A Tale of Two Tartans

One Macalister check, two ways to wear it. Country-smart collars and loafers, or clashing stripes and Docs.

I grew up in the seventies, when a kilt was the thing I really wanted. I never got one, unless you count those pretend ones attached to a scratchy nylon mesh vest. If you know, you know. Maybe that’s why I’ve finally made my own version. Because I can.

I’ve always loved the country-smart side of tartan. Give me a proper collar and a loafer and I’m very happy. Then there’s early Vivienne Westwood, which is probably why I’m equally happy putting that same tartan with a stripe, a big grungy knit and a pair of Docs. I wanted Macalister to do both.

How tartan gets its check

There’s a little bit of weaving magic in a tartan. The coloured stripes run along the cloth in the warp and across it in the weft. Where the same colours meet, you get a solid block. Where different colours cross, they make an in-between shade. That repeating arrangement is called the sett. It’s why the narrowest stripe can change the look of the whole cloth.

Scottish weavers were making tartan, traditionally in wool, long before particular checks became firmly associated with clan names. That association took shape in the nineteenth century. I love that a cloth so closely tied to Scottish Highland dress could later feel completely at home with a pair of Docs.

Macalister is our in-house brushed cotton tartan collection. We started with a traditional Scottish tartan as inspiration and worked on the scale of the check and all those little colours that run through it. The cloth is woven exclusively for us. It’s suede-soft against the skin, warm and breathable, and has the sort of feel that makes me want to wear it as a blouse as much as a skirt.

Macalister began with two trouser shapes. They sold in seconds and we kept repeating them until the mill ran out of yarn. I’ve since worked that same soft cloth into two blouses and the Ripley skirt. The palette is Black, Hunter Green and Claret, the deeper red I wanted for this version of the check.

The Ripley midi skirt

You’ve been asking for the Ripley since we first did it. I’d been saving it for this cloth. It’s my take on the kilt I always wanted, in a midi shape I’d happily wear on an ordinary Tuesday.

It’s got the shirred waist you loved, pockets you can actually put your hands in, and just enough fullness to balance the proportions. We gave it a deep, double-faced hem to add a bit of weight so the skirt hangs beautifully and the hem stays put. You’ll see what I mean when it moves.

Which trouser are you?

The Classic Barrel is full length. I like it down, or rolled once to show a boot or a pair of socks worth seeing. The Crop Quirky is cut to the ankle on purpose. I wanted a winter crop that gives your boots a proper outing. If you like changing where the hem sits, I’d start with the Barrel. If you want that ankle-length look straight away, go Quirky.

Two blouses and plenty of ways to wear them

The Poet Blouse has the ruffle collar and bow ties our regulars will know immediately. The Peter Pan Shirt has front patch pockets that give it the look of a little jacket when you wear it open. I’d put it over our Essential Body Stretch Ruffle or Paloma Tela Poet for a smarter look. Try it over a stripe, a band tee or a plain white crew neck when you want to wear it more casually.

For the country-smart look, I’d start with a white or tonal statement collar and loafers. For the punk look, I’d keep the very same tartan piece on and swap in oversized knitwear, a stripe and chunky boots. Converse or Docs work just as well. Half the fun is deciding how far you want to take it.

The Macalister pieces are designed to fit UK 10–20. If you’re wondering where to start, pick the shape you’ll wear most. Then try it with the shoes you’d usually leave in the cupboard. I’m usually one pair of Docs away from a change of mind.

Explore the Macalister collection