Food For Thought

[Jock Scot]

Mrs Jock and I have just spent two happy days and three hilarious evenings with a group of old(in every sense!) friends. Yes, the excuse for this gathering was that there were enough grouse about to have two days shooting and catch up with each other's news over long suppers. So ten couples, all old and dear friends, gathered for the occasion at a friends barn, er house. Well to cut a very long story short, the ladies decided that on the Saturday night, instead of playing "charades" after an informal dinner we would do something different. Us men with far more important things to do, like thinking up a better excuse for missing yet another grouse and such, left the ladies to it. Well I should have guessed, it was Mrs Jock's idea and the questions were on KILTS! She does keep a mild eye on you chaps and came up with 21 questions all of her own from what she has read on this website.

So with me as Question Master(kilted) and 9 kilted "victims" a hilarious and interesting post dinner fact finding event took place.

1. Have you ever worn another, apart from a band, school, or military , tartan other than your own?
Yes: 0
No: 9

2. Have you ever seriously considered doing so?
Yes: 1
No: 8

3. Have you ever heard of a civilian box pleated kilt?
Yes: 0
No: 9

4. When was the last time you bought a new kilt?
Within the last two years: 1
Within the last ten years : 3
Over ten years ago: 4
Never: 1

5. How often do you wear the kilt?
One or more times a week: 2
If not weekly, at least once a month: 7
Full time: 0

6. When do you wear the kilt?
Mainly during the day, including weddings: 3
Mainly for evening dress occasions: 4
About even amounts: 2

7. Where would you normally wear the civilian kilt?
Solely in the Highlands:2
Solely in Scotland: 4
In the UK: 3

8. Would you ever wear the civilian kilt outwith the UK?
Yes in exceptional circumstances: 4
Yes: 0
Never: 5

9. At what height do you wear the kilt?
About an inch above the knee cap: 2
About level with the top of the knee cap: 6
About level with the centre of the knee cap: 1
Lower than the centre of the knee cap: 0

10. Do you discretely take notice how others are wearing the kilt?
Yes: 9
No: 0

11. Do you mind who wears the kilt?
Highlanders only: 2
Scots only: 6
Anyone: 1

12. What type of cloth makes the civilian kilt?(TICK AS MANY AS YOU LIKE)
Wool tartan:9
Tweed: 4
Plain wool, or non tartan pattern:0
Synthetic , plain or patterned, cloth:0
Leather: 0

13. Do you know what a district tartan is?
Yes: 0
No: 9

14. Would you wear one?
Yes: 0
No: 9

15: Apart from your own Clan tartans, how many tartans would you easily recognise?
Five: 2
Up to ten:4
More: 3

16. Would you wear white hose with a civilian kilt?
Yes: 0
No: 9

17. How is the kilt that you are wearing at this moment pleated?
To the sett: 4
To the stripe: 3
Don't know: 2
NOTE! On inspection they were all(9) pleated to the sett!

18. Are more kilts being worn in Scotland today than say 50 years ago?
Yes: 9
No: 0

19. Have you ever been asked what you wear under the kilt?
Yes:5
No:4

20. Have you ever discussed the kilt in such detail before?
Yes:0
No: 9

21. Finally can I ask you to put your name,nationality and number of years you have been wearing the kilt? NOT YOUR AGE PLEASE!
Willie- Scot, 65+: Ham- Scot, 67+: Mac- Scot, 70+: Macd- Scot, 65+:
Maca- Scot; 63+: Scotty- Scot, 65+: Alec- Scot, 70+: Archie- Scot, 70+:
Wee Jock- Scot 62+.

So not a fair representation of Scotland by any means, but I don't think one can ignore over 500 years of collective kilt wearing experience and they were all amazed that anyone outside Scotland could be interested in the kilt in the detail that we are here. To be fair, please don't forget that none of those answering the questions go into the minute kilt wearing details that we do on this website. So please do not get upset with their answers if you don't like them.

I did not answer any of the questions on the survey or have any involvement in composing the questions.