said, think of tartans as team colors. If I was an NFL (American Football) fan and pulled for the Atlanta Falcons, I would wear red, black, and silver. For the Green Bay Packers, I would wear green and yellow. A friend of mine is a BIG Buffalo Bills fan. Once he wore a pullover that was orange and green. I kidded him about wearing Miami Dolphins (the Bills biggest rival) colors and he LITERALLY removed the shirt and BURNED IT in front of me. For Brits, think Liverpool and Manchester or Rangers and Celtic.

If you wear a tartan, you are supporting what that tartan represents (clan, region, group, et cetera). Most tartan/kilt wearers know this innately, others are clueless (most of the latter never find this forum, much less join). Be prepared to know the tartan, what it means/represents, and a logical/reasonable rational for wearing that tartan.

[MacWage]

THE reason that many of the unnamed tartans are "Wilsons" is that one of/the premier tartan weaver of the late 18th/early 19th century was Wilson and Sons of Bannokburn (near Stirling and the site of a rather significant famous battle). He/They was one of the first to name tartans after clans and was the "go to" firm for clan chiefs to ID "their" tartans or to weave ones "found" in the clan territories. Earlier, Wilson's used numbers to ID the tartans,but names were more romantic and sold better. Many Wilson's tartans are now clan tartans. Some in the early Wilsons sample books are actually DIFFERENT clan tartans than those known today and some are even DIFFERENT clans entirely. Thus, many tartans were made and sold by the firm that are historical, but now "un-linked" to a particular association.

Be warned though, SOME tartans are legally restricted to certain persons, such as a golf club's members or some particular clan tartans, like that of Harden of Cowenknowles. For the latter, MAKE SURE you get PERMISSION first. Most, fortunately, are not so restricted.

That said, think of tartans as team colors. If I was an NFL (American Football) fan and pulled for the Atlanta Falcons, I would wear red, black, and silver. For the Green Bay Packers, I would wear green and yellow. A friend of mine is a BIG Buffalo Bills fan. Once he wore a pullover that was orange and green. I kidded him about wearing Miami Dolphins (the Bills biggest rival) colors and he LITERALLY removed the shirt and BURNED IT in front of me. For Brits, think Liverpool and Manchester or Rangers and Celtic.

If you wear a tartan, you are supporting what that tartan represents (clan, region, group, et cetera). Most tartan/kilt wearers know this innately, others are clueless (most of the latter never find this forum, much less join). Be prepared to know the tartan, what it means/represents, and a logical/reasonable rational for wearing that tartan.

WOW!!!!!
NOW I remember this thread from a year ago. It is interesting reading the flow of the thread.

I STILL hold to the above sports analogy.
The Tartans are only a couple hundred years old in clan associations, but those associations are VERY stong.
When one wears ANY tartan, they are associating themselves with the meaning of that tartan.

Now, a year later, I now own box pleat kilts in: "Jedi" (Greenville 2006), Caledonia, Carolina, and 13 oz X Marks, am working on MacNeil, USA Bicent. (for completion by July 4th), and Wallace, and have Gordon and 16 oz X marks on the way, plus a "wish-list" that will make over 20 kilts when/if I get them all. ALL 20 have specific and special meaning FOR ME. None are chosen "for the colors" and all have "ties" in some form or fashion. I STILL do not own a solid kilt (though I have canvas and wool to make some, though the wool has become balmorals/tams/bonnets).
I STILL have a number of belted plaids, but I have worn only one ONCE in the last year.

Interesting thread to revive. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks.

[McFarkus]

However, I am NOT Scottish and don't have a drop of Scottish blood but I have already found these tartans that I can wear with pride:

Chicago - where I was born
Illinois - where I grew up

Phoenix Phil

The Chicago tartan is the University of Chicago tartan, not a municipal tartan and the Illinois tartan is the Illinois St. Andrew's Society tartan, not a state tartan. So these are not strictly general tartans.

As the family genealogist, I made a list of clans from whom we have a direct descent and have used that when selecting tartans. There was one on ebay in my size that was not on the list, so I did a little research and found that we had intermarried with that clan sufficiently to claim a connection. I feel better if I can trace the connection.

That said, it is my personal choice to do that, and I have no problem with someone else wearing the tartan as long as they know what tartan they're wearing and treat it with respect.