Two Telling comments? The Answer Perhaps?

[Livonian]

I am not at all sure that the kilt is "commonly seen" in Scotland. I suppose it depends how you define " commonly seen" when compared to other forms of national attire from other European Countries and I am unable to make any sensible comparison there.

However, your comments do imply that the kilt, being worn( by the Scots) in Scotland is a common sight. A slight exaggeration perhaps?

I was once reading a comment thread about the wearing of Tracht (German national dress) at Oktoberfest in Munich. Someone replied that it's really quite concerning and that all this talk of national dress usually precedes the sound of jackboots marching in unison. That seems to be the attitude towards national dress in most of Europe... they don't want to see or think or hear about it because it carries connotations of old-fashioned ideas like "pride in one's heritage" and "pride in one's homeland". Funny thing is before the imposition of cosmopolitan dress, the same Tracht that is now thought to signal jackboots marching in unison was common leisure attire, worn when "city clothes" (aka Saxon dress) were not specifically required.

So, while the kilt might be rare in Scotland in this day and age, most other Europeans seem to want nothing to do with national dress, much less their own traditions and culture. Hence, the comments about the kilt being so common a sight in comparison to national dress in the rest of Europe.

Mind you, these are just the observations of an attentive American who values such things as tradition and laments that the cultural revolution of the 60's made tradition the object of scorn, and national dress into a tawdry costume.