About  Tartan.

Tartan is a plaid cloth pattern that developed chiefly in Scotland. The design consists of stripes of various widths and  colours. The  stripes cross at right angles against a solid colour background. The principal  clans (tribes) in Scotland have their own tartans. Scottish regiments have also  adopted tartans. In countries other than Scotland, the word tartan also means a  cloth or a garment with a tartan design.
The cloth that is used to make tartan is usually wool. A tartan design is called a sett. The  sett may be made  in any size, depending on the intended use of the cloth.  Regardless of the size  of the sett, the proportions of the stripes must remain the same. The colours of a sett may vary in shade from pale to dark.
A  Scottish Highlander wears a tartan kilt (a knee-length pleated skirt) and may carry a plaid over the left  shoulder. A plaid is a blanketlike mantle fastened  at the shoulder with a  brooch. Other parts of the costume include a sporran  (pouch) hanging in front of  the kilt, a doublet (jacket), and a bonnet (cap).  The stockings may be of tartan  pattern, and the brogues (shoes) are low-cut. Tartan trews (trousers) are  sometimes worn as an alternative to the kilt by the  Lowland Scottish regiments.
The use of chequered garments dates back to  ancient times. The Irish, the Britons, the Caledonians of Scotland, and the Celts in Europe wore them. Originally, tartans in Scotland were associated with districts. Later, they were used to identify the chief clan of an area. Extra  lines were added to some setts to show the wearer's rank.
Originally, the  kilt and the plaid were part of a single large piece of tartan cloth. Wearers folded the tartan lengthwise and gathered it around the waist with a  belt.