OK, very late to this thread, and skipped bits as 22 pages is a LOT of text. For me, having travelled a fair bit, I personally think part of the problem is the ennui so often seen in the young (hey! I'm only 45!) who consider it 'ucnool' to dress in a kilt - ripped jeans and an offensive t-shirt are far more 'with it', and many see history as 'just unimportant stuff about the past', so can't be bothered about. "Who cares if its 'traditional' or not? I wouldn't be seen dead in it!".
For me, wearing a kilt is a personal choice, and yes I do feel it connects me with the past, which I persoanlly feel is important.
I get the bit about 'tourists' - The town I went to school in each summer was invaded by hoards of tourists with 15 cameras around their neck, bermuda shorts and loud shirt driving us crazy with "Gee! This place is just so quaint".

Yes, wearing a kilt (badly) in Scotland could mark you as an uninformed tourist, but I have to say that on holiday 2 years ago in the Dumfries area where I often went kilted, I found it a positive experience. Yes, I was asked the usual questions, and although I didn't go out of my way to draw attention to myself, didn't mind the attention I did receive. Everyone was polite, people asked which Clan the tartan represented, and it was a great conversation starter.

I know this probably doesn't answer your question JS, but its just my take on the matter to further muddy the waters...