When it comes to tartans there can be a lot of misconceptions and misleading information out there. For some people knowing what tartans are acceptable to wear is a blurry area. This blog covers the different types of tartan and the use of them as well as some common universal tartans ideas. Most people look for a family name tartan if they are of Scottish decent and there are thousands of clan and family name tartans with loads of variations. The tartan register holds records of all known registered tartans along with the rightful creators and owners. Aside from ranges of personal, royal tart ..read more

Kilts and tartan are part of the key identity of Scotland, enriched in our culture, our history, & our representation. At Houston kiltmakers we all know and love highland wear culture, we take pride in being a 4th generation family business with decades of experience and well knowledgable staff. But where did it all start? Kilts have been changing through time just like Scotland has and both have grown and changed so far over the years. This post covers the origins and history of the kilt in Scotland and why its an important aspect of Scottish culture. What is a kilt and where did they co ..read more

Glasgow like Edinburgh is a key location in Scotland with its rich history and some of the most famous kilt shops. People travel from all around the world to Scotland to take in our stunning views , culture and highland dress. This post covers the best highlandwear offered within Glasgow and why you should consider embracing your Scottish heritage or bring out your inner Scotsman for your next function. Houston Kiltmakers – Who are they? One of the original scottish kilt shops established in 1909, a family run 4th generation business ran by father and son Ken and Ewan MacDonald. Founded by Ke ..read more

Kilts for Hire stock a large and comprehensive range of kilts for you to hire. But as well as hiring out kilts, we would love to show those of you who are new to this type of Scottish attire, the answer to a question we get asked all the time – “can you show me how to wear a kilt properly?” Putting on your socks , flashes & Sgian Dubh: Firstly, when putting on your socks, ensure the ribs of the socks are straight , check the socks are sitting at the same height. Socks should be sitting just below the knee , about 3-4 inches below the kilt. The flashes go under the fold of your socks , sitt ..read more

Known as the weavers poet, Robert Tannahill was not as fortunate in his career as our beloved national bard, Robert Burns. The tragic ending to his life is what propelled him into the fame he so desired, and he became a pillar in a town full of innovation and culture. Born in Castle street in Paisley, Tannahill was born with a slight deformity in his right leg, leading to a limp and contributing to his slight frame. Tannahill came from a family of nine, as noted in a letter he wrote to a friend. When he was of school leaving age (around 12 for most working class/labouring families) he was an ..read more

Despite its heavy association with Scotland and the rest of the UK, tartan as a concept actually began out of Asia and Europe. Many variations have came about in part due to fast fashion; taking the pattern that is traditionally woven in wool and weaving it into all sorts of new fabrics, until it is the fashion staple we all know today seen all across the world. However, along with people who have commissioned their own personal tartans, there are designers out there changing the landscape of tartan. Designers such as Parminder Kaur Kooner, who after visiting Scotland and seeing the Highland ..read more

Clanadonia You may have had the privilege of watching these musicians perform live from the likes of Buchanan Street, but did you know members were originally part of the stunt crew for Braveheart, teaching the auld scots way of combat? In 1997 member Tu-Bardh Wilson joined the Wallace Clan Stunt Crew and their display fight team, attending corporate events and demonstrating how Highlanders would fight in battle. That same year, they were involved in the Shahallion, the first ever event to be held in the new Clyde Auditorium, also known as the Armadillo. After participating in that gig, the me ..read more

Houston Kiltmakers had the pleasure of interviewing Kimberly Neil from Margaret Morrison Ltd, traditional sporran makers based in Perth, Scotland. Kimberly says she has been making sporrans since around 7 years old, after her step-father Greg Whyte began the business. Greg is originally from South Africa, and Kimberly’s mum’s family are from Oban. Greg also holds a New Zealand passport, and Kimberly’s great-grandfather and Greg’s grand-father is buried there. Greg’s grandfather was a Morrison, and the business being named Margaret Morrison is a combination of both his mother and his father’s m ..read more

As September draws to a close we are sharing some of our Highlights from the busy summer we have had as well as a message from our very busy Social Media Manager. Prepare to be Wowed  We recently made a very unique kilt outfit for Kris who celebrated his marriage to Tertulien in LA… Working closely with Tertulien he had a vision of how the outfit should look, traditional but with a very contemporary twist and I think you’ll agree the end result is spectacular. Villa Bologna in Malta was the beautiful venue for Mr & Mrs MacDonald’s Wedding…the groom wore Ancient MacDonald with a Silve ..read more

Clanadonia You may have had the privilege of watching these musicians perform live from the likes of Buchanan Street, but did you know members were originally part of the stunt crew for Braveheart, teaching the auld scots way of combat? In 1997 member Tu-Bardh Wilson joined the Wallace Clan Stunt Crew and their display fight team, attending corporate events and demonstrating how Highlanders would fight in battle. That same year, they were involved in the Shahallion, the first ever event to be held in the new Clyde Auditorium, also known as the Armadillo. After participating in that gig, the me ..read more