Fashion vs Tradition

[t_challa]

What is a kilt? An obvious question and one i'm sure every member of XMTS knows the answer to. As a garment, it's history dates back to the Scottish Highlands of the 16th Century. According to Wikipedia:

"Since the 19th Century it has become associated with wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic (and more specifically Gaelic) heritage even more broadly…..Although the kilt is most often worn on formal occasions and at Highland games and sports events, it has also been adapted as an item of fashionable informal male clothing in recent years, returning to its roots as an everyday garment."

Or has it? It is the last part that I wanted to talk about. According to all the months of research I did before buying my first kilt, there are no rules to govern when or where a kilt can or should be worn. According to history, kilts were a garment to be worn daily. And yet, in today's society, in Scotland, they only seem to be worn for formal and/or special occasions.

Obviously, the heritage of wearing a kilt is very personal to many people and rightly so; as individuals, we should be proud of our cultural backgrounds. Marcus Garvey once said:

"A person with no knowledge of their past is like a tree without roots"

XMTS has shown that there is a large population of people around the world who are proud of their Scottish/Celtic/Gaelic heritage. The Traditionalists (as I shall refer to them for the remainder of this article) take great pride in their family history, clan tartan and making sure that every part of their outfit is authentic according to the occasion. Growing up and seeing pictures of people in full Bonnie Prince Charlie attire or pipers on parade was a wonderful sight behold.

Personally I think that this is wonderful. I lived in Japan for a couple of years and there is a growing movement over there to preserve the traditions of their culture. A lot of the younger generation are increasing influenced by Western culture and clothing. This has resulted in a lot of things that make Japan culturally unique and special are being lost, with no young people taking an interest to continue them.

Anyway, I digress. Back to the kilt.

During the months of research I conducted before buying my first kilt, I was extremely happy to discover that while it is a traditional Scottish garment, anyone can wear it. The more I researched the more interesting information I found: universal tartans, kilt pins and proper placement of them on the kilt, hose with flashes, sgian-dubh, waistcoats, tweed and so on. I found my excitement growing as I eagerly read each new piece of information.

It's at this point I would like to share some information about me. I live in London. I'm currently studying for a masters degree in psychology. I DJ at the weekends (mainly soul, funk and rare groove). I have dreadlocks that touch the top of my shoulders (my way of honouring my Caribbean heritage). I have a couple of tattoos. I'm a massive geek. I go to the gym about 4 times a week and love sport (rugby mainly, because I'm a firm believer that real men play rugby while prancing overpaid prima-donnas play football).

I have been doing research into my family tree and found my earliest relative (so far) - a freed slave on a plantation in Jamaica in 1818. None of my research has thrown up any links to Scotland. And yet, I too wear a kilt. The question I get asked the most (apart from the "obvious" one) is why I'm wearing a kilt. Have I been to a Scottish party? Was I on a stag-do? (English name for a bachelor party). Was it a dare? More often than not, my answer is usually "why not wear a kilt?". The truth is fair simpler than that. I wear it for fashion.

Now I know this may not be to taste of The Traditionalists, but I have slowly discovered that on XMTS there are a number of members who are the same; they view kilts as a viable alternative to wearing jeans or trousers in everyday life. I think now is an appropriate time to repeat the statement from Wikipedia:

"Although the kilt is most often worn on formal occasions and at Highland games and sports events, it has also been adapted as an item of fashionable informal male clothing in recent years, returning to its roots as an everyday garment."

A Kilt as a fashion item
In 2001 Samuel L Jackson and Robert Carlyle starred in a movie called The 51st State. Throughout this movie Sam Jackson's character wears a kilt and makes it look damn cool too. This was the first time it had ever occurred to me that someone black, not from Scotland and not going to wedding could wear a kilt. It was many years after watching this movie that I actually got my first kilt, but that movie had a profound and lasting effect on me. Elmo (Sam Jackson's character) leaned very much towards the modern casual look with his kilt (hose scrunched down into chunky boots etc). It is a look that I put my own spin on when I'm kilted up.

As men, we are extremely limited with what we can wear fashion wise - jeans, trousers or cargo pants, short shorts or 3/4 length shorts. They are all basically variations on a theme.
Is being fashion conscious an age thing or a generational thing? I know plenty of people my parents age who can only be described as hipsters (and make it look good). I know a lot of young people who don't really care what they wear. For me, even though I'm in my 30s, I like to look good. Unfortunately, the current fashion trend in the UK is for skinny fit jeans and trousers.

