The Story Behind the Oklahoma Tartan
Few symbols are as instantly recognizable—or as deeply tied to heritage—as the Scottish tartan. With its distinctive crisscrossed bands of color, tartan is far more than just fabric. It tells stories of identity, belonging, rebellion, and pride. Each pattern, or “sett,” carries history within its stripes, making tartan a living thread that connects Scotland’s past with communities across the globe today.
As autumn approaches and Highland festival season draws near, it’s the perfect time to dive into the history and symbolism of tartan, exploring how these vibrant patterns came to represent Scottish clans, regions, and traditions—and how they continue to evolve, from Scotland’s looms to Oklahoma’s own state tartan.
The Origins of Tartan
The roots of tartan stretch back centuries, with archaeological evidence suggesting that woven checked fabrics were worn in Scotland as early as the third century AD. However, the tartans we think of today began to take shape in the 16th and 17th centuries, when weaving techniques allowed for increasingly complex patterns.
Originally, tartans were regional rather than familial. The dyes available to a community dictated the colors that could be woven. For instance, areas rich in plants producing blue or green dyes saw more of those hues in their cloth. Only later did specific clans adopt certain tartans, a tradition that was solidified in the 18th and 19th centuries as clan identity became tied to particular patterns.
Tartan and Rebellion
Tartan’s story is inseparable from Scotland’s struggles for independence and self-expression. Following the Battle of Culloden in 1746—the final clash of the Jacobite Rising—the British government banned the wearing of tartan under the Dress Act. It was an attempt to suppress Highland culture, dismantle clan identity, and prevent further uprisings.
For nearly 40 years, Highland Scots were forbidden from wearing their traditional dress. Yet the ban only deepened tartan’s symbolic power. When the prohibition was lifted in 1782, tartan transformed from everyday wear into a proud emblem of Scottish resilience and defiance.
By the 19th century, with the romantic revival of Highland culture inspired by writers like Sir Walter Scott, tartan enjoyed a renaissance. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert famously embraced tartan at Balmoral Castle, helping to cement its association with both Scottish tradition and modern identity.
How Tartans Are Designed
At its core, a tartan is defined by its sett—the repeating pattern of stripes and colors. These patterns are woven in both directions, creating the iconic grid-like effect. Designing a tartan involves balancing symbolic colors, historical references, and aesthetic harmony. For example:
Colors often represent natural elements, geography, or symbolic traits.
Symmetry ensures the pattern repeats consistently, no matter how the fabric is cut.
Registration with an official body ensures the tartan is preserved, recorded, and recognized.
Today, new tartans continue to be created for families, organizations, states, and even causes such as cancer awareness or military service. The process keeps tartan relevant as both a marker of tradition and a tool for modern storytelling.
Registering Tartans
To maintain historical accuracy and safeguard cultural heritage, tartans are catalogued through the Scottish Register of Tartans. Established in 2008 and maintained by the National Records of Scotland, the register records thousands of designs, both ancient and modern. Each entry includes details about the sett, its designer, its date of registration, and the story behind it. This ensures that tartans aren’t just aesthetic patterns but preserved as meaningful cultural artifacts.
The registry also means that anyone—from a family looking to formalize their historic tartan to a state or organization creating a new one—can contribute to the living tradition of tartan design.
The Symbolism of Oklahoma’s Tartan
Colors in tartans have long carried symbolic meaning—blue for loyalty, green for the land, red for courage or sacrifice, black for resilience, and gold for prosperity. While not every tartan follows the same code, these associations have guided designers for centuries. That tradition is alive and well in Oklahoma’s own state tartan, designed in 1998 by USCO’s founder, Jerrel Murray, and registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans. Its design reflects the land and heritage of our state:
Blue for the wide-open skies
Red for the clay-rich soil beneath our feet
Black for oil, one of Oklahoma’s natural resources
Gold for wheat, a staple of our fields and economy
By weaving these colors together, the Oklahoma tartan connects local identity to global Scottish tradition. It’s part of a broader movement of state and regional tartans across the U.S. and Canada, where communities use cloth to tell their unique stories.
Today, the Oklahoma tartan isn’t just archived in a registry—it’s alive at festivals, family gatherings, and in everyday wear. Whether seen in kilts, sashes, scarves, or home goods, it serves as both a fashion choice and a cultural statement: a reminder that heritage is not only preserved but celebrated and reimagined for modern life.
How to Wear Your Oklahoma Tartan
One of the joys of tartan is its versatility. You don’t need to be a highland dancer or athlete to showcase pride in Oklahoma’s tartan—though kilts are always welcome! From casual accents to full traditional outfits, tartan allows everyone to participate in celebrating Scottish culture, whether at a festival, a family gathering, or even a formal event. Here are fun and meaningful ways to wear it:
Kilts and Kilted Skirts: The classic choice for festivals, ceremonies, and special occasions.
Fly Plaid: Draped over the shoulder and fastened with a brooch, it’s a traditional accessory that adds flair to any outfit.
Flashes: Worn with kilt hose, flashes are small but stylish accents that add a touch of tartan to your ensemble.
Shawls and Sashes: Perfect for adding a bold touch of tartan while keeping warm at festivals or gatherings.
Ties and Bow Ties: Great for formal events or adding a subtle nod to heritage.
NOTE: All of these items are available through USCO’s online shop, making it easy to incorporate the Oklahoma tartan into your wardrobe and daily life.
Celebrating the Threads That Bind Us Together
At the United Scottish Clans of Oklahoma, tartan embodies our mission: connecting Oklahomans through the education, preservation, and promotion of Scottish culture. Through programs like Gaelic language classes, the Scottish Book Club, scholarships, and our annual Oklahoma Highland Gathering, we weave together the strands of heritage that unite us. The Oklahoma tartan reminds us that heritage is not static—it’s living, breathing, and growing. By embracing tartan, we honor the past while creating traditions that will inspire future generations.
This fall, we invite you to celebrate tartan in all its forms at the 25th Annual Oklahoma Highland Gathering. From the skirl of the pipes to the rhythm of Highland dancers, from athletic feats of strength to the warmth of clan camaraderie, the Gathering is where tartan comes to life.
And if you’d like to carry a piece of Oklahoma’s Scottish story home with you, visit our online shop for kilts, accessories, and keepsakes in the official Oklahoma Tartan. However you choose to wear it, let tartan remind you that you are part of a story that continues to unfold—one thread, one pattern, one gathering at a time.
