Discovering the history of tartan through fashion is a journey that blends historical research with practical observation. This guide will walk you through the essential steps and methods to become a tartan detective, using tangible evidence and historical records to uncover the stories woven into the fabric. By the end, you’ll be able to trace a tartan’s lineage, understand its significance, and appreciate its evolution from a simple textile to a symbol of identity.
Step 1: Examine the Garment’s Construction and Weave
The first step in any investigation is a close examination of the artifact itself. The construction of a tartan garment and the weave of the fabric can reveal clues about its age, origin, and purpose.
The Weave: Thread Count and Symmetry
Start by analyzing the sett, which is the unique pattern of colored threads in a tartan. Count the number of threads of each color in a single repeat of the pattern. This is often written as a numerical sequence, for example, “B4, G24, B4, K4, R24, K4,” which means 4 blue threads, 24 green, and so on.
- Symmetry: Is the sett symmetrical or asymmetrical? Many traditional tartans, particularly those from the 18th century and earlier, are asymmetrical. A symmetrical sett, where the pattern mirrors itself on both the warp and the weft, became more common in the 19th century. This can be a key indicator of the garment’s age. For instance, the MacGregor tartan is a classic example of a symmetrical sett, while a less common or older pattern might be asymmetrical.
-
Thread Count: A finer thread count and a tighter weave often suggest a more expensive, high-quality garment. A coarser, looser weave might indicate a garment made for everyday work or a local, less-industrialized production. If you can, compare the weave to known historical examples. Museums and archives often have high-resolution images of historical tartans.
The Fabric and Dye
The type of wool and the dyes used are crucial indicators.
- Wool: Was the wool hand-spun or machine-spun? Hand-spun wool will have slight irregularities in thickness, while machine-spun wool is perfectly uniform. The presence of machine-spun wool strongly suggests the garment is from the late 18th century or later, after the Industrial Revolution began to mechanize textile production.
-
Dyes: The colors themselves can tell a story.
- Natural Dyes: Tartans dyed with natural pigments will have a more muted, earthy tone. Common historical dyes include madder for reds, weld for yellows, and indigo for blues. If the colors are bright and vibrant, it’s a strong sign of chemical, or synthetic, dyes, which were introduced in the mid-19th century.
-
“Woaded” Dyes: A unique feature of some early tartans is the use of woad, a plant-based dye, for blues. Woaded blues often have a slightly grayish or dusty appearance compared to the vibrant blue of modern synthetic dyes.
Dye Type
Color
Historical Period
Characteristics
Madder
Red
Ancient to 19th Century
Muted, earthy red
Weld
Yellow
Ancient to 19th Century
Soft, pale yellow
Indigo
Blue
Ancient to 19th Century
Deep, rich blue, but not electric
Aniline Dyes
All colors
Mid-19th Century onward
Bright, vibrant, often harsh
Garment Construction: Hand vs. Machine Stitching
The way a garment is stitched is a dead giveaway.
- Hand Stitching: Look for small, slightly irregular stitches. The thread may be thicker and made of natural fibers. All seams and hems will be sewn by hand. This indicates a garment made before the widespread adoption of the sewing machine in the mid-19th century.
-
Machine Stitching: Machine-sewn garments have uniform, perfectly even stitches. A garment with a mix of hand and machine stitching might indicate a transition period or a later repair. For instance, a kilt from the 19th century might have hand-sewn pleats but a machine-sewn hem.
Step 2: Analyze the Style and Form of the Garment
The cut and style of the tartan garment provide context about its social function and the era in which it was worn.
The Great Kilt (Fèileadh Mòr)
The great kilt is the earliest form of the kilt, a large, untailored piece of fabric wrapped around the body.
- How to Identify: The great kilt is characterized by its large size (typically 6-8 yards of fabric) and the way it is worn. It’s a single garment that functions as both a cloak and a lower-body covering. If you find an old tartan that’s simply a large, uncut piece of cloth, you might be looking at the ancestor of the modern kilt.
-
Historical Context: This style was prevalent in the Highlands from the 16th century until the mid-18th century. It was practical for the rugged, rural lifestyle, offering protection from the elements and serving as a blanket at night. Finding a garment of this style suggests a pre-1750s origin.
The Small Kilt (Fèileadh Beag)
The modern kilt, or small kilt, is a tailored garment.
- How to Identify: The small kilt is a separate garment from the arisaid (plaid). It is tailored, with a sewn-in pleating system and a front apron. The material is folded and sewn in place to create the distinctive pleats.
-
Historical Context: The small kilt is thought to have been invented by an Englishman, Thomas Rawlinson, in the 1720s for his workers, as it was more practical for industrial work. Its widespread adoption came after the repeal of the Dress Act of 1746, which had banned tartan and Highland dress. A tailored kilt is a strong indicator of a post-1746 origin.
Women’s Tartan Dress
Tartan has also been used extensively in women’s fashion.
- The Arisaid: The female equivalent of the great kilt, the arisaid, was a long length of tartan wrapped around the body. A dress featuring this simple, untailored style is likely from an earlier period.
