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| Wearing my new Princess Diana Tartan. I'm a Tartan Clan Fan |
On our most recent trip to Scotland with family (husband, Chris, and fav NY couple, Matt and Jenna), I treated myself to a lovely pink and blue tartan scarf - the pattern named in honor of the late Princess Diana. A relatively new plaid, it was created in 1997 by Lochcarron, the world's leading manufacturer of tartan. With this pattern only a few decades old, it's evident that tartan weaves are not static. But, based on the amount of Scottish textile shops that line Edinburgh's Royal Mile with shopkeepers eager to help you find your clan's "historic" tartan, I wondered - how far back does the custom of Scot's wearing plaid go?
Well, it depends if one looks to its humble beginnings as heavy cloth made to suit its local environs (at least a couple millennium) or to its more modern evolution of bold patterns that roll up to one's family identity (a mere two hundred years).
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| Kilts and scarf brought back to the family in 2018. |
And, that can also determine where you land on the Tartan scale: are you a Tartan Clan Fan or a believer in Tartanry?
A little history before you commit:
Tartan's origins go back centuries to the Highlands, where strong material, made by local weavers, was worn to suit the colder climates of Scotland and, with that, regional differences in the style emerged. The unique designs could be attributed to how the color dyes were employed, but the craftsmanship of the local weaver is believed to be what really called out the clan brand. As noted in the Smithsonian Magazine (November, 2015), certain patterns would be identified with certain areas, "[similar to] how people today wear baseball caps from their hometown teams".
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| Chris in Edinburgh, 2018, with first plaid cap. |
Aside from pragmatic reasons, Tartan served other uses as it made its way through the centuries. Some patterns were designed for military use and others as a display of wealth. For the latter, if the tartan contained red it was typically worn by the gentry. The dye source was imported and therefore more expensive. (Should one want to keep up with the Jones', or the Camerons).
However, credit for tartan becoming a modern day-symbol of Scotland goes to both King George IV and Sir Walter Scott. In 1822, King George IV visited Edinburgh in full Highland dress in an attempt to demonstrate unity. Sir Walter urged his fellow country folk to meet the king wearing their "true clan tartan". Many had no idea what that "true tartan" was and ran to "Wilsons of Bannockburn", a large weaving firm of the time, to seek out their heritage whether it existed or needed to be created. (National Geographic March 29, 2023)
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| Jenna and Chris with new caps (Chris' looking much like his old one) |
Many popular tartans today were launched in that period, an era that come critics believe "sowed the seeds of 'tartanry', the excessive, kitchy use to represent an overly romanticized picture of the country". (Collector's Weekly, November 15, 2017).
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| Matt, 2023, new tartan jacket |
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| Matt sporting the kilt, 2018 |
We fall into "Tartan Clan Fan", even with its somewhat fabricated history (or, should we say, "fabric-aided"?). We've been supporters for years. Well, more specifically, for five years. In 2018, Chris and I, also walked the Royal Mile and walked away with tartan kilts for our family, red for Rachel, blue/green for Rob and Matt and even a tiny tartan scarf for our dog, Baylee. (The red no longer commands a higher price 😉). Chris had also purchased a jaunty, plaid cap, but, sadly, misplaced its whereabouts shortly after our return home.
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| Jenna, shopper extraordinaire, and Matt, owner of new tartan |
But, there's a happy ending. Last month, we all treated ourselves to plaid: Jenna, a shawl, Matt, a jacket, and Chris, a new cap, almost identical to the one he lost. I, as you already know, came home with a lovely, pastel scarf.
And, we're not done yet. We're keeping the tartan spirit going for the holidays. We'll be hanging plaid wooly ornaments and showcasing our tartan tablescape.
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| Tartan for the holidays! |
If this be tartanry, we embrace it wholeheartedly!
For our tartan tea time video, see our latest on YouTube: Tartan tea time with Princess Diana scarf. Tartan Clan Fan or Tartanry Believer? - YouTube
For more on Barb's Tea Service tea talks and other events, see: Barb's Tea Service (barbsteaservice.com)
Special thanks to both Pam, for the tartan tipoff, and Jenna, for being a shopping escort extraordinaire, making sure I obtained my scarf under some crazy parking challenges in Edinburgh.
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