If you’re not a family historian, you may not realize that there are many styles of tartans. By looking at them, some may believe they’re simply attractive fabrics from Scotland’s history. The truth is that tartans have their own history. They identify the person wearing the colors, and they even show where the person is from. By looking at a tartan, it’s possible to get the history of a clan; even today’s modern tartans are still historically based.
What’s interesting about tartans is their extreme popularity. There are generic tartans sold as “plaid,” and there are also tartans registered all over the world for businesses, U.S. states, and the military. In every case, the tartan itself can specifically identify the person or organization wearing it...