Tartan

by Retro Chick
January 25, 2012
17 Comments
1 minute read
102 Views
13 years ago

Happy Burns Night!

I hadn’t planned to do this today, then I felt guilty because I’d done Chinese New Year on Monday and I do like a nice haggis supper on Burns Night, so I thought in the interests of fairness I’d take a look at Tartan today!

Burns Night is poet Robert Burns birthday on the 25th January and started being held around the early 1800s after Burns death. It includes speeches, toasts, poetry readings, and, importantly, Haggis. If you haven’t tried haggis you really should. It sounds disgusting but I think it’s delicious with a spicy oaty flavour.

But onto Tartan! I was a big fan of tartan mini skirts and trousers when I fancied myself a punk in the 90s, but since then I’ve reserved it mostly for pyjamas and the occasional shirt I’m afraid. I’ve fancied a full tartan skirt for a few years, but not been able to find one I could afford and my seamstress skills just aren’t up to, well, anything!

I’ve dug out some vintage photos of women in Tartan, though they were surprisingly harder to find than I expected.

And a few places to pick up some tartan of your very own. (Top tip, wool tartan skirts are a common Charity Shop find)

1940s Tartan print dress – £78.98 on Etsy

1950s Tartan Cloak – £28.30 on Etsy

Tartan Wool Ladies Skirt – £55 on eBay

For the more sizing flexible world of vintage repro we’re back to Vivien of Holloway who has the most amazing tartan pencil skirts.

Tartan Wiggle Skirt – £45 Vivien of Holloway

17 Comments

Missy vintage January 25, 2012

I won’t be eating haggis – oh no no no. Love that tartan pencil skirt!
- Gemma January 25, 2012
  
  Pfft. Such a wuss! It’s lovely!
Charlotte January 25, 2012

Yay for tartan!

xx Charlotte
Tuppence Ha’penny Vintage
Perdita January 25, 2012

Tartan is a common chazza shop find, unless I have been there. In which case there will be none left. Mwhahahahaha! I have 2 long and 1 short tartan skirts- all well under a tenner, result!

An interesting fact is that whilst, as you say, Haggis sounds rank and actually tastes nice, deep friend Mars Bar (the other food stereotypically associated with Scotland) sounds intriguing but tastes gross and burns your mouth. :/ Bad experience, never again!
- Mateo February 9, 2012
  
  Hi Guys,I’m rlaely glad to be included as one of your remarkable 138 men’s blog.Hope to hear from you more
Old Fashioned Susie January 25, 2012

I love a bit of tartan! Vivienne Westwood does amazing tartan stuff, although a tad on the pricey side!
Fi Phillips January 25, 2012

With a Scot for a father (and an uncle and an aunt and cousins), I was virtually forced to wear tartan as a child so have a slight aversion to wearing it now. However, as a trim on something I think I could cope.

Happy Burns Night.
Paperdoll January 25, 2012

Check out Edinburgh Woollen Mill for Tartan otherwise known as Plaid depending on whereabouts on the planet you are!!! I’ve never had Haggis either, but then I’ve been vegetarian for a very long time so I have a reason. X
- Gemma January 25, 2012
  
  You can get vegetarian haggis! 😀
Louise January 25, 2012

I absolutely adore tartan. I made my 30th birthday party dress from tartan raw silk, such is my love of it, and hubby knows that if he buys me anything tartan that it will bring a smile to my face. Is it wrong to be that addicted to tartan? lol.
Straight Talking Mama January 25, 2012

I’m like Fi, strange that the two Fiona’s hail from Scotland! I was put in tartan a lot as a child but it hasn’t put me off I like it. I even had a proper kilt made for me once (although I suspect maybe twice) by a kiltmaker in Aberdeen as a child I remember them being very heavy!

I love the Vivien of Holloway number, fabulous!

I might eat Haggis, but only the veggie one!!
LandGirl1980 January 25, 2012

Hurrah for Tartan!! Yay to poetry readings! Boo to haggis! (soz)
- Gemma January 25, 2012
  
  Pffft. Another Haggis wuss. More for me! Muahahahaha!
Shona January 25, 2012

Ohhh I love a bit of tartan! Lovely pics.
sugarbuttie January 25, 2012

Any excuse for a wee dram of whisky tonight…hic! Love the skirt!
Lori Smith January 25, 2012

That cape is gorgeous! I should have worn my tartan skirt today. Found it in a clothing exchange last week. Bargain!
Wendy Buchta January 25, 2012

My wardrobe cries from its longing for that VoH wiggle skirt.

I’ll pass on the haggis though. It tastes a lot like it smells – nasty.