Who can wear a tartan kilt?” It’s a common question that has attracted you here. Yes, everyone can, but there are some conditions. The history of tartan kilts is rooted in the span of centuries. The Scots, Irish, and people from these countries, no matter which part of the world they live in, wear tartan-made attires as their identity. Let’s move on to the topic without further delay and get the answer.
Who Can Wear A Tartan Kilt?
Kilts are knee-length parts of traditional Scottish attire covering the lower part of the body. Men have worn them for centuries. On the other hand, tartan is the fabric used to make them. The primary purpose of wearing a tartan kilt was to admire the culture or heritage, and it’s still loved by the Scottish People. Everyone can wear a tartan kilt for specific events now. Let’s discuss the people who can wear tartan kilts.
Clan Descendants
Clan descendants are first on the list of those who wear tartan kilts. The Scots have worn tartan kilts for centuries. Some tartans are specific to any clan or its sept. Still, some people do not know their clans. Yet, they are Scots, raising the chances of having a particular clan. A majority of them work to find out their clans through different procedures.
Heritage Admirers
People who do not know their clans are often concerned about whether they can wear tartan kilts. The good news is that tartan kilts are now available in universal tartans with different patterns and anyone can wear them.
Tartan kilts are usually worn at specific events that are part of their culture. So, heritage admirers wear tartans, regardless of whether they are descended from any clan or not. Remember, the purpose should be to praise the Scot culture while wearing kilts. In other words, you can wear a tartan kilt if you are not a Scot by blood but by heart.
Formal Event Participants
The Scots wear tartan kilts at various formal events. The list of formal events is long, but if we specify a few, they are weddings, funerals, educational ceremonies, dinners, etc. You can admire your heritage and wear your traditional tartans at these events.
If we talk about the wedding, we normally see the groom and groomsmen wearing the same tartan kilts with the same pattern. Teachers, students, and parents of students are seen wearing tartan kilts during the educational ceremonies.
Every Gender
Did you know that kilts or tartan kilts were worn by men only? Fashion transformed with time, and women started wearing kilts as well. Men wear simple kilts, while women’s kilts are known as kilted-skirts. Wearing a kilted-skirt or a men’s kilt is a choice since some women prefer wearing men’s kilts. However, the kilts remained the center of attention for many well-known celebrities, including Lady Diana, Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Emma Watson, etc.
Fashion-Oriented Individuals
With cultural admiration, fashion artists also wear tartan kilts at different events. Both men and women wear kilts at these events. Fashion and tartans were interconnected in the 19th century when Scots women wore kilts for the first time. However, people now feel pride in wearing their traditional outfits on different occasions like these.
Sports Persons
Next in the queue are those who participate in sports or are athletes. Different gaming events, like Highland games, have been held in Scotland for centuries. Most of the participants there are seen wearing tartan utility kilts. Wearing kilts means to be comfortable and represent the culture.
Let us discuss the Highland games for a while. Players there need flexible wearing since they have to carry the weight and run with it. People wear tartan kilts in many other games, like tug-of-war, hammer throw, curling, rugby, golf tournaments, and many others. Moreover, participants in other outdoor activities like camping, running, and hiking also wear tartan kilts.
Football is one of the most played games in Scotland. According to the BBC, Football is the most watched game in Scotland as well. Every 18 out of 1000 players watch football matches. Players also wear tartan kilts as their team uniform in their local matches.
Tartans Kilts That Everyone Cannot Wear!
All the people discussed above can wear tartan kilts. Thousands of tartans are available for everyone to wear. However, people are prohibited under specific circumstances from wearing some tartans.
A typical example of these tartans is the Royal tartan. As the name suggests, these tartan kilts link with royal families. No industry/factory can make and sell them. Likewise, everyone cannot wear corporate tartans since they are specific to a specific company or office.
How To Find A Family Tartan Kilt?
The above discussion must have told you everyone can wear a tartan kilt. According to studies, only 20% of Scots know their tartans. The rest are unaware of their family tartan, but they can find it in this digital era.
There are different resources to help them. First, they can check their family tree; it will help. If they still need help figuring out their clan or tartan, the tartan database is there to help. They have to enter their own or grandparent’s surname. There might be some spelling variations in the database. So don’t rush and check calmly; hopefully, they will get the result.
Conclusion
Though tartan kilts are specified to the clans, everyone can still wear them now. However, some tartans are prohibited, like Royal tartans and corporate tartans. If a person wants to wear a tartan and does not know his clan, he is allowed to wear any tartan, but it is better to get permission. At the same time, some universal tartans are available worldwide and there is no need to ask someone. If they are still interested to know your family tartan, they have multiple options to get help from the family tree to tartan database.
