Tantalising Tartan

 

Dear friends. I've got a bit Scotland and Tartan crazy in the last few months. After falling in love with Scotland during our mega cycle ride, I started researching tartan  (plaid, as it's known in some countries). 

I was thrilled to find this stunning Kettlewell tartan dress, dating from 2018, on Vinted. 

Tartan (Scottish Gaelic: breacan [ˈpɾʲɛxkən]) is a patterned cloth with crossing horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours, forming simple or complex rectangular patterns.

The Scottish clans have their own tartans, and the fabric is synonymous with kilts.  The Irish also love tartan. One of the differences between Irish and Scottish tartan is that Scottish kilts have unique patterns representing the clans, while Irish kilts often feature plain colours such as orange or green.

Sharp eyed readers may find the tartan of my dress familiar, and that's because I also have a skirt from Kettlewell in the same pattern, also bought preloved. 

Not to mention my cute Boden shoes, although I figured it would be overkill to wear them with the dress.

I highlighted the blue shade of the tartan with cobalt tights. My boots are old, from Lotus. Lipstick is Strawberry Shock from Lisa Eldridge.

17% of my DNA is Scottish., so I am less Scottish than Donald Trump. Interestingly (to me), my Scottish ancestral link is on my father's side and linked to the Carstairs clan. My 4th great grandfather apparently changed his name from Carstairs to Tyler, after he absconded from the army. Since then, all the males in the Tyler line have used Carstairs as a middle name, including my nephew. My ancestral tartan (drum roll!) was designed in 2001 by Donald Suttie Smith for a Scot living in Belfast.  

I love it and it would go beautifully with many items in my wardrobe.  If I wanted to have something in the Carstairs tartan, I would be able to find a designer via the Scottish Register of Tartans. 

Since LEJOG   (Land's End to John O'Groats) I often monitor the weather in Scotland, particularly in places we passed through such as Altnaharra, a tiny hamlet. We'll be visiting islands of the Hebrides, and cycling along the Caledonian Way, later this year. 

Are you a fan of tartan or plaid?  Any links with Scotland (tenuous or otherwise!). 

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