All of the participants in a Scottish Highland Games wear kilts. Most of them wear tartan kilts like the one pictured above. The pattern of the weave varies according to the clan a Scotsman belongs to (Wallace in this case). There are more than 6600 official tartan patterns.
The Clan Chief determines a given clan’s approved pattern. It is almost the only thing a Clan Chief can decide on his/her own these days. In addition to a kilt, ladies wear a sash. It is conventionally worn over the right shoulder. There are some exceptions. If the lady is a Clan Chief, the sash is to be worn over the left shoulder. If a sash hampers movement or the playing of an instrument, it may be worn over the left shoulder. It is considered improper to wear several tartan patterns at the same time (say an ancient pattern with a hunting pattern).
In everyday use, men and women have begun to wear “kilts” that are not woven in a tartan pattern. These kilts may be solid in color, have pockets, and so forth.
