Quote Originally Posted by Jimmy Carbomb
... To me, the rules and their origins are as fascinating as the tartans themselves...
Equally interesting is the gravity that some folks place on the subject. There's gotta be some real interesting human psychology involved in all of this.

Quote Originally Posted by Riverkilt
...Sadly, many "rules" evolve from childhood...NEEDING to know what's right so maybe, just maybe we won't get hit, beat, yelled at, whatever for being wrong.
'tis anxiety that drives perfectionism and rules...
A powerful motivator that carries into adult life!


Clothing is more than a body covering... it is a personal banner and yes, written or not, there will always be rules and conventions. By observing and choosing to follow the example of a particular individual or group, we are conforming to their current interpretation or understanding of those conventions. Some rules make a lot of sense. Others are arbitrary and random... set in place by some unseen, undefined, but collectively accepted "hive mind". This is serious matter for some and when others choose not to follow the current praradigm as they see it, they take umbrage. Therefore if we choose to go against convention, we simply have to be ready to deal with the reactions. However we feel about them... we need to know the rules before we break them.