Universal Tartans, Historic & Commemorative Tartans

Universal tartans are ones that anyone can wear. Historic and commemorative tartans are ones that attach themselves to your heart strings. They open up a broader selection of tartans that can be worn.

Universal Tartans

This selection of tartans that can be worn by anyone, Scots or not, of a clan or not ~ to enable anyone with an interest in Scotland to don a tartan. They also allow anyone who is unsure of their Scottish clan heritage to still wear a tartan with no reprisals from anyone…unless it’s discovered you are actually part of a clan. Then try explaining to the most adamant why you’re not wearing their tartan.

Some of these tartans are labeled universal, others aren’t but fall into the universal tartan category.

You can wear any of these universal tartans. Most kilt rental agencies offer Black Watch and Flower of Scotland as universal tartans.

• Atlantic Ancient Trade
  
  
  
  
  
• Auld Lang Syne
  
  
  
  
  
• Black Watch Dress
  
  
  
  
  
• Braveheart Warrior ~ note this is not the tartan seen in the movie ‘Braveheart’.
  
  
  
  
  
• The Tartan of Celts
  
  
  
  
  
• Common Kilt
  
  
  
  
  
• Diaspora
  
  
  
  
  
• Dogwood Trade
  
  
  
  
  
• Flower of Scotland ~ designed as a tribute to Roy Williamson, writer of the words and music of 'The Flower of Scotland'. Roy wore the Gunn tartan which has been used as the framework of the new tartan. Cornflower blue and Zephyr green have been used to suggest the bluebell and the thistle.
  
  
  
  
  
• The Great Scot
  
  
  
  
  
• Highland Granite ~ an exclusive by Lochcarron of Scotland as a universal formal wedding tartan.
  
  
  
  
  
• Scotland Forever ~ a Lochcarron of Scotland exclusive.
  
  
  
  
  
• Scotland's Own
  
  
  
  
  
• Scottish Odyssey ~ a Lochcarron of Scotland exclusive.
  
  
  
  
  
• Scottish Pride
  
  
  
  
  
• Scottish Watch Universal
  
  
  
  
  
• Spirit of Scotland
  
  
  
  
  
• Universal Ancient
  
  

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Historic Tartans

• Carolina ~ based on a fragment from a coat of the Royal Company of Archers, dated c.1730. Believed to be the same sett as was used for the wedding ribbons of Charles II in 1661.
  
  
  
  
  
• Gipsy ~ supposedly the name and design came from James MacPherson, composer of 'MacPhersons Rant, and a well free-booter. He claimed to be the natural son of MacPherson of Invereshee by a gypsy woman.
  
  
  
  
  
• Meg Merrilees ~ this 19th C. fancy tartan, celebrating a character in one of Sir Walter Scott’s novels. Meg Merilies was a Gypsy woman in Guy Mannering (1815), who helped the young hero to regain his inheritance and win his bride. An enterprising weaver decided to capitalize on the popularity of the book, by designing a new tartan and naming it after her. It evidently met with some success, for a sample of it, handwoven in silk, has survived from the 1840’s. By the early 20th century, however, when details of the novel were no longer so well known, the design appeared in catalogues as a family tartan, listed simply as ‘Merrilees’.
  
  
  
  
  
• Robert Burns check
  
  
  
  
  
• Rob Roy
  
  
  
  
  
• Robin Hood
  
  
  
  
  
• Sir Walter Scott created this sett for his own use in 1822. He wore it in private, in the form of a Lowland shepherd's plaid.
  
  

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Commemorative Tartans

These tartans mark a special event or person and can be worn by anyone with an interest in or a sense of affiliation with the person or event.

• The Culture ~ colours chosen to reflect a European essence that will endure beyond the 1990 'Year of Culture'. Available only at MacDonald MacKay Ltd., Glasgow, a kiltmaking firm.
  
  
  
  
  
• Diana Princess, Memorial ~ to commemorate the life of Diana Princess of Wales. Each sale of the tartan raises money for her many charities.
  
  
  
  
  
• Hogmany Plaid Commemorative ~ created to signify the birth of 'A Brand New Year 1st January 2000'.
  
  
  
  
  
• The Stone of Destiny (Glossary) ~ produced for MacNaughtons of Pitlochry to celebrate the return of the Stone of Destiny from Westminster.
  
  
  
  
  
• Wild Geese ~ a universal commemorative tartan to honor the Irishmen who lived in France as mercenary soldiers as the result of the religious intolerance in the eighteen and nineteenth centuries. The design merges the Green, White and Gold of the Irish Tricolour with the Red, White and Blue of the French flag. The Black running through is to remember those who lost their lives.
  
  

There are also U.S., state, city, and county tartans available. Return to the Tartans page to view these, plus collegiate, military, U.S. historic, Irish, and Welsh tartans.

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