Scottish Tartans

[The Mad Hatter]

Hi Folks.

Here's a repost of my Scottish Tartans thread.

The big point is that I have been able to find some neat new tartans to which I have family ties (Ross and Gordon).

Here's the typical Ross tartan:

while, here's "Ross Hunting Ancient"

And here's the typical Gordon tartan:

while here's "Gordon, Red":

You won't believe how many ties my aunts have given me over the years in typical Gordon or Ross. Finding these new tartans is refreshing.

There are some generic, non-family based tartans, such as "Black Watch" (a regimental tartan):

or the generic Scottish "Caledonia" tartan:

The following site is one of many that lets you search Tartans:

http://www.scotlandshop.net/designertartanclothing/tartanfinder.php

 

[Brad Bowers]

Insert Line here:

Wow, I didn't know there were so many Stewart tartans! I guess I need to dig a little farther back into my lineage to see if one would be more appropriate than another.

Thanks for the link.

Brad

 

[Pyroxene]

Barbour

One I didn't see on that page was the Barbour Tartan.

Pyr.

 

[RedPop4]

My great-grandmother was a McQuillen (McQuillan; MacQuillan; MacQuillen) and the corresponding tartan is Huntly District. I haven't had an opportunity to wear it, however.

I may have to kit-up and take a photo.

 

[Harp]

My maternal grandmother's maiden name was Morrison, and she was
fond of the clan's kilt, which resembled that of the Black Watch,
though with red piping as I recall.

 

[dhermann1]

Stewart

I love tartans, but almost all you can get here is Stewart. It's a beautiful pattern, but after having practically drowned myself in the English Civil Wars a couple of years ago (try "The Civil War: The War of the Three Kingdoms 1638-1660" by Trevor Royle, EXTREMELY interesting) I have a hard time wearing the plaid of those idiot kings (I guess I'm a Roundhead at heart). There are SO MANY elegant plaids that are not available here.

 

[dundeedavie]

i was married in a black watch tartan suit ....and my own kilt ( yes i have my own) is royal stewart and i have been known to wear it on foreign soil whilst Dj'ing (but then i'm allowed to being scottish born and bred)

 

[Jovan]

Didn't tartans have no familial value until a certain point? That's what I read somewhere, anyways.

I'd love to get a wool tie in Black Watch (considering I have no familial tartans even on my father's side). The Red alternate of Gordon is pretty attractive. Nice find.

 

[Flying Scotsman]

I have Duncan (maternal grandmother's name) and Forbes (maternal grandfather's name is supposedly a Forbes sept) kilts. Wear them a lot.

BUT, yes, all of that is pretty much made up. There are some (a very few) actual old, ancient tartan patterns that tended to be from certain areas (and hence, associated with certain clans), but about 99% of all the "Clan Tartans" now are a modern invention (modern as in 1800's onward). I think the theory on the really old ones was basically..."Hey, look! This plant makes a nice blue dye!" and then everybody in the region had some blue in their clothing, and so forth.

There were some really old tartans that were found in archaeological digs over the years, but they'd become very faded, so nobody really knows the true colors of them. Guaranteed they were nowhere near the brightness of modern aniline dyed fabric, though.

Still, what the heck? Everything we wear nowadays is based on something from way back when. "Brogues". Ties. Etc.

And there certainly were clans...I'm quite proud of the fact that one of my family names (Duncan) goes back a loooooong way into Scottish history. So if the traditional garb of the Highlands has become a bit garbled over the centuries, doesn't bother me too much.

So I say...wear the kilt with pride!

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Oh, one more thing, in case you weren't aware of it...

The phrase "ancient" means nothing when it comes to nearly all of the modern tartans you can buy. Usually, it just means the same thread counts, but done in more muted colors. It doesn't mean that the tartan is actually ancient, or that the colors are old, or anything. It's only meant as a kind of "this is what it might have looked like if it had existed a long time ago, we think, maybe". Similar for "dress" tartans (which usually just replace a broad blue or red part of the thread count with white).

Some of the "ancient" variants are kind of pretty, though. Much more subtle than the BIG, BOLD, BRIGHT reds and greens and yellows of the "modern" tartans.

 

[pretty faythe]

Our Scotts line is the Malcolms.
This here is our tartan.

 

[PADDY]

Forbes Clan Tartan

My surname MIDDLETON has its own small FAMILY tartan. The family then belongs to a larger clan of FORBES and INNES. The military trews are in the FORBES tartan (or one of the tartans, as there are several, such as hunting, ancient, modern..etc).

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Didn't tartans have no familial value until a certain point? That's what I read somewhere, anyways.

What Flying Scotsman said is correct. Maybe what i've written below adds a little.

In the early 19th century, clans were required to register a tartan with the Highland Society of London. Since tartans were traditionally a regional, rather than a clan or family distinction, at this point a bunch of different tartans were commissioned.

However, the basic "tartan" plaids were in use in Scotland (and Ireland, i think) long before this. As noted, though, it was a regional, not a family, thing; Based more on the available plants than anything else. I long to find a modern manufacturer making one of these tartans. Nary a bright colour amongst 'em. Dirty browns, greens and purples (the colours from the various heathers that are almost ubiquitous in Scotland) predominated in basic square block patterns, by all accounts - I believe Dr. Johnson has something to say on the dress of the Scots. None of these fancy yellow stripes etc running through them.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, now. Wikipedia has a new addition to its tartan page. Taken by James Clark Maxwell, this is a tartan ribbon, and the first colour photograph

We do come up with all the best inventions . . .

. . .

This one from 1861.

bk

 

[Flying Scotsman]

My surname MIDDLETON has its own small FAMILY tartan. The family then belongs to a larger clan of FORBES and INNES. The military trews are in the FORBES tartan (or one of the tartans, as there are several, such as hunting, ancient, modern..etc).

I'm going to have to look those up, because they're nothing like the Forbes that I have, which is basically a Black Watch pattern with an additional small stripe.

 

[Orgetorix]

However, the basic "tartan" plaids were in use in Scotland (and Ireland, i think) long before this.

I've always been curious about Irish practices regarding tartans. I've read some pretty convincing research saying that there's no good evidence that the ancient or medieval Irish wore something like the modern kilt--but then, as so much the current Scottish practice seems to be a modern invention, I'm not sure that bothers me too much. All the same, I'd like to know more about what my Irish ancestors (Co. Carlow) might have worn.