"Scots trip up on kilt style" (article)

[fshguy]

Perhaps this is but one more example of the general watering down of formality and gentility that our global society has experienced over the last several generations. It, among other reasons, stems from parents choosing which battles to fight with rebellious youth, which turns to general apathy on the part of the subsequent generation. Who among the 50 to 70 year old set were made to dress for dinner as youngsters and learned proper table etiquette? Did you place as much emphasis on these things when raising your children? Likewise, many of the 30 to 50 set among us, while perhaps not made to dress for dinner, were required to wear a Sunday/ Sabbath suit. Now we see their children in worship services with shorts and flip flops.

Kilting up in a traditional manor takes a bit of effort. I can see how a parent may make concessions (like we do with so many other areas) when trying to get out the door with a fussing child. The child then internalizes those concessions as proper and thus passes them, along with his own concessions to his children. Add to this personal alteration to express individuality (or mere rebellion during adolescence) and the outfit may change significantly.

Or, maybe I’m just babbling…..

[Zardoz]

I pose the questions :- 1/ What is YOUR countries National Dress? 2/ How often do you see it worn? 3/ When should your countries National Dress be worn? (In whose opinion?)

I await replies with interest.

Well, this is the 'national dress" in Texas, and I see it worn daily;

[Gryphon57]

Well, this is the 'national dress" in Texas, and I see it worn daily;

Growing up in Oklahoma, we had/have the same regional dress. Although, my hat has a shorter and flatter crown. That look is as common as any.

I think McFarkus summed up much of the problem: The country is too big to truly have a "National Dress" and is really more about regional styles for identification.

The only distinctive American look is jeans and a t-shirt. Now available world-wide. Suits and tuxedos are no different than can be found most places in the world, so even formal attire is not distictively American.

We are a very large and relatively young country. Maybe we just need more time to adopt a National Dress.

[Riverkilt]

Sir Sean a bad example??? Say it ain't so!!

Here's some Native American dress to consider.



Wes Studi during a cameo in the movie Christmas in the Clouds

[madmacs]

I can remember being measured for my kilt a long time ago.. the kilt maker when measuring asked the questions in a manner that suggested the correct response to the questions such as ... "We usually make them higher than a pair of trousers, and about 3 fingers under the ribs is the correct height, is that where you want it to?"

Of course kilt hire companies usually dont have this luxury... It's more of a "what waist size?" then find something that will work lengthwise...

The upshot of this is of course that you may end up wearing something that doesnt fit... and if it doesnt fit, its probably not going to look right...

I have to say the PC during daytime is one concession I'd allow during daytimes for the bridal party... It is smarter, it does look nicer in the photo's, and with most wedding I've been to being in the afternoon with the dinner and dancing heading into the evening, it's not tooooooooooo much of a stretch to use evening wear...

[CMcG]

<snip>
I pose the questions :- 1/ What is YOUR countries National Dress? 2/ How often do you see it worn? 3/ When should your countries National Dress be worn? (In whose opinion?)

I await replies with interest.

In Canada, one's national dress is based on the country(ies) one's family emigrated from or else First Nations dress if one's family was here before the Europeans showed up. We also have Cowboys and Cowgirls who might identify more with their rural Canadian roots than their ancestor's traditions. Under official multiculturalism, people are also encouraged to embrace the cultural traditions of their neighbours, so I have been known to wear Chinese national dress when participating in kung fu.

Many newcomers to Canada continue to wear their cultural clothing on a daily basis, modifying it only to suit the weather. More established Canadians tend to reserve it for special occasions and cultural events.

In my humble opinion, people can wear their national attire whenever they please but should wear it (assuming they own it) for special occasions and cultural events. Wearing it on a daily basis though will be a function of cost, practicality, dress codes for work or school, availability, and suitability to level of formality. While I have worn the kilt from blacktie to streetwear, over time I have leaned towards reserving it for special occasions (weddings, Christmas, birthdays, etc) or cultural events (Burn's Night, St. Patrick's Day, Tartan Day, Celtic festivals, etc).

[Peter Crowe]

I'm looking forward to reading the book. I remember reading a post from Jock about how he came across a group of young lads who were very well turned out and how much he appreciated it. I wonder if the observations by the writer come from limited research, only in weddings, where the attendees perhaps are not Scots who have no choice but to rent/hire a kilt?

I find it odd that we (on this continent) are often corrected, yet this would be happening in Scotland so often without the same corrections. That someone, in all of these weddings, wouldn't offer some advice? That the only people knowledgeable about how to dress are the unknowing shop help?

Perhaps Jock and MoR and a few others could enlighten us as to whether the kilt is something that most folks would have? With all the readings here on folks who grew up in kilts and were taught early on how to wear it, the article sort of smacks me as a bit of book marketing. (it works, cuz I want to read it).

But I would still like to hear from our Scots on their own observations vs. this writer and author of the book.

Although I now live in Massachusetts, I am a native-born Scot (lived there till I was 37 originally in Lanarkshire, then the Borders, and lastly in Glasgow's west-end), and I was probably among 10-15% of my peers growing up in west-central Scotland who grew up in a family where civilian kilt wearing was customary especially for Sunday School/Church and in the Scouts. My father and many of the adult men I knew growing up wore the kilt 'traditionally' (but excepting a Scout leader I knew who was a former commissioned officer with the Argylls none wore balmorals/glengarries or any other hat-he wore an undiced fawn balmoral with Scout leader uniform). I was taught the little things about kneeling on the floor to judge if the length of the kilt was correct (it should just brush against the floor), wearing flashes between the middle of the outer side of the leg and the middle of the front of the leg etc. from an early age.

When I moved to the Scottish Borders (aged 16) that proportion was probably less than 1%, however, many more boys, youths and men were involved in the Common Ridings and similar events, and customarily wore traditional equestrian wear (Tweed Hacking Jackets, Jodphurs, Riding Boots etc.)

[Irish Jack O'Brian]

Well, in my native garb, I would normally look something like this:
[sorry for the giant photo]



But these days - we just broke the record for most days over 100 degrees Fahrenheit - 71 - and it is still August. This could go on until October!!! As I type this, I am in native hill country summer garb - t-shirt, shorts and moccasins.

[Peter Crowe]

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[tpa]

I have a Scottish "Kilt Shirt". It's black.

I have 3, black, white and blue and yes, they were on special offer and cheaper than normal shirts.

I wear them at informal parties or gatherings, usually with a leather waistcoat, and my wife thinks they are OK, so they can't look too bad or she'd tell me!

If I come across a picture I'll post it, but usually it is me taking the pictures.