There are no significant records of clan tartans until the 1800s. However, deep rooted Gaelic and Scots customs, oral and living traditions, plus poetry emphasised the link between clanship, geography and styles of dress.
Once recorded in paintings and print, this idea established itself. It was then used by clan chieftans. People soon identified their own family names with specific patterns.
However, as a result of the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746, the Dress Act was introduced the same year. This banned the wearing of any Highland dress, including the kilt, against the law across Scotland. If you broke this new law even once, you faced six months in jail!
It was only after a Royal Visit to our wonderful country by King George IV in 1822, that it became acceptable to wear Highland dress again in Scotland.
George IV is the second main character from the left in this charicature. Can you see his red, whisky induced nose?! Photo by Fraser Paterson, shown here by kind permission of the V&A Museum, Dundee
Clanship has changed as an idea over the centuries. Bloodlines and family lineage were important to Victorians.
Today it is more a matter of passion and commitment. You will often see tartans worn by pipe band members and the army. Many people now wear them for weddings.
It is not uncommon to see ladies wearing tartan shawls, or a tartan dress. Men will often wear either tartan trousers - my preference because I don't like showing my legs in public - or kilts. Some without anything underneath, which lends itself to a phrase sometimes heard shouted in Glasgow, by unruly youngesters shouting upon spotting a man in a kilt, "Kilty kilty cold bum!" would be their cry!
There are a huge number of clans in Scotland, many with their own unique tartans. These can be either hunting, formal dress, or battle tartans.
Male tartan dress involves quite a paraphernaelia, including shoes, sgian dubh, sporran, kilt pins and brooches. The one challenge is, it takes more than five minutes to get it all on.
Scotsman in Evening Dress Photo in the public domain
Highland dress is continually reinvented. It didn't take long for Scottish boys to fall for the jabot in preference to the bow tie. You can make a fine impression in that. A late Scottish actor who once played James Bond, Sir Sean Connery wore it. If its good enough for Sir Sean, you can't go wrong.
The latest tartan designers tend not to pay too much attention to the pseudo-heritage aspect. This has given rise to new designs and a more casual attitude. You can even wear leather and tweed kilts in these modern times.
I am certain you will find what is perhaps the best quality tartan shop in Edinburgh, ScotlandShop to your taste. They offer Clan Consultations, enabling you to identify your clan – if you don’t already know it! – and have a fantastic range of the textile that is sure to offer you options when purchasing a passionate treasure of your clan.
Fancy a 5% discount whether you buy online or in store? Quote reference FRASERTG
You can either drop into ScotlandShop at 10 Queensferry Street, Edinburgh, arrange a Clan Consultation appointment in store or remotely, or they may even be able to come to you!
I hope you have greatly enjoyed this article. Please feel free to buy me a coffee
Thank you!
Fraser Paterson
Freelance Tour Guide (warmer months) & writer (colder months)