The first step in choosing your Highland wear outfit is to choose your tartan. Here at Houston’s we can inform you of the correct tartan for your crest or family name. You can also find tartans, crest histories and video clips explaining everything you need to know as well as a 60 page buy brochure with kilt packs, accessories, order details & measurements, with questions and answers on-line at our Web Site: www.kiltmakers.com Scotland has many district, town and clan tartans as well as National tartans for example the Scottish National, Flower of Scotland, Braveheart, Spirit of Scotland, Scotland the Brave, Isle of Skye, Millennium tartan, Monarch of the Glen, Spirit of Bannockburn and our own designs, ‘St Mirren’ ‘Scottish Heather’ and ‘Bute Heather’ collection, Irish Districts, Irish National, Irish Blood, Welsh National, Cornish National, Canadian and some American, like New York and American National designed by Houstons. The beauty of these tartans is that anyone can wear them with pride. Most Scottish clans have their own tartan, if not you will find that they are affiliated to a clan which does.
THE “RIGHT” TO WEAR A TARTAN
“Often over the years one has heard people explaining they have the right or that they are entitled to wear this or that tartan…. in fact no such right , in any legal sense , exists for them or anyone else ….the only considerations which govern the wearing of a particular set are usage and good taste”
Quote from Scottish Tartans Authority director Brian Wilton
So the answer to the question “what tartan am I entitled to wear? Is — “any tartan you fancy”
To make life easy to pick a tartan at Houston’s we have over 100 tartan books , the only kilt shop in the world where you can see every commercial produced tartan, and have the facility to weave any tartan if a stitch count exists from our records… We have collated over 600 tartans any one can wear in 8 swatch books in colour bunch to make viewing tartans a lot easier for our customers. At Houston Traditional Kiltmakers we get customers visiting our shop from all parts of Scotland, the U.K., Europe and the rest of the world. Our professional staff will advise on tartans you can wear from a choice of around 14,000 different tartans.
If its nae Scottish, its nae good!
If you are considering buying a highland outfit, no matter what you choose the most important thing is to make sure you are buying authentic Scottish products! The highland wear industry has suffered with the increase of cheap imported goods from overseas. Highland wear is significant in Scotland and those who wear it often speak of how wearing a kilt evokes feelings of pride and Scottish Patriotism. Wearing a kilt makes you feel quintessentially Scottish and this is emphasised by the authenticity of having a kilt made in Scotland by a traditional kilt maker. Wearing a kilt makes you look and feel a million dollars. You can spend as much or as little as you wish on a bespoke kilt pack depending on your budget, but whatever amount you decide to spend, spend it on the real MacCoy! A kilt is a man’s old faithful friend; most men will own only one in their life. It will last you a lifetime, and can be passed down through the generations as an heir loom. A kilt is truly a garment that will last you a life time, but remember… if it’s nae Scottish, it’s NAE GOOD!
