Bling! Bling! Go for the red and yellow, be not ashamed!
Ancient Hunting - restrained but different?
It's a proper occasion, don't mess about - Modern Hunting.
My brother is getting married next year, and because I now live in Scotland (which obviously makes me Scotchish) I've threatened to wear a kilt to the wedding. Apparently we have some distant family tie to the clan MacMillan, so I looked up their clan tartans. There are several, most of which seem fairly inoffensive, but the one which would seem to be most correct is the red and yellow number above. A little on the bling side, I fear. Reckon I could get away with that? Or should I go with the more sensible hunting tartan? Of which there are two:
The Macmillan Hunting (ancient)
The Macmillan Hunting (modern)
All of these look slightly different (or completely different, in fact) depending on where on the t'interweb you look. At some point I'll get my arse in gear and go down to the shop and have a look through the Big Book of Tartans. But in the meantime, waddya think?
29 comments:
I think they're all nice, but my favourite is the ancient MacMillan Hunting.
That said, your decision should be based ENTIRELY on which one you like best, and not which one is most "correct".
I have a good friend who recently had a kilt made in MacLeod of Lewis tartan for his sister's wedding and he looked fabulous.
If bling's your thing, go nuts!
You could always go for one of tartans that do not have an associated family:
Black Watch (dress)
or
Pride of Scotland
or
Flower of Scotland
I was drawn to the ancient Macmillan Hunting tartan because I like the green shades. But I also like Jinbish's "Black Watch" tartan he has there.
Yeah, but I kinda like the idea of being able to claim some sort of vague family connection. That way I can pretend I'm not just an Englishman who fancies himself in a kilt. And whenever I think of the non-associated ones I can't help thinking of the repulsive "Princess Diana Memorial Tartan".
Fair play. There was a documentary/magazine program on that I caught. It involved the presenter trying to learn to play the bagpipes and learning about kilts etc. She asked the instructor about which tartan her kilt should be - I really liked his reply, which was along these lines:
"You don't have to be of a family to wear their tartan, by choosing a family's tartan you honour them that you have chosen to wear their colours.".
Of course, in that case one would probably want to honour your own family, but still, you should feel restricted.
Campbell of Agyll is what I wear, being that mother's side is of Campbell extraction and from Argyll. It's not very bling, though. Jinbish is a MacDonald, so the next time he and I are together and bekilted, I will be forced by the weight of history and tradition to murder him while he sleeps.
Must admit that the Macleod tarten gives me the dry boke.
I'd go for the dark and sophistocated look. any bright yellows might distract attention from the bride. Couldn't have that.
I agree with Debbie. Tradition aside, convention rules.
Here's mine, Christie:
I should point out that the pal of mine who got the yellow kilt made is a MacLeod from Lewis, so he wore the tartan for a good reason - he wasn't trying to be attention-seeking or anything like that.
Matt, is your brother going to wear a kilt? Are you going to go for a black jacket & waistcoat or a tweed one? If tweed, are you going for green (hopefully not if you pick the yellow tartan) or charcoal? And what about socks? Top tip: charcoal socks with a charcoal tweed jacket are a VERY good look.
Oh, the excitement of it all!
Bro, yes, Mum is of Campbell extraction (her mother being a Campbell) but in fact she is doubly-Campbelled as the MacDiarmids (her maiden name) are a sept of the Campbell clan.
End of information session.
I'll send you the bill.
Proof of what Calum wears (when he's not in a Zoot suit):
And there's me too. In a Mr T tee.
Nope, so I may yet get strongarmed into wearing something more conventional (Devonshire-conventional, anyway). As for the rest of the outift, I've got a year to work it out yet! Having said that... it'll have to be pretty formal, so black jacket and waistcoat, I think. I'm planning on buying the kilt and probably hiring everything else. My sister came up a few weeks ago and was very taken with the idea of a black shirt, black jacket and black socks, but I thought that was a bit, well, black. A bit gauche.
Intrigued by the charcoal combination, though.
Try Cornish tartan; it's close enough to Devon.
It's not as black as you might think. I wore black shirt, black tie, hose (socks), and brogues with a hired Argyle jacket to a wedding about 18 months ago (oh - my sporran is balck too). It looks very smart - the tartan kilt is enough to make it stand out. Plus, it stood out from everyone that had hired their kilt, or had bought the same old Prince Charlie jacket + bow tie affair.
But charcoal is an equally good idea...
That's a good point.
Yeah, black shirt, tie & socks can be a really good look. My only advice on that one would be that I think it looks better with a darker kilt, so if you're keen to stick with a MacMillan tartan I'd go for the modern one.
Or you could look here to see if there's another clan you're linked to.
Calum, I'm afraid [jonthegeologist] is also a MacDonald (though quite some way back) so you're going to be outnumbered.
I believe that is the first photo I have seen of Calum. Very smart looking, you two, in your stunning plaids. I think I would like the look of the black jacket and tie as described above.
Oh dear! Normally I am not so bady coiffed and dissheveled: the picture was taken about 8 hours into the all day boozing festival that is the Cowal Highland Gathering. And yes, Carly Simon wrong a song about me.
"Nobody does it better"?
and btw, Moomy, here in the embarrassingly opulent US 'bling' connotes sparkle and a high price tag. Is that what you mean?
Yep. Although I guess here I'm thinking more of simply 'excessively showy to the point of tackiness'.
well then I stand by my first assessment, don't outshine the bride.
Woah... I just let my mouse rest on your headshot for a sec, and suddenly that eagle lunged at me...
Take that as a warning, Moom. Careful not to offend her, 'cos that eagle will positively poke your eye out.
I know I'm a bit late to the conversation, but I like the ancient hunting tartan. It's not as somber as the modern hunting pattern and not as loud as the gold and red. And it'll look really good with the charcoal jacket and socks. Anyway, that's my two cents worth.
Well, laddie, you're to be commended for planning to wear a kilt! As a McMullen myself, I'd go for the lovely and first of the three M'M tartans; the Dress! The Hunting is a casual tartan, fit for crawling through the bushes as you "hunt". Not formal enough for a wedding!
But please don't go looking in any "Big Book" affair to find the loveliest of them all. You'll run into the truly hidious orange-and-pea green version, or the yellow and red affair.
No, what you really want is the beautiful scarlet and gold. Most tartan merchants have never even seen it, much less have it for sale.
Go to WhitePages.com or some such and search for F. Lamar McMillin of Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA. Give him a call and see if he's got any of the MacMillan 1874/2000 Dress he had woven from a swatch carried from Islay in 1874.
Last I knew, he still had some, or could point you in the direction of this particular weave. It is truly stunning!
On the "Loud MacLeod" tartan, I usually parade just behind those guys, and I tell you, their Loud MacLeod and my MacMillan 1872/2000 Dress wake folks up for sure! lol
Best wishes to your brother, kiss the bride and dance w/ all the bridesmaids. You'll never know how the lassies will swoon over ye until you're kilted up! :-)
I just re-read your entry and realize you live in Scotland. Well, what's holding you back? Go up on wwwClanMacMillan.org, find your Chief's email address and contact him!
Ask him if you may come pay your respects. George MacMillan of MacMillan and Knap is a lovely man, just lovely. We are so lucky to have a Chief such as he.
Tell him Adhania sent you! :-)
Wow, a personal recomendation! Ta ;)
I just like the modern or ancient!
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