New English kilt wearer advice

[OC Richard]

Hi

I recently went to a wedding in England and my mate said I should wear my kilt but I wimped out - I feel like unless I am at a Scottish event I will just come across as the 'English guy in a skirt' which will ruin the experience.

I want to be able to wear my kilt more than just once or twice a year but don't want it to bring negative attention.

First, Welcome!

Second, I can see both sides of the "not wanting negative attention" issue. Because I've not owned a suit in many years, the rare times which I need to dress more nicely than and sportcoat and slacks I wear Highland Dress. So I would have worn nice, though understated, Highland Dress to that wedding and not given it much thought. (In my mind there's a difference between being respectfully dapper and being an attention-grabbing "look at me!" sort.)

The exception for me is Church, where I wouldn't dream of wearing Highland Dress (unless piping), because I don't want any attention to come my way, positive or negative, which might detract from the purpose of being there.

It would be odd though for an England rugby supporter to wear kilts at an England v Scotland match!! People would wonder. Unless you wear this kilt



We here in the USA don't have to deal with the England v Scotland feelings which I suppose makes kiltwearing a bit more difficult for an Englishman. Here people of Scottish, Irish, English, German, African, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, etc etc all wear kilts and nobody thinks anything about it. We figure a guy is wearing a kilt because he wants to and that's that.