-
Victorian and Edwardian Dresses: In the 19th century, tartan was a popular material for fashionable women’s dresses. Look for features like a tailored bodice, a full skirt, and details like boning or bustles. The presence of these elements places the garment squarely in the Victorian or Edwardian era. An example would be the tartan dresses worn by Queen Victoria and her family at Balmoral Castle, which popularized tartan for royal and high-society fashion.
Step 3: Use Archival Research to Corroborate Your Findings
Your physical examination gives you clues; archival research provides the evidence to confirm your theories.
Tartan Registries and Databases
Several organizations maintain comprehensive tartan registries.
- The Scottish Register of Tartans: This is the official body for registering new tartans and a fantastic resource for researching historical ones. Search for your tartan by its sett, color sequence, or general appearance.
-
The Scottish Tartans Authority: This organization also has a vast database. These databases can help you identify the specific name of the tartan, its associated clan, and its first known use. For example, if you’ve found a red and green tartan with a black stripe, you might find it listed as the Royal Stewart tartan or a variation of it. The database will provide a brief history and the year it was first recorded.
Historical Records and Inventories
Look for written records that describe clothing from a specific period.
- Military Uniforms: The British Army began using tartan for Highland regiments in the 18th century. If your tartan matches the pattern of a historical regiment, such as the Black Watch (42nd Royal Highland Regiment), it’s a strong sign that the garment is a military artifact or a civilian copy from that era. You can search military archives and regimental histories for detailed descriptions of their uniforms.
-
Portraits and Paintings: Look at historical portraits of people wearing tartan. Allan Ramsay’s portraits of Scottish nobles in the mid-18th century often show detailed tartan garments. Compare the sett and style of your garment to the ones in these paintings. This can help you date your piece and understand its social context. For example, a portrait of Sir John Murray wearing a specific tartan can help you date a similar garment to the mid-18th century and identify it as an aristocratic dress.
-
Fashion Plates and Catalogs: In the 19th and early 20th centuries, fashion plates and mail-order catalogs began to feature tartan. Finding a catalog page from the 1880s showing a tartan jacket identical to one you’re examining provides a definitive date and context for the piece.
Step 4: Investigate Provenance and Social Significance
Provenance is the documented history of ownership. This can provide a powerful narrative and context for a tartan garment.
Tracing Ownership
- Family Records: If the garment is a family heirloom, look for old letters, diaries, or photographs that mention it. A note from an ancestor saying, “This is the kilt my grandfather wore at the Battle of Waterloo,” is an invaluable piece of evidence. Even a faded photograph showing the kilt being worn can help you date it and understand its use.
-
Auction Records and Museum Acquisitions: If the garment was acquired from a dealer or auction house, its provenance might be listed. Museum acquisitions often have detailed records of how and when an item was acquired, which can include the name of the donor and any known history.
Social and Cultural Context
The history of tartan is not just about patterns and dates; it’s about people and politics.
- The Dress Act of 1746: This law, passed after the Jacobite Rising, banned the wearing of Highland dress. Any tartan garment dated to this period is highly significant, as it would have been worn illegally or in a non-Highland context. An example of this would be a kilt worn by a Highland soldier serving in the British Army, as military uniform was exempt from the ban.
-
The Romantic Movement: The repeal of the Dress Act and the subsequent visit of King George IV to Scotland in 1822, orchestrated by Sir Walter Scott, led to a romanticized revival of tartan. Many new “clan” tartans were invented during this period. Finding a tartan garment that dates to the early 19th century may indicate it was a product of this revival, rather than a long-standing clan tradition.
Step 5: Understand the Evolution of Tartan Naming and Identification
The names and associations of tartans have changed over time. Don’t assume a modern name is its original one.
Clan vs. District Tartans
- Clan Tartans: The idea of a specific tartan belonging exclusively to a clan is largely a romantic invention of the 19th century. While some patterns were historically associated with certain regions and families, the rigid system of “clan tartans” is a later development. A garment from the 17th or 18th century is more likely to be a regional or family tartan rather than a strict “clan” tartan.
-
District and Regional Tartans: Before the 19th century, tartans were more often identified by the region where they were woven or worn. A tartan from the Isle of Skye might be a Skye tartan, not a specific clan’s tartan. The threads of the tartan were often sourced from local dyes and wool, creating a unique pattern for that area.
Modern Tartan Registration
The process of registering tartans is relatively recent.
- Commercialism: Many modern tartans, including corporate, state, and commemorative tartans, are products of commercialism and are not rooted in historical tradition. It’s important to distinguish between these new creations and historical patterns. For example, the New York City tartan is a recent creation for the city, with no historical ties to Scottish clans.
Conclusion: Weaving Together the Narrative
By following these steps, you can move beyond simply seeing a piece of cloth and begin to read the history woven into it. From the fine details of the weave and the muted colors of natural dyes to the tailored pleats of a modern kilt and the name in a historical register, each element is a clue. The journey to discover the history of tartan through fashion is a meticulous and rewarding process that combines the tangible evidence of the garment with the rich, documented history of Scotland. It is a detective story told in fabric, a personal link to a vibrant and enduring culture.