For me as an avid gym user this means that I can barely pull them up over my calves, let alone my thighs. In addition, I have always liked to be "different" and not wear whatever is currently "fashionable". I found kilts to be perfect for my personal unique sense of style. By their very nature, kilts are designed to be a versatile piece of clothing; been invited to be a black tie event? Perfect. Going hiking? Perfect. Going to Highland Games festival somewhere? Perfect. Going to the pub? Perfect.

The Point
I have only been on XMTS for just over a year (my how the time flies). I have found it to be an invaluable resource for information about absolutely any topic I had about kilts. I'm not sure how long it's been since members read the sites mission statement, but here it is:

"This site is a place where our members can enjoy the company of all other fellow kilt wearers. We wish to provide a place where those who choose to wear the kilt can find friendship, information, guidance, advice, and share their kilt experiences with others."

As an individual who, respectfully, but exclusively wears kilts as a fashion choice, I love coming onto the site to get the "opinion" of others. And I am always respectful of the diversity of kilts and kilt wearers. However, it does occasionally feel as though The Traditionalists would prefer for me to look less unorthodox. Maybe there is an assumption that all kilt wearers motivations are the same. Or maybe there is an assumption that all kilt wearers enjoy the same activities (like hiking, renn faires or highland games events for instance).

Here are a couple of dictionary definitions that I found:

"Opinion - a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge"

"Preference - a greater liking for one alternative over another or others"

I am not looking to start an argument or cause any discord on here. I'm just trying to point out that if the mission of XMTS is to provide a place where our members can enjoy the company of all other fellow kilt wearers, surely that means embracing the different motivations that some kilt wearers may have. As welcoming as everyone on here has been since I became a member, I am occasionally left with the feeling that others view my way of wearing a kilt as "wrong". Obviously it hasn't changed how I wear my kilts, but I was hoping for a more all encompassing attitude for the new, the different, the unusual or the unorthodox.

That being said, if everybody in life agreed about everything, wouldn't things be boring.

(Some articles about kilts and fashion)

http://www.scotsman.com/news/kilt-vo...thing-1-804458

http://www.scotland.org/features/the-21st-century-kilt/

[Father Bill]

Hey guy - love the thinking. A comment about your Jamaican roots: there are an awful lot of very dark-skinned Jamaicans with Scottish names. I asked my buddy who's the colour of my parade Oxfords how a guy with a factory-installed suntan like his got a good Scottish name like Buchanan. His answer in the accent that I love to hear was simple: "Well I tell you, Bill, it's like this," he said, "There must have been a Scotsman in the woodpile." I love my friend dearly, and loved his answer too. You may yet find some surprising Scottish roots in Jamaica. If you do, I'd love to see you wearing YOUR clan tartan - it's a nametag after all. It says "These are my roots. This is part of my identity." I'll come back to that shortly.

To the basic point of your comments, I'm sorry to hear that you don't always feel encouraged here at XMarks. That's important to me, and your statement is a well-reasoned and rational one. Actually I'm one of the traditionalists you identify, and I do prefer to wear, and to see worn, the kilt in its most traditional ways.

To that end, I will gladly give pointers. To me it's a matter of how to make the kilt look as if it's comfortable in its new environment without losing its identity. It is indeed traditionally Highland garb, and while it can of course be worn anywhere by anyone, its identity is in the Highlands and there are certain norms for it there.

As a point of comparison, I'm an old English teacher not comfortable with seeing characters from fiction "kidnapped" to put them into a different time or place (e.g. Sherlock Holmes or Sir Lancelot in third millennium New York) because they often look out of sorts with themselves and don't fit in. It's important to me that they be able to retain their identity, integrity and dignity as who they are.

Similarly, while anyone can legally and to their own tastes wear the kilt in any way, I confess that it bothers me some to see it worn in non-traditional fabrics, with non-traditional accoutrements. More importantly, it jars me when it's obvious that it's happening because the wearer doesn't know how it's traditionally worn.

