It was found in statutes and canons of the Scottish church in the 1200's that kilt colors weren't allowed to be in red or green striped garments, and were not to be worn above the calf. The clergy had its own sett (pattern). This is a plain blue, black and white, "breacan nan cleireach" (checker of the clergy).

Tartans for daily wear were definite district types. Bright dyes were used, but the hunting tartans were in subdued browns. The original hunting setts were thought to have been in red, but were changed as the bright colors betrayed the hunter.

The attachment of the Highlander to his attire was so intense that anyone wearing a tartan, even one who "adopted" it, felt they were under special protection of that clan.

The tartan worn by the Highlander was the "breacan" of finer quality worn as a dress tartan. The "cath dath" (war color) was of a thick, coarse material worn by men in military servitude.

Before the "Act of Abolition" of the Highland dress and tartan was repealed, many of the old setts were lost. Because of the banishment, tartans as known to the old Highlander is becoming a lost art. Men made their own kilts and brogues (shoes). Women spun and dyed the wool, but most of it was woven by the weaver. Vegetable dyes were used to obtain the colors.

The tartan is not used only by the Highlander, but for over two and a half centuries by the Lowland Scot also as the emblem of his nationality. Any attempt to disparage or abolish the tartan alerts the ire and offends the sentiment of Highlander and Lowlander alike. In 1881 the War office wanted to eliminate the tartans worn by the Scottish regiments and substitute one uniform tartan for all Highland battalions. The many and strong opinions from the Highlanders and Lowlanders against the change caused the War office to discard their scheme so contrary to the Scottish character and instinct.

1. A Chieftainess, wife of a Chief of a Clan, or a Colonel's lady drapes the tartan over the left shoulder and fastens it with a brooch at the shoulder.

2. A clanswoman or wife of one, drapes it over the right shoulder.

3. A lady married out of her clan and wishing to show her own family tartan, wears it over the right shoulder and ties it at the waist in a large bow.

4. Unless her child or children, or one of the children, takes their mother's name, her children have no right to wear their mother's tartan as they are not members of their mother's clan.

5. Those not entitled to wear a Clan, Family or District Tartan have no right to wear any Royal Tartan and particularly not the so-called 'Royal Stuart Tartan", which is the tartan of the Royal House and accorded to the Pipers of the Sovereign's Royal Regiments.

6. Those of Scottish descent with no Clan, Family or District Tartan wear one of the following:

a) the now so-called "Hunting Stewart", which was originally a general Scottish hunting tartan and named "Stewart" about 1888.

b) Caledonia Tartan

c) Jacobite Tartan - for those with ancestors of Jacobite proclivities.

d) Black Watch or "Government" Tartan in its exact regimental form, or one of the modified forms for those of Hanoverian or Whig ancestral proclivities.

7. There are a number of District Tartans which are worn or wearable by persons belonging to, or descended from ancestors belonging to, these Districts. These Districts, however, only cover certain small areas of Scotland.

If you have any questions or problems, you my write:

The Court of the Lord Lyon

H.M. New Register House

Edinburgh, EH1 3YT, Scotland

(The Court of the Lord Lyon is an office of heraldic jurisdiction and, as such, is the final authority regarding heraldic matters in Scotland.