Too Traditional?

[Joshua]

54 pages and still going!

I think it comes down to one thing. Generationally and Geography create very differing views on formality.

In the US, a tie alone is "dressed up". We are generally less formal than our traditional English/Scottish cousins. We do not typically have a distinction between "Smart", "Daywear", "Evening Wear" and "Formal".

I would say, generally, our definitions go "casual" (denim jeans), "casual professional" (polo shirt and slacks), "dressed up" (dress shirt, slacks or suit pants, a tie), "business professional" (Two-piece suit), and "Formal" (tuxedo realm).

Because many Americans spend the bulk of their time on the bottom two rungs of these definitions, that might explain the need to overly "Gild the Lily" so-to-speak. This is why I've been to pub kilt nights and have seen such atrocities as grown men wearing PC's, French tuxedo shirts, and silver-cantled sporrans with a pair of military desert boots and scrunched white hose! Many of us simply don't know any better!

This may explain why so many of us dress in such an exaggerated fashion when kilted. Not to mention, it's only the gentlemen that have had the good fortune of being raised amongst traditional kilties that "got it right" from the start. My first exposure to the kilt was Axl Rose wearing a kilt when he frontlined for Guns N Roses, and a family friend that wore a kilt, shirt, and tie with chuck taylor basketball shoes to play guitar for my uncle's wedding.

So, deducing that, I can see how some would dress "More Scottish than a Scot". Mostly because even the most traditionally subdued Traditional daywear (tie and tweed) would be regarded as "Formalwear" by most individuals in this country born after 1950 (or not in the Military).

To answer the question, can anyone outwith Scotland dress too traditionally? In a word, No.

Can anyone outwith Scotland wear Traditional Highland dress incorrectly? Absolutely.