Burns night supper - need something tartan…….

[Cherry321]

I’m attending a Burns night supper in a few weeks and the dress code is ‘something tartan’. It’s work so I need to be fairly restrained and I was planning on wearing a black velvet dress and add something but I’m not sure what, maybe some sort of sash? Then there’s the minefield of which tartan to choose. Is it OK to just pick one I like? I’m Welsh so don’t have any links to particular tartans. I might be over thinking this, but would appreciate any suggestions/ advice. Thanks

Um that's not true... they aren't a random made up thing. From a Scot who knows her Scottish history and holds it very dear.

A Welsh tartan to a Burns' supper celebrating the life and work of a Scots poet? I'm sure Welsh tartan is lovely but I wouldn't wear it to a Burns' supper.

@RachelSTG how many of the other diners will know that it is Welsh?

Just to add that Doctor Marten (used to) do tartan boots, as did Joe Brown.

Hobbs sale will have some nice tartan dresses and skirts.

I have no idea or no way of answering that question. I was just saying I wouldn't wear Welsh tartan to a Scottish night

There is a real history and that isn't made up but there is a lot of sentimental nonsense spouted about it today (And Humza and Mrs Humza looked spectacularly ridiculous at the coronation in their hideous tartan get ups)

History of tartan

This isn't correct but I think you are probably referring to the revival of tartan by Walter Scott and others around 1822 with a Royal visit to Scotland. Most of the old tartans originally worn by Highlanders had disappeared since the banning of tartans after the Battle of Culloden. New designs came to the fore. Today all tartan is presided over by the Lyon Court.

That's not correct either. The Lord Lyon used to register clan tartans on request from the clan chief, but that function has been taken over by the Scottish Register of Tartans.

The register of tartans is administered by the National Records of Scotland with advice from the Lord Lyon. The Keeper of the Records of Scotland and Registrar General for Scotland is also the Keeper of the Scottish Register. That role and person are not the same role and person as the Lord Lyon.

I do apologise - you are right. The Lord Lyon is heraldry and other connected tasks.

Well that was informative. Thank you @Namechange4448830938489 @IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle .

I'll come clean and admit I'm from a part of Scotland where people don't tend to identify as Scottish as 'strongly' as many other Scottish people. I'm fairly sure kilts were never or rarely worn in my ancestral area. Gaelic wasn't spoken either.

I resent the politicisation of Scottish culture. And I can't get past Robert Burns' serious character flaws. I feel his work is celebrated in no small part because he was Scottish and his language is now used to encourage Scottish people to feel different from rUK.

I know many other writers were also flawed personalities- Dickens behaved very badly to his wife. Ted Hughes I think had an affair? But we don't have a day in their honour.

I know about the Lyon Court, Keeper etc from work. I don't identify as Scottish.

I'm originally from a part of Scotland where, if Gaelic was ever a thing, it was marginal and in the dim and distant past. The gaelicisation of place names is very irritating. Interestingly I know a fluent Gaelic speaker from a Gaelic speaking area who feels the same. He acknowledges it is annoying and therefore counter productive.

I agree with you about Burns and forced and false Scottish exceptionalism.

I am Scottish by birth although currently I don't live there. I think all these Gaelic place names all over the place are a load of tosh. Money wasting. I'm not a Robert Burns fan but he was the first person to write in the vernacular and that is why he is celebrated. He wasn't any worse than the many Holy Wullies in the establishment then and now.

Do you think the same about welsh signs in wales? Irish Gaelic in Ireland?

I know very little about the use of Welsh signs in Wales or about the % of the Welsh population who speak Welsh so I can't comment. Ditto for Ireland. I can only comment on what I know.

Do you think the same about welsh signs in wales? Irish Gaelic in Ireland?

Wales is a different matter as people still speak Welsh. What is being referred to is the gaelicisation of place names with no Gaelic tradition- e.g the east coast and street names in Edinburgh. Almost 30% of the population in Wales speak Welsh. Scottish Gaelic has around 60,000

A sash would be perfect.

There are many modern tartans with no clan connection that you can wear, but no-one will take offence at you wearing the 'wrong' tartan.

It's usually quite easy to get hold of a Gordon tartan - modern, ancient or dress.

That's one of my family tartans, courtesy of great-granny. I wouldn't be offended if you wore it.

@RachelSTG Gaelic was spoken in only some areas of Scotland. The whole of Highland region has signs in Gaelic and English despite some areas of Highland region (Caithness) not having a heritage of Gaelic.

Aside from any other consideration it can make road signs longer to read.

Even in Lewis, which has very widespread Gaelic use, people have been bi-lingual for over 100 years. Admittedly this is probably due to a law passed in 19th century making teaching in English in schools mandatory (and possibly making speaking Gaelic in schools illegal).

My 93 year old neighbour remembers talking Gaelic at home and in the playground but being taught in English at school. Her parents were bilingual.

So it's not as if Gaelic signs are needed for Gaelic speakers to be included.

More people are thought to speak Glaswegian dialect than Gaelic in Scotland.

This might work?

https://www.thescotlandkiltcompany.co.uk/products/ladies-mini-sash-rosette-gordon-dress-modern

So it's not as if Gaelic signs are needed for Gaelic speakers to be included.

The signs aren't in Gaelic in case people don't understand English. That's not the point at all.
Appreciate that they may not be appropriate depending on the area though.

They put the Gaelic name on top in large letters and the English name underneath in smaller lettering. It's very unhelpful for visitors when you're driving.

It's what the people living in a place want from their signage that should count imho, not the visitors. Again, I mean that just as a general rule, I appreciate that Gaelic signage may not be appropriate in all areas of Scotland.

I would hazard a guess that if you were to poll the Scottish people and ask them about Gaelic signage most would say they are "shite" and a waste of money which would be better used elsewhere.

That's probably area dependent I would think.

Of course but I would bet that the majority would say as I suggested.