World Traveler

My grandmother is Scottish. Scottish as in her parents are from Scotland. So I grew up loving Scotland. Bagpipes, the look of plaid, Robert Burns. And one of the things I love to wear is my ruana (serape) made from my grandmother’s McLachlan tartan. It’s imported from Scotland. But why do the Scottish have tartans anyway? Well, here goes. A brief look at the basics of the Scottish tartan:

In its earliest form, the tartan was made from undyed wool. Mostly, this meant that traditional covering was actual some shade of white or brown. However, as the scots learned to use other plants and animals to create different colors, the system became more sophisticated, incorporating stripes and multiple colors. Soon, clans and septs were designated by different colors and patterns.

But it didn’t stop there. Soon patterns and colors were incorporated to help others ascertain one’s rank in a clan. A servant’s tartan had only one color. Up through ranks, colors were added until the chief’s tartan, which had seven colors. There were even variations of tartans, including the Chief’s Sett, Women’s Sett, Mourning Sett, Royal Sett, District Sett, Clan Tartan, and Hunting Tartan. Today, however, most tartans fall into these categories: Modern, Ancient, Dress and Hunting. There are also versions of some tartan patterns denoted as “Weathered.” My tartan is a McLachlan Modern tartan, after my grandmother’s preference (now we match).

While the tartan was mainly used by highland Scots, there are tartans for clans from the lowlands, as well as Welsh and Irish tartans. But today, many people order whatever suits their fancy. However, in old Scottish tradition, only the “free” tartans could be worn by non-Scots or by those not of a particular clan: the Royal Stewart and the Blackwatch.
Today, though, it is possible to create your own tartan (although if you want it to be “official” it has to be approved and registered). Many countries have military tartans (like England), and some countries have their own tartans (like Canada and the U.S.). Even some companies create and register their own tartans.

The Scottish tradition of the tartan is truly something that is worldwide.