OSU President receives first official OSU kilt

Friday, April 23, 2010

Diane Morton, DHM clinical instructor and Kelsie Mitchell, DHM senior from Oologah, Okla. present the official OSU tartan kilt to OSU President Burns Hargis.

Design, Housing and Merchandising student creates first kilt from OSU tartan

Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis has some fashionable new attire to add to his wardrobe this week. Thanks to faculty and students in the Design, Housing and Merchandising Department in the College of Human Environmental Sciences, Hargis now has is very own Scottish kilt created from the official OSU tartan plaid.

“When the tartan became the official OSU tartan President Hargis had made several comments to us that he would like a kilt made since he is from Scottish decent,” said Diane Morton, a clinical instructor in DHM where the official tartan originated.

The kilt was created by Kelsie Mitchell, a senior in DHM with an option in apparel design and production from Oologah, Okla. Following a traditional Scottish kilt pattern, Mitchell constructed the orange and black garment with wool fabric specially woven by Pendleton Woolen Mills in Oregon. The company has been supplying stadium blankets and scarves in the tartan fabric since the official tartan was launched in the fall of 2009.

Mitchell said the most difficult part of creating the kilt was constructing the pleats in the back.

“It was really hard to get the plaid to line up in the pleats and with the waistband,” Mitchell said. “Then ironing the pleats was even harder.”

Mitchell said the fabric and the colors of the plaid helped inspire her design.

“I did not deviate from the traditional pattern, but I did experiment with different pleating placement to bring out the different colors of OSU's tartan plaid,” Mitchell said. “The end result was a surface with a flattering gray-hued tone. I tried another pleating placement that created a completely orange surface that would not have been as complimentary to the design of the garment or the fabric.”

While Morton said the kilt was not created for a special occasion, she said she thinks Hargis will wear his new Scottish garb to some OSU events.

“This opportunity is definitely an honor,” Mitchell said. “It was an amazing feeling to hand the garment over to President Hargis and see the look of pure excitement on his face. I will always be able to say that I had this experience, and that in itself is extremely satisfying.”

The official OSU tartan plaid was designed by DHM student Stephanie Michalko during a competition held during the fall of 2008. College of Human Environmental Sciences professors Paulette Hebert and Lynne Richards directed the contest among students who had completed a course in textiles. The winning design was chosen by the votes of students, alumni, faculty and staff.

The OSU tartan is officially registered with the Scottish Tartans Authority. As in Scotland where tartans are used to identify families, the OSU tartan signifies membership in the OSU family. OSU tartan stadium blankets and mufflers are available at the OSU Student Union Bookstore and the OSU Authentic Store on campus and at Stillwater merchants Elizabeth’s and Chris’s University Spirit.