Scottish outlook on kilted Americans?

[Downunder Kilt]

In reference to Dereks post, there are people that can wear certain clothing, in this case the kilt, and it is part of them. They become the grey people, they are there, but the way they wear what they have on does not register in the minds of people as being out of context. Then there are others who may have exactly the same clothes on but they stand out from the crowd, they do not look natural, the clothes do not blend with them. Having been required to be one of the grey people for 25 years, it is easiy to see those who are just that and those who struggle to be natural in the clothes they are wearing.

Derek, you in a kilt are one of the grey people

[Jock Scot]

Alright Colin we have got this far without the world coming to an end! So on we go.

As to kilts being worn only in the Highlands, or only in Scotland, well I suppose its down to the individual and probably how they were brought up, I really think its that simple. Let us not forget, if I could I would not allow(that's not the word I really want) civilian kilts to be worn other than in the Highlands, I can't, so I have taken the view that if that cannot be achieved then at least I can assist in the kilt being worn properly Make no mistake, there are still times when I am distinctly uneasy about it , even now.

In passing I am not aware of The Duke of Edinburgh, or the Duke of Rothsay wearing the civilian kilt South of the Scottish border.I have no inside knowledge on this, so I have to guess that they, like many Scots, observe this "convention" as just one of those unexplainable things that Rex was talking about.

Sorry I have to dash or I shall be late for an appointment! Rush, rush, rush.

[neloon]

Come and live among us to understand. If that option isn't available to you, then read closely every time we put pen to paper; try reading between the lines, don't leap to conclusions and for heaven's sake stop telling us who we are. Some of us are bemused by the desire of other cultures to assume aspects of ours they find desireable and then make every attempt to impose changes.

Thank you for your helpful contribution, Thistledown. Perhaps part of the problem lies in the asymmetry in which we Scots know more about the US (because of relative size, US film and TV, etc.) than vice versa. The same has always been true of Scotland and England. It might be interesting/amusing/depressing for some of you to follow BBC Scotland and BBC Alba (I assume these are available World-wide in this day and age) as an aid to understanding a Scotland in which the kilt can be seen as very political and we don't discuss politics on this site!

[Phil]

Why is it that some Scots think that only people residing in Scotland, who are citizens of the UK i.e. "Scots" should wear the kilt and that they should only do so within Scotland's borders? That might be an extreme outlook, but I get the impression that there are people who think like that, so can anyone tell me how the thought process or the feelings involved work?

I have to say that Jock is the only Scot I have ever met (metaphorically speaking I should add) who expresses the view that kilts should only ever be seen in the Highlands of Scotland. I have travelled extensively through the Highlands and islands of Scotland without ever encountering a similar view although I have met a (small) number of people who professed strongly that they would never wear a kilt. Exactly why not they did not say but that was their opinion to which they were entiltled, just as Jock is to his. From a purely personal view, I have only ever worn the kilt south of the border on two occasions and then only by request at weddings. On other forays south and on cruises the kilt is left at home, safely in Scotland. Why? I don't really know other than a vague feeling that it is not the right thing to do. When I visit other lands I like to experience as much of different cultures as possible and perhaps wearing a kilt in those circumstances creates too much of a "See me, look what I am" barrier. The few kilties I have seen on cruises always seem to be very much on their own in little groups together.
As to others wearing kilts, either here in Scotland or anywhere else, I don't have a problem with that whatsoever. Maybe I don't share Jock's strong sense of "ownership" of the kilt and all things kilted, even though I have been brought up with kilts and kilt-wearing. Jock has mentioned in the past feelings of ridicule when wearing a kilt in his younger days and such unfortunate experiences may have pushed him into a defensive attitude as a result. I have never experienced that so cannot share similar feelings on the matter.
One final point, and one which I can share with others here such as OC Richard who I unfairly impugned as a transatlantic wimp and to whom I offer my sincere apologies if I offended him (and sailortats) is my experience when kilted in Scotland. Other men, kilted or not, will never pass a comment or enquire about a kilt. It would seem ill-mannered to do so, a bit like saying to another man "Why are you wearing those strange pants?". It simply isn't done. Women, however, are an entirely different matter and will not hesitate to pass a comment on your appearance or enquire about the tartan you are wearing. They have never, to date, questioned the right to wear a kilt, however, but that is no doubt still to come. I am sure a benign smile will be a suitable response.
So, at the end of the day, everything comes down to an individuals personal views and outlook, none of which we have any control or influence over and something that defines them and their character alone. When you understand that then you can stop questioning yourself as to your correctness or otherwise.

