Food For Thought Two(F4T2)

[Jock Scot]

With the dreadful weather that we have had for the last month, I am not at all sure that a Topi(pith helmet) is ever "appropriate" in Scotland. A Sou' Wester perhaps? The sun is a scarce commodity around here, even in the summer!

[Ayrshire]

Quite true. No hat known to man is much help when rain comes down at a 45 degree angle much less 90 degrees.

[Brett]

Question #15 do you mind who where's the kilt?

seems to have generated alot of discussion and appears to have been discussed a number of times here previously. I think the choice of answers has as much to do with the perception of who should where the kilt as much as anything.

To give an example of what I'm getting at, a couple years back I had a discussion of this very subject with a bunch of kilted firefighters from Scotland down in Savannah, Georgia for the St. Patty's day parade. The group of firefighters I was with were expressing admiration for the kilts worn by the Scottish group over beers after the parade. By chance almost every firefighter in our group of 8 were of Scot's decent, with fairly common Scottish surnames. At that time only one of our bunch happened to own a kilt back at home. When the it came out in conversation that many of us would like to have a kilt made we were heartily encouraged to "do it" by all of the Scot's bunch. In fact we were encouraged to get kilts made and meet up with them the following year to march together in the parade. It was, in fact, this conversation that convinced me to finally order a kilt.

Now I suppose you could make the arguement that they were likely being polite over beers and didn't want to express their true feelings on the subject and certainly that's possible. But I don't think that was the case and I think they were quite sincere and to that point, the following year when we showed up to march again, one of the first questions asked by a few of the Scottish firefighters was "where's yer kilts"?

In emails back and forth since that time, the question has been asked a few times if "you've had yer kilts made yet"?

[Brett]

Oh..... I forgot to ad, the poll was really interesting.......thanks for taking the time to post it Jock.

[auld argonian]

When the it came out in conversation that many of us would like to have a kilt made we were heartily encouraged to "do it" by all of the Scot's bunch.

They all had family working in the tartan business...

Best

AA

[Brett]

They all had family working in the tartan business...

Best

AA

never thought of that angle..........hmmmm....could be

[ForresterModern]

Thanks, Jock, for all your interest and efforts. As regards "food for thought" and "food for thought 2" surveys, consider my knowledge "hunger" sated for the time being, except maybe for some well chosen "dessert". Very interesting answers and talleys indeed.

Well now I know that when I show up at your doorstep one day wearing one of my kilts and a flatcap at least I will have a very good chance of being recognized. To help further I will be the one carrying the bottle of fine single malt Scotch whisky(something besides Talisker, since I am aware of your stockpiles of that fine spirit).

I doff my flat....ahhhh, balmoral to you sir, in your honor and in thanks.

jeff

[Micric]

Thanks for all the work with this subject, Jock.
All very interesting and somewhat predictable.

I will as time permits, look at the 'old" survey, as I believe the answers to this one show the younger generation have not changed their views as much as I thought they might have!

To me, (And maybe Only to me!) this survey says that those of us outside Scotland should be very careful how the kilt is worn, and we should take great care to not offend by doing so in a sloppy manner.
(by this, I mean by breaking convention just bacause it is something we are 'good' at!)


Ayrshire;

Such a head-covering, useful for shade, and to direct the rain away from the nape of the neck Has been made!.......It's the Old style Bonnet, or Balmoral!
I wear one an awful lot on the farm, as the top is big enough to shift around a bit to keep the sun or rain off.:-) Good when it is sweltering or wet and cold. No I don't sell 'em, just wear 'em!

Richard.

[Jock Scot]

On the whole I don't think I was too surprised at the answers given, but I am surprised at the strength of feeling from the "youngsters" over "their" kilt. As the kilt is rarely, actually never might be better, a topic of in depth conversation this strength of feeling has slipped under my radar and the more I think about it, the more I think it is to do with the new found vigour on thoughts about independence. I shall have to enquire further.

The general comment that 110(plus the gang of 9) Scots(ooops sorry, forgot to subtract the 10 non Scots!) is hardly a basis to say "this is what Scotland says" and it is true it is not and until and unless the whole of Scotland is asked those questions that criticism will always hold true. It does all depend, I suppose, on who you ask too, however, there is no getting away from the fact that views and opinions have been asked for, albeit in a controlled(well sort of) and amateurish way, and replies have been given and whether we like them or not, they are what they are.

Going onto Matt's thoughts about the youngsters being "hot" on practical kilt wearing and "not so hot" on the theory. Well yes that appears to be true, but thinking about it I think it runs deeper than that. We in Scotland just don't delve into the kilt theory that we do on this website. Until I joined this website, I had no idea about box pleats, pleating to the stripe/sett, belt loops, kilt straps, etc.etc. and I doubt that very few kilt wearing Scots of any age or generation, do/did either.

I think Micric has drawn a very reasonable conclusion from all this. No one is going to stop the kilt being worn outwith Scotland, its too late, and who knows, many Scots, perhaps, don't care one way or the other------some obviously do care-------so wearing your kilt wherever in the world you may be, with respect, would be a super compliment to Scotland.

AA and others, wear your kilt in Scotland! You are a free man to choose what you wear and Scotland is fortunate enough to have the freedom to allow people to choose. You and others on this website have the cumption to be sensitive to local opinion and I have no doubts that local opinion has the sense(they have for the last umpteen decades anyway)to indulge other people's views. Hospitality does after all run very deep in Scots culture.To illustrate the point, we had 10 non Scots wearing the kilt at the "DO" the other night and I know that they were made very welcome, even their veiws were welcome, and I know for a certain fact that one of them is going to have a kilt made! Hummm, shows what he thinks of the survey!!!!

Jeff, for goodness sake get a move on, my whisky supply is running low!

[Geoff Withnell]

Ah yes I should have paid closer attention and noticed the distinction. I, like them, also wear "nothing". Neither bonnet does much to shield eyes and bare skin from the sun and I don't usually wear a cover at all.

Perhaps it's time for Scottish ingenuity to be put to the test (yet again) to design a bonnet that is both kilt appropriate and practical. It should be made from light canvas. This will help reflect light. It should cover somewhat fore and aft. This will provide shade. It should be lightweight. So perhaps made of cloth covered wood material. Perhaps someone should give a "pithy" ;) critique of my design elements. ith:

Alas, for some of us, either bonnet does shield a considerable amount of bare skin from the sun!