Many years ago I was told that the only place to see a "true" Scot is anywhere outside Scotland. It is amazing how Nationalistic and sentimental we become as soon as we leave our homeland. A lot of Scots who never wore the kilt at home all of a sudden become wearers. This is probably why so many people in the USA and Canada and elsewhere wear kilts and why not so many are seen in Scotland.

With me it was affordability that stopped me. I wore the kilt as a boy until it became too expensive to outfit me and my brother. Many years later, having survived a divorce and a couple of redundancies I found that I did have some spare cash and so became kilted once again. I cannot afford a proper 8 yard 16oz tank so I wear what I can afford as long as it looks the part.

I am going to Gambia once again in November and as I will be there for St Andrew's day, Christmas, My Birthday, New Year and Burn's night I will be wearing a kilt. This is when the cheaper "non tank" comes into it's own. I do not like the "modern" non tartan kilts but will take a cheaper version as the sand and dust will take its toll on any clothing. As it will be in the 30's the lighter the cloth the better. I will not stop wearing a kilt just because I cannot afford a tank. The more kilted people the better.

The "tat" has always been around. I remember many many years ago on one of my regular trips to Oban (The Highlands) I saw models of kilted pipers but when you turned them over it said "Made in France".