FAO Jock Scot / Phil re: Tat and the Scottish Identity

[CMcG]

I'd like to go back to the now infamous "playing a being a Scot" comment. Sorry to say, but I think there are plenty of people who do just that.

Wearing a civilian kilt as though it were a costume is like playing dress-up. Now for some people, say at a Ren Faire, that is their intent. But there are others who think they are wearing the kilt as an item of traditional cultural dress, but are actually wearing a highly commercialized and derivative version of it.

If one is a Scot, born and raised, there is more room for forgiveness for looking like a rental shop tragedy. It is their national attire after all. For people outside Scotland it looks like "playing at being a Scot."

I'm not saying that one MUST dress a certain way. Xmarks welcomes all styles and types of kilts. But I think that people should make an effort to A) be familiar with the traditional style and B) find their own relationship with it, whatever that may be.

And anyone who is too sensitive probably shouldn't be wearing a civilian kilt in the first place. Many people, both on Xmarks and in the real world, just love to share their opinions about it and if one isn't prepared to deal with it, then the kilt is not a good choice of clothing for them. I'm not saying that is how it should be, just stating a fact...

[Mael Coluim]

Good grief. I wear the kilt because I enjoy it. I don't think my Scottish heritage qualifies me to wear it to another who doesn't have it. If the day came I no longer enjoyed wearing it, I would stop. But that decision would not be made in deference what others thought about my kilt wearing.

Sometimes, I think we just get to serious here. The kilt is just not for Highland wear or location anymore. The genie is out of the bottle!

[seanachie]

Good grief. I wear the kilt because I enjoy it. I don't think my Scottish heritage qualifies me to wear it to another who doesn't have it. If the day came I no longer enjoyed wearing it, I would stop. But that decision would not be made in deference what others thought about my kilt wearing.
Sometimes, I think we just get to serious here. The kilt is just not for Highland wear or location anymore. The genie is out of the bottle!

Preach on brother Ern! I agree with these sentiments very much.

I would add one other personal comment. I grew up in a house where sitting around the table for dinner was mandatory and debate on issues of the day, politics etc were the norm. So I don't get wounded by much that anyone says in a thread. So in addition to the point of getting to serious here, I don't think anyone should get to worked up about any comments. I know I love the kilt and I really like the kilts I own so I am not going to sell them all and give up wearing kilts because someone made a comment that upset me. As my Dad used to say: "don't let them pull your chain".

[Dale Seago]

Sometimes, I think we just get to serious here. The kilt is just not for Highland wear or location anymore. The genie is out of the bottle!

Exactly, and indeed it is. I do have some Scots ancestry on mainly my mother's side, with Irish comprising the biggest part otherwise plus bits of Cherokee, Lakota, Comanche, Choctaw, and Cree.

And often, when I wear the kilt, it's to honor the Scottish (or more generally Celtic) side of my ancestry.

But sometimes when I wear it, it's for no better reason than that women who see me in it want to be with me and men want to be me. Even were the kilt not such a fine and comfortable garment to wear, I'd find that reason enough.















BTW, the first pic above is more recent, from late June; the second is from early May. And yes, that's me in both of 'em.

[Irish Jack O'Brian]

I'd like to go back to the now infamous "playing a being a Scot" comment. Sorry to say, but I think there are plenty of people who do just that.

Wearing a civilian kilt as though it were a costume is like playing dress-up. Now for some people, say at a Ren Faire, that is their intent. But there are others who think they are wearing the kilt as an item of traditional cultural dress, but are actually wearing a highly commercialized and derivative version of it.

If one is a Scot, born and raised, there is more room for forgiveness for looking like a rental shop tragedy. It is their national attire after all. For people outside Scotland it looks like "playing at being a Scot."

I'm not saying that one MUST dress a certain way. Xmarks welcomes all styles and types of kilts. But I think that people should make an effort to A) be familiar with the traditional style and B) find their own relationship with it, whatever that may be.

And anyone who is too sensitive probably shouldn't be wearing a civilian kilt in the first place. Many people, both on Xmarks and in the real world, just love to share their opinions about it and if one isn't prepared to deal with it, then the kilt is not a good choice of clothing for them. I'm not saying that is how it should be, just stating a fact...

This is a thread that repeats much that has gone before, and I don't really think any opinions have changed much. Early on, when I had first joined the forum, there was a thread that truly set me off http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-advice-63530/

I did not understand then what I understand now. So this board has greatly influenced how I view the wearing of the kilt and how I view the Scots.

I now wear the kilt in three ways and for three purposes:

1. Respectfully - I wear the kilt of the Sutherlands to honor my cousin, William DePriest Sutherland, who was killed at the Alamo. I have learned all the lessons from this forum about the proper acoutrements and decorum that go with a respectful presentation.
2. Casually - I wear a khaki Utilikilt around my property and to parties and sometimes, an acrylic Black Watch for more dressy drinking fests.
3. Costumely/Comically - I have found a dark side to my kilt-wearing. I wear the kilt against all rules, well, not all; but enough, so that if a 'professional highlander' deigns to correct me, I can, in my most 'Jimmy' impression, tell him or her, "Och aye, laddie, the kilt is only for the true HIGHLANDER! A lowlander, like yourself, will nae kin the glory o' the kilt!" I've only gotten to do this three times so far, but it has been darkly satisfactory each time. Two men have walked away muttering, but the coup was the woman who looked me in the eye and we spoke for several minutes and I admitted what I was doing. Her smirk turned to speechlessness. This was at an art opening. I considered that my little piece of performance art was the best piece of the show. If I can poke the eye of a highlander, I will do so.

Must be the Irish side o' me. Why else would I choose "Brigadoon" as an avatar, but to offend the "Respect the Traditions Über Alles" clan?