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Posts tagged: history

The Queen's Tartans

The love that our late Queen had for her summers at Balmoral Castle and Scotland, in general, has been well documented, especially over the last few days. Often photographed at the Braemar Highland games or Balmoral Castle, tartan features in many of the photos that we get to see. During her reign, the Queen had been seen in a number of tartans but two, in particular, have an interesting story behind them.   Universal V.S. Restricted Tartans Tartans can be classified into various different categories and those categories have changed over the centuries but for all intents and purposes, today's tartans can be classified as either Universal or Restricted. Universal tartans have no restrictions on who can wear them and although a lot of traditional tartans can also fall into the Clan tartan category, there are no restrictions and anyone can choose to wear them. Restricted tartans are the opposite and the use of (including the wearing of) the tartan design is only allowed with the permission of the owner of the design. Our Mist range of tartans are restricted and only MacGregor and MacDuff has the authority to use the design. In our case, this means that we are the only ones that are able to make Mist tartan products, but we do not restrict anyone from wearing or buying mist products from us. Anyone can create their own tartan design and have it registered with The Scottish Register of Tartans. During the registration process, there is a section that you must complete that confirms whether you would like to allow your tartan free use as a Universal tartan or whether you would like to restrict it and have full control over who can wear it.   Royal Stewart Tartan The Royal Stewart tartan is the official tartan of Queen Elizabeth II and officially speaking, is a Restricted tartan and should not be worn by anyone without the permission from the head of the monarchy. However, thanks to a decline in formal traditions and widespread use of the tartan, the rules for this particular tartan have fallen away, making it an 'unofficial' Universal tartan. The Queen and many of the Royal Family have been pictured in Royal Stewart, whether it be King Charles in a kilt, or The Duchess of Cambridge in a tartan skirt. All of these photos have contributed to its popularity and helped make the Royal Stewart tartan possibly one of the most recognisable tartans in the world.   The Balmoral Tartan Although the official tartan of the Monarchy has now unofficially become a Universal tartan, there is still one tartan that can only be worn with the express permission of the Queen and now, the King. That tartan is the Balmoral and has been strictly reserved for the Kings and Queens of the UK since its creation back in 1853. The tartan was designed by Queen Victoria’s husband and features a grey, black and red design. The Balmoral tartan was named after the Castle in Aberdeenshire and has been worn by every Monarch since Queen Victoria. The only other person that is approved to wear the Balmoral tartan is the King’s personal piper.   Black Watch Tartan Traditionally speaking, those who do not have a tartan of their own are allowed to wear either the Black Watch tartan or the Hunting Stewart. Black Watch remains a popular tartan choice because of this tradition as well as it having a rich history. As many might have noticed, during the Queen’s procession through Edinburgh, the soldiers that were present were all wearing Black Watch kilts. This is because it is the official tartan of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and soldiers in this regiment will wear Black Watch kilts during ceremonial occasions. The Black Watch tartan worn by these soldiers is very similar to the commercial version that anyone can buy, apart from the Royal Regiment of Scotland version has slightly lighter shades.   Each tartan, whether a modern universal or ancient Clan tartan, has a history and a rationale for its design. However, the Royal Stewart and Balmoral are unique in their connection to the Monarchy, making them slightly more special. If you like either of these tartans and want your own, why not draw inspiration from both of them and create your very own tartan with our Tartan Design Service? Work with our in-house designer and create something beautiful, unique, and personal. For more information visit our Tartan Design Service page or email tartandesign@macgregorandmacduff.co.uk. 

The Queen's Tartans

September 13, 2022

The love that our late Queen had for her summers at Balmoral Castle and Scotland, in general, has been well documented, especially over the last few days. Often photographed at the Braemar Highland games or Balmoral Castle, tartan features in many of the photos that we get to see. During her reign, the Queen had been seen in a number of tartans but two, in particular, have an interesting story behind them.   Universal V.S. Restricted Tartans Tartans can be classified into various different categories and those categories have changed over the centuries but for all intents and purposes, today's...

Do the Irish wear kilts?

July 05, 2022

Do the Irish wear kilts? Well, the short answer is yes but the full answer is slightly more complicated. Scotland's’ history with kilts began almost 500 years ago. The first mention of kilts in historical texts was in 1538 and this would have been in reference to the great kilt. The kilt as we know it today (or the fèileadh beag) has been worn in Scotland since the late 17th century. Ireland's relationship with the kilt is relatively new and while there is still much debate about the Irish kilt’s origin, it’s thought that the people of Ireland adopted the kilt around...

