How my tartan taste has changed

[Racer96]

Thanks for sharing your story, Alan.

It's funny to me, as I seem to be going in the exact opposite direction as you.

My introduction to kilts was through Utilikilts. The first times I saw them, I thought that there wasn't a chance that I'd be able to pull it off and wear it confidently. Then I tried one on, and quickly became hooked.

Next up was Freedom Kilts, then Union Kilts, then R kilts, then Amerikilt, then Alt Kilt. All in solid colours or camo materials. I just didn't think that I could wear a clan tartan. I thought they looked great, but, I had no affiliation, and couldn't visibly 'fake' a Scottish identity (I'm of japanese descent.)

Then I read more and more on this site, and found out about universal tartans, and fashion tartans. And the thought grew that perhaps I could wear one of those tartans. But, the pockets! Oh, the pockets. How I need my pockets.

Well, right about that time, Steve introduced us to the HBC tartan. And conveniently, he makes a tartan kilt complete with pockets. What luck! The order was soon placed for that HBC tartan, a fashion tartan that I did feel a direct link to, with pockets.

Not long after that, Rocky was having a sale on his off the rack casual models. What a divine coincidence that he happened to have one in my size in the American Heritage tartan. (My wife is American.) I was able to get it and have an under apron pocket put in. *phew* I still had a pocket.

Yes, I know, that's what sporrans are for. And I do like the looks of sporrans, I just have a very big fear of placing a dangly bit in front of my own dangly bits. Yes, yes, that's irrational, as thousands have been doing it, and continue doing it, but, it's just something I haven't been able to cross,,,, yet.

Anyways, I now had two tartans, with fairly direct affiliations. I then ordered a Maple Leaf tartan kilt (again, with pockets) which I also have a link to.

The next step though, came when I placed an order for a fashion tartan, that I have absolutely no link to. I just happened to like the colours of it. The Edinburgh tartan looks really nice, and it also gave me a chance to get a kilt from another kiltmaker that I had gotten to know and like.

So, I will soon have in my hands, a fashion tartan kilt that has no link to me, aside from the fact that I like the colours in it. Somewhere in my queue, I will also be ordering up an antarctic tartan (again, just because I love the colours in it, through Kathy Lare), as well as a tartan with japanese historical context (through Mr. Newsome!) There's some other tartans out there that I really like as well, that holyrood comes to mind ;) , and yes, I'm sure there will even be a clan tartan at some point.

To make a short story even longer, I guess, it just goes to show how everyone is different.

Mike

PS Now if I could just work on that sporran fear....

[Alan H]

Thanks for sharing your story, Alan.

It's funny to me, as I seem to be going in the exact opposite direction as you.

To make a short story even longer, I guess, it just goes to show how everyone is different.

Mike

You know Mike, if we were all the same, think how boring it would be.

I note, for example that john McKnight, a Scot emigrated from Ulster in 1733. He was the grandfather of Martha McKnight, who had 14 children. Martha is my ancestor, and so of course, John is as well. And because of that I kind of have a hankering for the Ulster tartan and a kilt in that tartan, tenuous though that connection may be.

Enjoy your Antarctica tartan kilt when it comes. The tartan is a beauty!