[OC Richard]

Oh dearie me! Not another transatlantic wimp, intimidated by a Scottish matron.

The thing I dread most when travelling abroad is being "the ugly American". God knows there's plenty of us who fit "the ugly American" stereotype, and one of them seems to be able to undo all the goodwill that a hundred Americans like myself have tried to create.

So when I travel I lay low, dress plainly, talk softly, and don't take a load of photos! (Well I do fly the flag a tiny bit, wearing an LA Galaxy shirt sometimes...)

[Domehead]

It is with great trepidation that I pose this genuine question (not rhetorical):
How do native Scots, whom feel as Jock does, in turn feel about Scots Ex-pats whom choose to export their cultural identity along with emigration?

My grandparents felt Highland dress was significant in balancing the adventure of their new Amercian experience with their unique cultural individuality.
According to my father, my Great Uncles wore at least pieces of tartan at all family events, until their passing...flying the flag, so-to-speak. In my recollection, my younger Uncles weren't "kilties" (as-it-were) but, when going to the pub after work, they'd wear a tartan tie, say, from one of the shops in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

[CDNSushi]

I am curious to how folks from Scotland perceive kilt wearing Americans?

At the risk of sounding insensitive, and realizing fully well that 13 pages of comments have been posted since this original question was posed, I offer this answer from neither a Scottish nor an American opinion.

When I put on a kilt, I neither stop to ask permission from a Scot whether it is alright to do so, nor do I care what any Scot thinks about my choice of attire.
When I put on a kilt, I don't care what any American, Canadian, or any other nationality thinks either, for that matter.
When I put on a kilt, I do so because it pleases ME to do so, and life is too short to live by adhering to the rules of anyone that would presume to judge me based on my appearance.
When I put on a kilt, I do NOT put on its history, nor any historical or cultural baggage associated with it. If I did, it would be far too heavy to get through the day.
When I put on a kilt, I don't stop to think, "What will people think today if I do?"
When I put on a kilt, it's not because I happen to be (or not to be) in any particular geographical location. I've worn kilts in all sorts of countries around the world.
When I put on a kilt, it's just another choice in a closet full of clothes. The kilt is not a magical garment, but it is one I like to include in my rotation of daily wear.
When I put on a kilt and somebody laughs at me for doing so, I laugh back at them harder at their own ignorance.
When I put on a kilt and someone asks me if I'm Scottish, I proudly say: "No, I'm Canadian!" and let them figure out the rest.
When I put on a kilt and children stare at me, I just stare back at them. It's a fun game, really.
When I put on a kilt, I look good and I know it.
When I put on a kilt, I feel great and it shows.

That's pretty much it. While I have nothing but the utmost respect for traditions, history, and culture, when it comes to having an opinion on kilts, everyone's got one -- and the only one that matters is my own. I've read through a number of these threads before in the past, and they've generally depressed me and made me at least a bit upset, knowing that there are (presumably) many Scots whose opinions are very distant from my own. But I've had to make the conscious decision that those opinions aren't worth the pixels on my screen, and at the end of the day, the OP's question really deserves the only answer I can give: why care or worry about what someone else thinks? Just simply, don't. Wear the kilt if it pleases you, and stop wearing it if the burden of being unique, or different, or standing out from a crowd of people (whether they be Americans or Scots) is too great.

[Domehead]

CDNSushi,
Well stated. Not sure I'm completely on board, but well said none-the-less.

[neloon]

. there are (presumably) many Scots whose opinions are very distant from my own.

Indeed. And it isn't your opnion that the OP is asking about. So how have you helped him?

[ThistleDown]

I think the OP's question was quite specific: "I am curious to how folks from Scotland perceive kilt wearing Americans?" Probably he meant "other people" and not strictly US citizens. The Scots who have responded have done so with respect. We appreciate OC Richard's statement of personal sensitivity; we should not, I think, be overly surprised that the image he so carefully and successfully avoids is so proudly adopted by some others in this thread.