More to my personal feelings, I admit to taking offense when I hear folks saying in effect "I own it, and I'll wear it any way and any where I d_____ well please." That's an "in-your-face" attack on my sensibilities, and I expect to receive more respect for the garment and myself than that... in the same way that I won't likely attack them for wearing it so. If on the other hand they ask my opinion, I'll share it as best I can, along with reasons and contexts. Yes it's a garment, and a flag is a piece of cloth, but don't expect me to remain unoffended if I come to your home and find the flag of my nation used as a doormat. A kilt is a symbol as well as a garment, and symbols have meaning, and yes, you will hear those meanings defended and expounded here where people have strong feelings about the kilt. Had they not, they'd never join here.

Do I wear everything in the most traditional ways? No. To wear it as it was worn in the 17th Century would be likewise "silly" in my mind unless it were a costume piece. I do wear it with polo shirts and Tilley hats at outdoor games in hot weather, but I'll not wear other costume pieces either, and some kilties seem to me to be revelling in destroying the meaning and symbolism of the garment.

Now, I'll admit to being cheerfully an "Auld Crabbit" as the saying goes, and yes, I'm a senior citizen, but here's the thing: I won't tell you not to wear it in modern and inventive ways, nor will I hold back my auld crabbit's opinions if asked - only if not asked. That to me is mutual respect. You probably haven't read anything much from me coming on this strongly, but then... you did raise the topic, and that's the context in which my opinion will be offered.

Meanwhile cheers, enjoy your kilt, enjoy XMarks, and perhaps there's a Scotsman in your woodpile too!

Bill+

[Machaggisnz]

In response to both of the above, I do love the fact that if an opinion is sought on this forum it is answered with both honesty and respect by those who agree and those who disagree alike. Its all too common in this world to not get an honest opinion, usually out of politeness it must be said, when one is asked for and equally to get a plethora of them, usually unpleasant and illfounded, when one is not desired. I tend to have a bob each way in the Fashion V Tradition debate so Im not usually too bothered but its pleasant when we get good advice which allows us to do whichever we prefer, and sometimes both.

[ASinclair]

Hey guy - love the thinking. A comment about your Jamaican roots: there are an awful lot of very dark-skinned Jamaicans with Scottish names. I asked my buddy who's the colour of my parade Oxfords how a guy with a factory-installed suntan like his got a good Scottish name like Buchanan. His answer in the accent that I love to hear was simple: "Well I tell you, Bill, it's like this," he said, "There must have been a Scotsman in the woodpile." I love my friend dearly, and loved his answer too. You may yet find some surprising Scottish roots in Jamaica. If you do, I'd love to see you wearing YOUR clan tartan - it's a nametag after all. It says "These are my roots. This is part of my identity." I'll come back to that shortly.

To the basic point of your comments, I'm sorry to hear that you don't always feel encouraged here at XMarks. That's important to me, and your statement is a well-reasoned and rational one. Actually I'm one of the traditionalists you identify, and I do prefer to wear, and to see worn, the kilt in its most traditional ways.

To that end, I will gladly give pointers. To me it's a matter of how to make the kilt look as if it's comfortable in its new environment without losing its identity. It is indeed traditionally Highland garb, and while it can of course be worn anywhere by anyone, its identity is in the Highlands and there are certain norms for it there.

As a point of comparison, I'm an old English teacher not comfortable with seeing characters from fiction "kidnapped" to put them into a different time or place (e.g. Sherlock Holmes or Sir Lancelot in third millennium New York) because they often look out of sorts with themselves and don't fit in. It's important to me that they be able to retain their identity, integrity and dignity as who they are.

Similarly, while anyone can legally and to their own tastes wear the kilt in any way, I confess that it bothers me some to see it worn in non-traditional fabrics, with non-traditional accoutrements. More importantly, it jars me when it's obvious that it's happening because the wearer doesn't know how it's traditionally worn.

More to my personal feelings, I admit to taking offense when I hear folks saying in effect "I own it, and I'll wear it any way and any where I d_____ well please." That's an "in-your-face" attack on my sensibilities, and I expect to receive more respect for the garment and myself than that... in the same way that I won't likely attack them for wearing it so. If on the other hand they ask my opinion, I'll share it as best I can, along with reasons and contexts. Yes it's a garment, and a flag is a piece of cloth, but don't expect me to remain unoffended if I come to your home and find the flag of my nation used as a doormat. A kilt is a symbol as well as a garment, and symbols have meaning, and yes, you will hear those meanings defended and expounded here where people have strong feelings about the kilt. Had they not, they'd never join here.

