Scottish outlook on kilted Americans?

[Grizzly]

Count me in on that pint Ern I would be proud to join you.

[tpa]

I plan to be back in 2014 and will be kilted, again. On that trip, I also plan to travel south and go back to Liverpool. There I will wear trousers (I think). However, I am looking forward to be kilted when the English Bloke and I share a pint somewhere south of the Scottish border.

Forget the trousers, they are just excess baggage and I think Liverpool is pretty multicultural these days. I regularly wear my kilt casually out and about in the Midlands and have only experienced positive comments from adults, at least to my face or hearing. I'll be happy to join in on that pint if the chosen venue serves real ale.

[rondo]

So, 17 pages and...what I seem to be reading is [to paraphrase] "we kicked you out!" [Diaspora], "we meant it!" [stay out] and "oh yeah, the kilt is ours so leave to us Scots!"... Sad, cancelling planned vacation to Scotland August 2013.
Message received, loud and clear.
Rondo

[Nick the DSM]

I agree with MacSpadger, Steve had a great post.


However, getting discouraged of wearing it or even cancelling trips is, excuse me, a bit thin skinned. I get it, you don't want to ruffle feathers, but don't let people change what you want to do for your short lives on this rock. Wear it, wear it with pride. Respect other's opinions, but your own opinion as well. How can you be YOU if you're just a combination of other people's opinions.

[rondo]

Nick,
I will continue to wear the kilt. I've just decided to spend my holiday dollars in a place that will appreciate it regardless of how I dress. It seems clear from the posts here that the Scots...nevermind, not worth discussion. I still haven't seen Machu Pichu, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa...all on my bucket list. I have been to Scotland [US Navy late 80's] but that Scotland seems not to exist any longer. Many factors effect how I spend literally thousands of dollars vacationing not the least of which is the attitudes of the indigenous peoples. Why would I spend money going somewhere I am neither wanted nor welcome?
Rondo

[ThistleDown]

I must have missed something, Rondo. There have been five or six Scots contributing to this thread (Phil, neloon, Jock Scot, ThistleDown, Peter Crowe and MacSpadger -- did I miss someone?) and every single one has said how much he would love to meet you and welcome you to Scotland. All have said "wear the kilt", too. Or don't, that's up to you. None have said "we kicked you out", or "the kilt is ours so leave to us Scots". Still, your vacation is yours to enjoy: for me, I can give a pass to seconds at Machu Pichu (a bit nerve-wracking getting there these days), but can highly recommend as much time as you can possibly afford in New Zealand, north-south-east-west-central Australia, and a few favoured places in SA.

[Dale Seago]

I really appreciate Jock Scot's and Steve Ashton's perspectives in particular.

Personally however, given that I am literally capable of killing any objector to my own kilt-wearing before they had the remotest idea that they might have offended me, I will also state that under most circumstances I would never dream of wearing a kilt in Scotland, preferring to blend in to whatever extent any tourist can. It's a ninja thing, from my teachers in Japan.

[Woot22]

Just my two cents, I have been to Scotland several times and everyone I met on my journeys were awesome. But I admit that I to like to blend in when traveling abroad so I wore pants except when I was at a highland games which was only once out of the several times I have been there. Can't wait to go back, do not miss out, Scotland is gorgeous and everyone is very friendly, even if you're wearing a kilt.

[CDNSushi]

Rondo,

I agree with Rex... Best not to lump all Scots in the same pile, here. Yes, there are those who have some strong opinions about WHO should wear the kilt, and WHERE, and WHEN. But then again, which country's people don't do this? As I said in my earlier post, there is no man here who can speak for all Scots, nor is there a single man who can speak for all Americans.

As I also said in an earlier post, I used to get down after reading threads like this, because like you, I don't particularly like the fact that someone may not agree with my choice of attire, especially when I like it very much. But let's look at it critically, here. You will often get similar reactions anywhere and out of anyone when you show up wearing attire that they either don't expect, don't wear themselves, and don't see particularly often. I love fashion, and when I'm not wearing my kilt, I do tend to dress in clothes that I feel express my personality and style. That means it's often very far removed from the American "uniform" that consists of blue jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers. So yeah, I do sometimes get sneers from the peanut gallery. But even as it is with kilts, the positive comments and "Wow! That's aswesome!" looks and remarks FAR outnumber the bad. But in spite of any stares, comments, or negativity I may experience as a result, I have chosen not to let it bother me, because I dress for ME -- not for them.

As for Scotland, let Scotland be Scotland. Take it or leave it, but don't spite it. They are no more or less special than anyplace else. If your planned vacation is somehow tied to the fact that you wear kilts, then that alone may not be a sufficient reason to go. In fact, I would venture to say that it may be a rather poor reason to go, especially given the social climate and attitude towards this particular item. IF and WHEN I visit Scotland, it will be to visit the castles, tour the countryside, take part in some traditional culture and history, and make new friends, and visiting with people. If and when I go, I suspect that I will be no different in my manner of attire than I am now. Kilted at times, unkilted at others. And when and how I choose to put on my kilt will be up to me -- not the locals.

[The Wizard of BC]

rondo,

I hope you did not mistake my post. The Scots do indeed want you to visit. They welcome visitors with cordial grace.

The thing we from over here seem to not be able to get past is the myth of Scotland. It is if we expect those in Scotland to live up to our own expectations and pre-concieved notions.

The Scots are a modern peoples. They live in a modern and prosperous country that is also breathtakingly beautiful.

It is common to impose our visions from movies, TV, books and the web on those places we wish to visit.

For example; Have you ever seen La Gioconda in person? No, the French do not call it The Mona Lisa. And it is funny to stand in the crowds that throng that one room of that vast museum and listen to the comments of the visitors. "It's so small." "I don't get it. It doesn't look like the pictures at all." "I could have stayed at home and seen it better than crowded in with all these people."

Have you ever visited the Pyramids? The lines of tents selling tourist junk go on for ever and you usually can't see a thing from the ground. It is not like the pretty pictures taken from a plane by a professional photographer at all.

There are no Hobbits in New Zealand.

We all wish to see what we are used to seeing in the books and post cards. The reality is usually something different.

If you wish to see the 'true' Scotland be prepared to see gas stations and cell phone shops along with the castles and the stone circles.

And be prepared to hear the usual comments about "silly tourists". You would make the same comments if you lived in a place visited by 20 times as many people each year as your entire national population.

Here in Victoria we actually sell t-shirts that say "If they call it Tourist Season, does that mean we get to shoot them?" Does that mean I don't want you to visit my adopted city? No, come on. The tea is in the kettle and the biscuits in the tin. Pull up a chair and join in the conversation.

Yes, we have the Queen on our money up here but please, don't expect her to greet you when you step off the ferry. (Well, actually she will greet you, but her real name is Catherine and she lives in Fairfield with her husband Roger. She likes to dress up and makes a pretty good living, with the cardboard cut-outs of the dogs, posing for photos .)