Custom tartan strap from Aaron Bespoke
Ever get a strap just to match one tie? Being possessed of a McSurname and some fractional Scottish heritage, I frequently wear this loud hand-me-down from Grandpa. Sure, it could be a little less clashy, but each pattern is unique to one family, so, this is the one I'm stuck with.
I got the idea when I was browsing Aaron Bespoke's custom strap gallery and noticed a couple Speedmasters* on plaid cashmere. I had never even imagined a plaid watch strap before... but the busy pattern of the fabric looked surprisingly tasteful. I guess there's a reason why people wear golf pants.
Cashmere is one thing, but would it even be possible to do the same thing with thick wool tartan fabric? Aaron said he would try, provided that I sourced the fabric myself! Mercifully, a watch strap is such a small project that an authentic swatch (no, not like that) runs less than $10 shipped from the UK. And so, this arrived a couple weeks later:
It's not very subtle... but neither am I. Really looking forward to breaking it in!
Aaron did this custom piece for $200: Scottish-Canadians (or perhaps all Canadians) will be overjoyed to hear that he charges CAD$ for domestic orders. I certainly recommend him if you have a wacky idea that you want to make into a reality: https://www.aaronbespoke.com.
An interesting footnote: in my corner of North America, it's surprisingly common for Native Americans to have a Scottish clan affiliation - the byproduct of a long-ago generation of lonely trappers sent into the woods without supervision. I have some business connections with tribal governments and my kitschy tartan aesthetic is shockingly well-received at meetings.
child of the 90s... collector on a budget... happily married and loving the socially acceptable way for men to talk about their jewelry habit
I'll have to check that out, my ancesty is mostly Scottish, though that was a couple hundred years ago...
Now I kind of want RCAF, RCN, and PEI tartan straps...
Great contribution. Tartan works, and that Speedy looks awesome. Had a peek at the website and immediately bookmarked it, if nothing else but for inspiration. Not cheap but looks amazing quality. As born in Edinburgh may get a discount ! Great Citizen btw.
I'll have to check that out, my ancesty is mostly Scottish, though that was a couple hundred years ago...
Now I kind of want RCAF, RCN, and PEI tartan straps...
I considered getting the Sask tartan too! I'm 1/16th at best, but it is at least the 1/16th that gave me my surname. That side of the family were a conspicuously white-collar bunch who went from Charlottetown to what was then Calgary, NWT.
With the Canadian tartans a lot of online listings offer cheaper synthetic fabrics. I figured it would be best to insist on traditional wool, and it was workable, but Aaron told me to order the thinnest weight available. Not sure if the fabric has any effect on the stiffness out of the box.
I didn't have any specific directions for the accent colours that should be used for the stitching, so I was quite pleased with Aaron's choice of red, a touch of yellow, and a very dark green coating along the edge.
I considered getting the Sask tartan too! I'm 1/16th at best, but it is at least the 1/16th that gave me my surname. That side of the family were a conspicuously white-collar bunch who went from Charlottetown to what was then Calgary, NWT.
With the Canadian tartans a lot of online listings offer cheaper synthetic fabrics. I figured it would be best to insist on traditional wool, and it was workable, but Aaron told me to order the thinnest weight available. Not sure if the fabric has any effect on the stiffness out of the box.
I didn't have any specific directions for the accent colours that should be used for the stitching, so I was quite pleased with Aaron's choice of red, a touch of yellow, and a very dark green coating along the edge.
My ancestry is pretty much all British Isles, with Scottish being the largest part by a wide margin, though my last name is English.
A light will makes sense, I imagine cheaper synthetic cloth would not hold up to wear very long.
Absolutely fabulous strap good on ya..!!
And I’m sure it’s going to look good on ya lol