I've started a new chain of thought here, because rightly in a previous chain Jimmy Carbomb suggested that I hang out with some 'hardballers' in respect of their attitudes.

He is right, I'm rather more broadminded than some, and it is well to be aware that there are differing attitudes. Please accept that I'm not seeking to inhibit anyone from wearing the kilt in the way that suits them, however in some circles there are strong feelings about the tartan.

The kilt was the attire of the highlander, and scorned by the lowlander-certanly it was not to recently a national dress. The otherside of the coin being that many see it as the attire of a clansman-that is a highland clan or someone with a direct link by blood to that clan. In my case that is true, I wear the kilt as a clansman.

Now whilst it is possible to argue about the provenance of the various clan tartans and their associated names; many have been around long enough to have become well accepted as the right tartan to wear. In fact contrary to what many will say, the only tartan to wear. The thinking being that if one has not got an entitlement, then say an area tartan is the only option, rather than go for one to which there is no clear entitlement. Whilst you'd only wear a regimental tartan as a result of serving with that regiment, or maybe one's father had served with it. By the same token I'd not wear say the USMC or an American State tartan: nor having served with an English Regiment would I wear the tartan of a higland regiment-for to me it would be intolerably rude of me.

Allied to this is certain thinking about how the kilt should be worn and what with, depending on the time of day and activity. This in turn means that some items put forward by tailors and kilt rental firms for weddings and such like-would be a certain no-no for a serious clan/highland event. Just as would be the idea of wearing any tartan that takes one's fancy.

Thus an American with a genuine clan connection would be far more welcome in some circles than a lowlander who happened to be wearing a kilt.

The whole thing being confused by the way that tailors will sell any tartan-their job: further people can be mislead by good manners-which might suggest that their choice of tartan and how they wear it is accepted-when in fact it is not. Though I have heard a clansman who took the wrong advice being told to go away and as he was dressed like a little girl dancer go and join them!

A part of the problem being that many who appear to advise with authority, write books upon the subject and so on, do not appreciate the depth of feeling in certain quarters. Here I might be wrong as I've never been to America, but I'm told that there is still a great amount of oft latent feeling and high emotions remaining from the time of the Civil War, and one or two Americans I've met appear to reinforce that view--might it be the same about the tartan?

As said the purpose of this note is not to inhibit anyone or try to stiffle the development of kilt wearing by a wider public. For at a personal level, I think the kilt is an excellent form of attire for any man, and should rightly evolve. However it is well to be aware that some people do hold very strong views.

To illustrate this I mentioned this website to a fellow kilt wearer-and he after looking at it went ballistic as a result of some of the opinions and ideas he read.

Anyway good luck and keep on with wearing the kilt.

James