The Mastery of Kiltmaking

June 22, 2022

Instantly recognisable all over the world, the kilt has become an important element of Scottish identity. Known not only for its undeniable Scottishness but also the expert craftsmanship that goes into creating one. A seemingly simple few yards of tartan cloth stitched into something complex and beautiful. Since the birth of the feileadh beag, which is what the kilt we know today was called, knowledge of how to create such an intricate garment was passed down through the generations. Each kiltmaker would have taught their children or apprentices the craft and the cycle continued over hundreds of years. Now that the internet...

Irish Tartans

April 06, 2022

If you ever visit the National Museum of Scotland, you’ll come across one of the earliest examples of Scottish cloth in existence. Known as the Falkirk Tartan, this small piece of cloth is dated back to around 250 A.D. Tartan has always been an important part of Scottish identity and continues to be. While kilts and tartan are known around the world for being quintessentially Scottish, our Irish neighbours also have a connection to these items.

Modern Tweed Jackets

March 23, 2022

In the 1920’s tailors started advertising the Prince Charlie jacket as a modern and trendy jacket, perfect for young gentlemen. It quickly became the most popular option for kilt outfits but in recent years, the Prince Charlie has been knocked off its podium. While there will always be a place for the traditional and formal Prince Charlie jacket, tweed kilt jackets are now the modern, stylish option for kilt outfits. They are fantastically versatile and can be worn to all types of events.

St. Patrick's Day 2022

March 07, 2022

St. Patrick has been the patron saint of Ireland since the 1630s but he was venerated as a saint in Ireland from the seventh century. The Catholic Church established the 17th of March as a day of feast in honour of the saint but it is thought that St. Patrick’s day was celebrated for centuries before the official confirmation.

The Great Kilt

March 02, 2022

The exact origin of how the kilt we know today was created has been disputed for decades, but what is known is that it is derived from the Féileadh Mór or Great Kilt. The great kilt was a garment worn by highland men, starting as far back as (according to historical records) the late 16th century but was probably worn for quite some time before then. Vastly different from the kilts we know today, the great kilt would have been made from 18 feet of material that a highlander would fold into pleats then wrapped around his waist with the excess material...

Difference between Men and Women's Kilts

February 15, 2022

Traditionally speaking, the kilt was a highland garment made and worn only by men. Highland women would wear an earasaid, which was a draped garment that was either a belted plaid or unbelted wrap. A traditional earasaid would have either been plain, striped or tartan but this would have been dependent on cost. It would have been quite long, stretching down to the wearer's candles and the top edge would have been able to cover their head.

What side do you wear a plaid on?

February 10, 2022

The plaid is arguably the most traditional element of a kilt outfit, worn on very special occasions. Historically, the first type of kilt was the Féileadh Mòr or Great Kilt which was essentially a long piece of material, roughly 9 yards long. Half of that material was pleated and belted around the waist and the other half was draped over the shoulder. The great kilt was worn by highlanders in the 16th century but by the late 17th century and early 18th century, the kilt had evolved and the need for the upper half of material had been lost. At...

Scotland's Spooky History

October 20, 2021

Scotland is full of rich tales, myths and legends but some of Scotland’s history is down right spooky. With Halloween around the corner, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at some of Scotland's most haunted stories. Halloween after all, was invented in Scotland.  Samhain Samhain (translation: Summer’s End) was a Gaelic festival that symbolised the end of the harvest season. It was believed that the link between the dead and living during Samhain was so strong that the dead could mix with the living and would disguise themselves as children. The dead would...

What’s the difference between tweed and tartan?

June 15, 2021

Tweed and tartan are similar as they are often both twill fabrics. Twill is a type of weave characterised by visible diagonal lines which are created by an offset in the warp of threads. This type of weave creates a durable fabric and you may be most familiar with its use in denim jeans. Traditional tartan is always a twill weave but tweed can also be weaved using a plain or herringbone structure. This is the first characteristic that differentiates the two fabrics. The next is the most noticeable difference.Where tweed is usually of plain design, usually using a solid...

The History of the Quaich

February 26, 2021

The name has adapted too, and the Quaich is sometimes referred to as the “Cup of Friendship”, which we feel is very appropriate considering its history of bringing people together, usually in celebration.