Newish BC Member from Salt Spring Island

**kilted** · 13th August 23, 04:39 PM

Hello everyone!

I joined this site years ago, and while I've always wanted to wear a kilt, I wonder about cultural appropriation and ensuring when and if it is approraite I wear one, I do so respectfully. Since I'm not Scottish, my heritage is Portuguese, if I were to wear a kilt how do I chose a pattern? I could pick the tartan for Canada, BC or Montreal where I was born, or my partner is Irish/Scottish so could I wear a family tartan?

When it comes down to it, the reasons I want to wear a kilt is to honour and celebrate the Scots and Celtic culture and history, but is this enough?

Would love to hear different perspectives...

Thanks for reading.

**Hexdef101** · 13th August 23, 04:45 PM

Are you absolutely sure you have no Scottish ancestry, Scots got around quite a bit and all. as to cultural appropriation, the kilt isn't sacred - its just clothing.

**Father Bill** · 13th August 23, 05:22 PM

Welcome to the "Great Rabble"!

**stickman** · 13th August 23, 05:31 PM

Wear any distinct tartan that pleases you. If you’re partner has a family tartan wear that. As long as you wear it properly, have at it.

**kilted2000** · 13th August 23, 06:00 PM

Welcome! If I was Canadian I would consider the Maple Leaf tartan.

**Father Bill** · 13th August 23, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by kilted2000

Welcome! If I was Canadian I would consider the Maple Leaf tartan.

It is particularly beautiful to my eye.

**stickman** · 13th August 23, 06:29 PM

That is a nice looking kilt. I like your dog, best dog I ever had was a black lab. Hope you enjoy him for a long long time.

**Steve Ashton** · 14th August 23, 01:45 AM

First of all, welcome to the rabble from Victoria.

If I may comment from my own personal experience.
I was not raised around or had any knowledge of Scottish culture or history as a kid. There was always an oral history that my father's side of the family had been from Scotland but no mention of where or when. We knew much more of my mother's side who were French Huguenots with a history that was well documented and went back to before the American revolution.

Growing up I seldom heard Bagpipes and never developed a liking for them. I was never taught that my family were Scottish. We were just Americans of Scottish and French ancestry.

There was never any mention of a Highland Clan affiliation so, like many other Americans felt I could not wear Tartan because of the myth of Clan ownership.

Then I got a little more into the topic when I moved to Canada and became a kiltmaker. It was then that I learned that most of what I thought I knew was based on some pretty shaky myths and wishful thinking. I learned that while weaving cloth in a plaid pattern is as old as weaving, Tartan was much more recent than I was led to think. That the idea of Tartan was far more 'fashion of the wealthy' than "cloth of the Clans".

I learned that there were thousands of Tartan patterns and that there were far more designs that had nothing to do with Highland Clans.

I currently have 8 kilts. None of them are Clan Tartans.

I wear the Maple Leaf Tartan because you cannot learn about Canadian history without learning the role Scots played in that history.
I wear the Victoria, City of Gardens Tartan. I designed it as a gift to my adopted city.
I wear the Black Watch Tartan in the weathered colorway because I like the soft browns and greens.
I wear Isle of Skye Tartan because it is just beautiful.
I wear Highland Granite for the Grays that go with everything.
I wear a modern adaptation of the Stewart Tartan with the colors changed to blues because I just like the colors.
I wear the USMC Dress Blue Tartan because the Corps is my family.
And I wear the X Marks Tartan because this community of kilt wearers are my "clan".

So if you would like to wear the kilt, wear it because you like the fashion statement. There are thousands of Tartans. Find one that means something to you.

And if you have questions about how to wear your kilt - - well, that is why we are here.

There are plenty of examples on this forum of kilt wearing that does not look like you escaped from a pipe band or are trying to look like some illustration from a catalog from three generations ago.

**Jock Scot** · 14th August 23, 02:31 AM

If you want to wear the kilt then do so. BUT.................before you part with any money read up on the subject, decide what you might like to wear and then read again and ask and ask again on this website and anyone else you think may help. Decide the style you might prefer, be that traditional, modern style,or even a historical style. There are, for the unwary, expensive mistakes to be made, particularly if you start mixing the basic styles early on. This website has lurking in the threads past section, endless threads and discussions that go back many years that cover almost every aspect of kilt attire and how, what and when to wear it. Can I suggest you start there to get an idea of which direction you might wish to travel. Good luck.