TARTANS

The tradition of tartan is deeply rooted in Scottish history, with numerous references found in early Scottish literature and travelers’ accounts dating back centuries. Historically, tartans were described as “chequered,” “striped,” or “sundrie” colored fabrics. The distinctive pattern of a tartan, known as its sett, consists of a specific arrangement of colors and stripes that is repeated to achieve the desired size of the fabric.

For many centuries, tartan was an integral part of Highland dress, evolving over time to become a recognized symbol of kinship. By the time of the union with England in 1707, tartan was worn throughout Scotland. However, the standardized setts commonly seen today were not widely used in the Highlands until they were adopted by prominent Lowland families, generally dating from the 18th century onward.

Tartans continue to evolve, with new designs regularly registered with the Scottish Tartan Society. Notably, a red, white, and blue tartan was created for the United States Bicentennial in 1976. In 1980, original tartans were approved for the Citadel and for the two Carolinas. And the University of South Carolina tartan, located in the heart of the midlands, was officially registered in March 2014.