Of Two Clans

[BigRob]

Hi everyone I'm new to the board and reasonably new to kilts. I have a conundrum when it comes to picking a tartan, my family lineage includes both clan Wallace, and clan Wilson. How do I decide what tartan to wear, can I claim both clans and wear both tartans?

[Father Bill]

It's unusual to have more than one clan claim, and certainly NEVER mix two tartans in one outfit - it's an insult to both of them.

In recognizing your clan lineage and therefor membership, it is traditionally patrilineal unless there is no male progenitor in which case it can be traced through the distaff side for those generations before turning to their male lineage.

[Silmakhor]

Hi everyone I'm new to the board and reasonably new to kilts. I have a conundrum when it comes to picking a tartan, my family lineage includes both clan Wallace, and clan Wilson. How do I decide what tartan to wear, can I claim both clans and wear both tartans?

The traditional approach (past two centuries or so) is to use one closest to your father's clan and stick with it.

Nowadays, many folks who wear kilts on a daily basis choose several tartans to rotate in and out. I suspect that's a new-ish development as we can afford multiple sets of clothing in many styles, a luxury that earlier people could usually not swing.

I'd personally get the one that I had the strongest affinity to, at first, and then pick up the second if you want or "need" the variety.

I don't have a strong clan affiliation though beyond a name in a sept list, so it's not something that motivates my choices.

[Kiltedjohn]

I agree with the comment that you should choose the one which you feel the strongest affinity to. This motivated my own choice. There are some branches of my family tree which I feel much less inclined to support!
Perhaps I may add (though some will disagree) that you don't need to be too legalistic about it. The kilt police will not come to arrest you!

[Liam]

Welcome to the forum from Western Canada! There are other ‘options’ for selecting a kilt that you can identify with, such as the region or city or country you live in or were born in. The selection of universal tartans is considerable.

[TheVintageLibertine]

Perhaps I am the odd man out, but in my view strict patrilineal clan affiliation ought to be left by the wayside, because it does not reflect modern sensibilities: when a woman marries, she neither ceases to be a member of her biological family nor surrenders her own identity. Possibly, this view is influenced, first, by my having Scottish ancestry entirely [on my] matrilineal side and, second, by my mother being a very strong-willed, independent woman. In any event, [i]t is for these reasons that believe folks should determine the tartan(s) they have familial and/or regional connection(s) with, and then pick whichever one they like best. (That is what I did/do.)

Edits: for typos

[Jock Scot]

Perhaps I am the odd man out, but in my view strict patrilineal clan affiliation ought to be left by the wayside, because it does not reflect modern sensibilities: when a woman marries, she neither ceases to be a member of her biological family nor surrenders her own identity. Possibly, this view is influenced, first, by my having Scottish ancestry entirely matrilineal side and, second, by my mother being a very strong-willed, independent woman. In any event, tt is for these reasons that believe folks should determine the tartan(s) they have familial and/or regional connection(s) with, and then pick whichever one they like best. (That is what I did/do.)

Perhaps my dear wife's example would be considered more traditional? My wife before she married her first husband wore her father's Clan tartan and no other. When in due course she married she then wore her husband's tartan and no other. After his untimely death, she continued to wear his tartan, until she (thank goodness) married me and now, purely voluntarily I may add, she wears my tartan and no other. Her children from the first marriage, when old enough, were offered the choice of their father's tartan, or mine. Quite correctly in my view, they decided to wear their late father's tartan.

Some of you may be interested that both my wife and me have several different Clan tartans that we could wear, through family connections, if we so choose. In fact, my family for several generations choose to wear just one. We are not alone in Scotland in doing so and I would suggest, that is traditional thinking here.