Bagpipe ban for tat shops

[Jock Scot]

Fellows, I'm starting to feel like an intruder for loving and admiring things that are Scottish. I'm starting to wonder if I should just wear trousers, sell off my kilts and jackets, and leave my membership here.

I don't think for a minute that it's the true intent of either Scots in general or highlanders in particular, but please, Highlanders, advise me: where am I truly welcome in this culture? What can I do that is appropriate and would be respected?

I don't want to pretend anything and I don't want to offend anywhere, but I discover that I do have relatives living in Scotland for centuries and it gives me great cheer, and then . . . .

Just looking for advice from the Scots.

A good question and from a personal point of view (many Scots probably think along the same lines)my answer is :-

As long as the traditional kilt is worn well and with respect then I am flattered that others from outwith Scotland wish to wear one. There was a time when I really felt very uncomfortable with others from outwith Scotland wearing the kilt, but a certain amount of realism has dawned upon me over the years.

Where I really get brassed off is when a non Scot says "to hell with that, I will wear the kilt when,where and how I like" and yes we get that comment on this website! Although I fancy, not as often as we used to.

Now the "wear what I like" brigade will often use pictures of the "Tartan Army" to justify their view and fair enough, but and I repeat BUT, what is not understood by non Scots is that the "TA" know how to wear the kilt properly should the occasion arise.

One of the reasons(not the only one) that I spend more than a wee tad of my time on this website is to try and educate, encourage and help non Scots into wearing my national attire----yes I do think it is that------ properly.That way, when I see the kilt being properly worn I can AND DO feel just more than a wee tinge of pride to think "there goes my Scots national attire and doesn't it look damn good!"

Of course I have to accept that the weather in other parts of the world is not like Scotland's! Well, with a spot of imagination as shown by more than a few threads at the moment, the "spirit" , not the "letter" necessarily, of traditional kilt attire can still be achieved, which in my view does great credit to those that try to stay within the traditional Scots kilted look.

Which brings me onto the "modern style of kilt"(non traditional kilts) and there is no getting away from it , they do cause me problems and I think many other Scots too! Thankfully, in my experience, they are not a common sight in Scotland (I have never knowingly seen one), but I have to accept that in other places in the world they are popular with some people.