Tartan ties

[StephenHero]

I think it's essential they are wool. The more traditional the better.

 

[Holdfast]

Originally Posted by gnatty8

lol, you might have a point there.. Clash of the tartanz..

I don't know whether to

or

at that pun. Awesome.

 

[idfnl]

Originally Posted by StephenHero

I think it's essential they are wool. The more traditional the better.

I dont agree. Silks are acceptable, personally, I wouldnt want to see them shine, so a muted silk. Cotton looks nice, in fact Viyella makes a wool cotton blend and they are from Scotland.

I think its more important that the patterns are traditional.

 

[Dburr]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

^School and regimental ties I take seriously and respect. Since the whole business of proprietary "clan tartans" was cooked up by a couple of English charlatans early in the Victorian era, I will wear whatever tartan strikes my fancy, be it as a shirt, necktie or whatever. I would not wear a kilt in a clan tartan, but then I don't wear kilts, period.
Granted. School or culub ties are one thing - tartans are quite another. Clan connections to specific tartans is a fanciful myth.

 

[gnatty8]

Originally Posted by yfyf

Gnatty, is your first red one a Polo one?

I have yet to find a situation to wear mine. I looked at the Drake's ones as well but couldn't wrap my head around them.

You got it, great eye! I love the Polo ties, they are the perfect width for this type of tie IMO.

 

[Film Noir Buff]

They are very popular right now and plaid ties have always been popular in the USA. I consider them a more casual item but if you're going to wear one might as well wear the brightest silk or wool one they sell. From an artistic pov, they'll look best with say a solid suit and shirt. From a power/authority standpoint, you're not going to get much out of them but you might be considered more hip like that sheepdog haircut guy from The Office.

 

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by Dburr

Granted. School or culub ties are one thing - tartans are quite another. Clan connections to specific tartans is a fanciful myth.

Agree there.

I've recently dug up a few tartan bowties and have started wearing them to work. I think this will be my F/W clothing meme/trope/style.

 

[DWFII]

Originally Posted by Dburr

Clan connections to specific tartans is a fanciful myth.
Well, yes and no....I wear a kilt on occasion and have spent some time considering this subject. As I understand it... When George the IV made his grand procession to Edinburgh in 1830 most of the highland clan chiefs were told to wear their clan tartans. However, because highlanders wore pretty much whatever tartan was available or struck their fancy, most had no idea what their clan tartan was. And they were kind of in a panic. Wilson's of Bannockburn was a major supplier of wool tartan cloth at the time and when the chiefs appealed to Wilson's for their clan Tartans, the firm more or less assigned tartans based on what their records showed had been purchased most often. Most of those assignments stuck...even among highland Scots. So, while it is true that the Sobieski brothers made up most of the clan associations in 1842 with their treatise Vestiarium Scoticum at least some of those associations were drawn from the records of Wilson's of Bannockburn. In any case, you now have almost 200 years of certain tartans being associated with clans and even contemporary Scots honour those associations. If 200 years isn't enough of a tradition to make it credible then no amount of time would. In passing, it might be noted that ther are no credible records of the kilt being worn prior to the late 16th. century. No kilts for William Wallace (Braveheart), IOW.

 

[Doc4]

Originally Posted by DWFII

...

So, while it is true that the Sobieski brothers made up most of the clan associations in 1842 with their treatise Vestiarium Scoticum at least some of those associations were drawn from the records of Wilson's of Bannockburn.

In any case, you now have almost 200 years of certain tartans being associated with clans and even contemporary Scots honour those associations. If 200 years isn't enough of a tradition to make it credible then no amount of time would.

...

+1 to all that, the key part quoted for emphasis.

 

[Dburr]

me too - my point

 

[DWFII]

Originally Posted by Dburr

me too - my point
Well, please forgive me if I appear to be flogging a dead horse here but my point was that clan tartans are a Scots tradition--it doesn't make any difference whether they were originally somewhat spurious or invented; nor doesd it matter what we think of that. It only matters that Scots recognize and honour those tradtions. It's their culture...if they think clan tartans are valid, they are.