An "Outrage".

[Lime]

My love of tweed and pipes led me to subscribe,some time ago, to a little magazine called "The Chap".

I've just received the latest edition and was reading the "Advice" Column when I came across the following:

"I am writing to seek your counsel on the controversial subject of wearing kilts south of the border: on what occasions is it Chap to do so? And what minimal Scottish credentials ought a Chap possess to qualify to wear one at all?

I yield to few in my admiration for North Britain. But persons of taste and discernment must concede that, in matters sartorial this part of Her Majesty's United Kingdom has made little contribution to the wellbeing of mankind. The kilt is a garment which, if it must be worn at all, should be worn only by a Scotsman - and preferably, only in Scotland. On a non-Scotsman, it is an absurdity. On a non-Scotsman outside Scotland, it is an outrage."

Patently this is an incredibly ignorant viewpoint and one which is completely unfounded; virtually every point they make is offensive. Needless to say I will be cancelling the subscription henceforth.

[piperdbh]

It might also be an attempt at stirring up the blood pressure of subscribers to generate publicity for the magazine.

If this is a real letter asking for advice, it sounds like the writer has already made up his mind, a lot like my ninth graders. If it's a fake letter, planted in the page just to draw the reader's attention, it looks like it has done its job.

[Teufel Hunden]

It might also be an attempt at stirring up the blood pressure of subscribers to generate publicity for the magazine.

I agree with this. Sometimes the "any attention is good attention" mentality is pretty annoying.. it's especially annoying that the tactic itself is so popular amongst the desperate.

That being said, my reply to the article would be where the author can go with his opinion, and what he can do with himself once he gets there.

[Creeker]

That's like saying that only Americans are allowed to wear jeans because they were first made in California. I would say that with a comment like that, that Chap has no credibility.

[Irish Jack O'Brian]

HaHa! Well, I wouldn't get too upset with The Chap. They have their tongue firmly planted in their cheek. They disapprove of many things: pantaloons de nime, plimsolls, buttoned lower vest button, unpressed trousers, etc. http://thechap.net/content/section_manifesto/index.html

And as for sartorial splendor, the idea is to stand out. I rather think that it would be possible to wear a kilt at their annual Grand Anarcho-Dandyist Ball and, with a modicum of chutzpah, pull the beard of the Chapist Lion in its own den!

[Lime]

I've actually been a subscriber for some years...

I'm frustrated. I am a traditionalist in, what I think is, the best sense of the word: I hate tradition for tradition's sake but love it for it's unerring proof of timelessness and quality.

For example I would eschew a badly made sporran even if it was technically "correct" to wear it on a particular occasion but would celebrate a well made sporran from the highest quality materials and made by a craftsperson even if it was technically incorrect to wear to a particular occasion.

To me it is seeking out the best you can afford, and taking time and considering what you do. This has knock on effects:

- one is always well and correctly dressed. The people who matter know that you have taken time and consideration in your appearance and this matters more than appearing "black tie", "day wear", "business casual", "Friday funday" and so on ad nausea.

- clothing is ethically produced. People who care about how they dress seek out and are willing to pay for having something done properly. Even if this is purchasing from a Charity Shop and having a tailor amend it to fit they are still contributing to Charity and to a craftsperson's livelihood. At the other end of the spectrum they are paying for bespoke tailoring which some may argue is patronage of the arts.

-Clothing lasts; it is passed on for generations and is loved and treasured not only by those who bought the item, but their children, their children's children and their best friend's uncle's goldfish's sister's children.

Further more there are many kilt wearing chaps who are not Scottish out there: HRH the Prince of Wales for one.

If the Chap are really interested in sartorial standards then they need look no further than the kilt wearing community. After all I believe that the majority of kilt wearers would always, without exception, meet most of the Chap's manifesto http://www.thechap.net/content/secti...sto/index.html (obviously excluding number "9"!). We are all interested in tweed, tartan, hand made accessories and being well dressed.

Finally: Scottish attire is not a "fancy dress" but is an internationally accepted standard of dress. If one is to take the Chap's logic to an extreme we would be arguing that non-Englishmen wearing a suit is an outrage and Englishmen in Levis are obscene... some may argue that the latter is axiomatic!

In short what I would really like is for us to be able to convince the Chap that there are many kilt wearing chaps out there be they Scottish or not and whether or not the kilt is worn "north of the border".

[OC Richard]

I would eschew a badly made sporran even if it was technically "correct" to wear it on a particular occasion but would celebrate a well made sporran from the highest quality materials and made by a craftsperson even if it was technically incorrect to wear to a particular occasion.

To me it is seeking out the best you can afford, and taking time and considering what you do.

...paying for bespoke tailoring which some may argue is patronage of the arts.

Hear, hear!

[Jock Scot]

It was a firm opinion that was often voiced by many a Scot in my youth in the 1940's, but it is not one that I have heard voiced here recently.

[Steve Barclay]

It was a firm opinion that was often voiced by many a Scot in my youth in the 1940's, but it is not one that I have heard voiced here recently.

On the contrary, of those of Scots birth who have seen/heard that I sometimes wear a kilt, not one has hinted that they think I'm a cheeky sassenach stealing their national dress, indeed they mostly seemed very pleased and flattered, even before they knew that I have Scottish ancestry/family.

[Lallans]

I rather think that the "North Britain" thing is a hint that the author is trying to channel the late lamented Oscar Wilde, with measurably moderate success.