What say thee? Kilted on Norway's Independence Day?

[piperdbh]

You may wear the kilt only if you pose for pictures with one of these:

[CMcG]

Yeah, that was quite close to the answer I was looking for... The only thing I'm a bit worried about though, is that the kilt will in some way stand out negatively against all the Norwegian national costumes on this, for us, the very most Norwegian day of them all..

Check out this thread from your countryman Oddern. One of the guests at this event is wearing a bunad jacket with his kilt. Why not have the best of both worlds?

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...r-cally-64045/

[CDNSushi]

I am not Norwegian but in my opinion it would be 100% alright, and even quite patriotic possibly.

During WWII, after Norway's invasion by the Nazis, a number of Norwegian lads escaped to the UK to form the Norwegian Independent Company 1, under Winston Churchill's SOE (Special Operations Executive) group. This was a branch of the military that specialized in covert, guerrilla, and special ops, including sabotage and espionage. After training, nationals of occupied European countries were dropped back behind enemy lines to carry out dangerous missions for the British. SOE was also sometimes referred to as "Churchill's Secret Army" or "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Most of these missions, everyone understood, were pretty much suicide missions and the chance of coming out alive at the end of the war was very, very, very slim. Many operatives were captured, tortured, and executed.

One of Norway's war heroes, and greatest saboteurs, Max Manus was one of theses brave soldiers, under the company's commander Martin Linge, who was himself killed in 1941 in Operation Archery, an assault on Vågsøy Island. Both these men received Norway's top military honour, War Cross with Sword.

Now here's your link with Scotland. SOE field agents all underwent training in Arisaig, Scotland where they were taught armed and unarmed combat. The location was VERY significant for many of the fighting men -- to the point that the Czechs have been trying to unveil a war memorial in Arisaig for the SOE agents that were killed during WWII.

Also, King Haakon VII and his son Crown Prince Olav escaped to Winkfield, England between 1942 and 1945, and was made an honorary citizen of Largs, Scotland in 1944.

So.... I say: KILT ON!
ith:

[Jock Scot]

It is not for me to say do ,or don't wear the kilt on your national day, but personally I would have to think very hard about wearing the attire of another nation on "my" national day. Actually I don't think I could.

[Dale Seago]

You come to a kilt forum asking if you should wear a kilt so what you're really looking for is justification. Let me enable you. If you don't wear your kit you're a ninny!

I'd have said "niðingr" myself. . .

Not because I think you should wear it on the holiday because it IS one, but simply because there is no day where the kilt is not appropriate.

If you're thinking of wearing it "because of" the particular day, I'm afraid I have to agree with Jock.

[McClef]

Other Norwegian kilt wearers have avowed that the Bunad goes well with a kilt!

However you decide...

En God Norges Nasjionaldag til alle!

[Geoff Withnell]

Is your "regular suit" any more Norwegian than your kilt?

:

A hit! A palpable hit!

[nloken]

Thank you all for your suggestions and advise!

I was leaning towards the kilt when I was reminded that I would be manning the BBQ today. As this is something I do not dare to do whilst kilted (especially with a bunch of children running all around) I ended up opting for the suit. I did however wear a tartan tie to still get a hint of the kilt's spirit..

Oh, and I must say CDN, you have an impressive level of knowledge about our wartime history! I really like that bit of history myself!