Do I wear everything in the most traditional ways? No. To wear it as it was worn in the 17th Century would be likewise "silly" in my mind unless it were a costume piece. I do wear it with polo shirts and Tilley hats at outdoor games in hot weather, but I'll not wear other costume pieces either, and some kilties seem to me to be revelling in destroying the meaning and symbolism of the garment.

Now, I'll admit to being cheerfully an "Auld Crabbit" as the saying goes, and yes, I'm a senior citizen, but here's the thing: I won't tell you not to wear it in modern and inventive ways, nor will I hold back my auld crabbit's opinions if asked - only if not asked. That to me is mutual respect. You probably haven't read anything much from me coming on this strongly, but then... you did raise the topic, and that's the context in which my opinion will be offered.

Meanwhile cheers, enjoy your kilt, enjoy XMarks, and perhaps there's a Scotsman in your woodpile too!

Bill+

Well said, cousin.

[Nathan]

Thanks for posting an interesting and thoughtful piece. You're a respectful gent and I think you wear the kilt well It's nice to hear where you're coming from. I want to post my thinking on the matter, not to admonish you, but to give you some insight as to how this issue can look from another angle.

I love to see the kilt worn traditionally. Wearing a kilt traditionally shows the kilt off to it's best advantage in a lot of ways and keeps the traditional accessories alive as well as the kilt.

At the same time, I also love to see the kilt incorporated into modern looking outfits. Wearing the kilt with a nod to contemporary fashion keeps it from becoming purely an ethnic folk costume and helps ensure its survival. That said, I hope it's not the next big fad.

I'm conflicted. I'm respectful and open minded and want this forum and indeed my culture in general to be welcoming to newcomers and admirers but I'm also afraid of having the symbolic clothing of my people turned into a punchline or added to a "what not to wear" column.

An analogy might help. Let's talk about your dread locks since you mentioned them. I know some white guys that wear dreads. They wear them because they are hippies, or musicians, or want to look countercultural or enjoy recreational pharmaceuticals etc... I also know some black guys who, like yourself, wear dreads as a nod to their Caribbean heritage. I also know some Rastafarians who wear dreads as an expression of their piety and adherence to their faith.

I can tell you that many of my Rasta friends don't look kindly upon the "white lions" that wear dreads. Admittedly, there is more respect given, when the white lion is actually a practicing Rastafarian but mostly this too is looked upon as odd or laughable. These same Rastafarian friends are of mixed opinions about non-Rastas of Afro-Carribean heritage wearing dreads. Some resent it and some are good with it.

But why does someone else's hairstyle bother them? Because to them, dreads are a powerful symbol of their religion, their culture and their identity. Dreads make the Rasta feel proud and are an outward visual statement of who they are. It therefore follows that if someone adopts this look who does not understand the deep meaning of the symbol, it is a form of cultural appropriation. The people within the cultural community that created the look no longer have control over how their symbols and therefore themselves are perceived. The powerful symbols of community and mutual identification become meaningless if they catch on too broadly.

The same can be said about the kilt.

Do I mind you, or anyone who wishes to, wearing a kilt? Not at all. I find it flattering that a stylish chap like yourself would want to emulate my culture's fashion sense.

So I don't believe that the kilt cops should wag their fingers at people making an iconoclastic fashion statement with the kilt.

However, the kilt is not a mere fad. Fads come in and out of style. I don't want to kilt to get hot because that means later it will go from hot to not. I don't want people to view the kilt like bellbottoms, zoot suits or hairspray bangs.

I've always worn a kilt as have generations of men in my family and culture before me. I always will wear a kilt whether fashion approves or doesn't. Now just like there's no law against anyone wearing dreadlocks, kimonos, saris or cheung sam, there are no laws against anyone with the money to buy one wearing the kilt.

I just think people should be careful about cultural appropriation because it's just not right to take the revered symbols of a people and make them temporary play things.

I'm not saying you are, but I'm just hoping people keep this in mind.

[Lodrorigdzin]

Interesting points of view and well presented too! With me, several interests combine to make me wear kilts.

My family's heritage as Frisians with a Scottish connection: I recognize much of the Frisian mindset in Scotland and vice versa. And kilts are such a cultural signifier too, apart from being exceptional pieces of clothing.

My interest in draped clothes: that's where the kilt is coming from. In an anthropological sense, draped clothes signify independence par excellence. I regularly a second form of draped clothes, such as brahmins wear in India: the dhoti. There it also denotes independence. The kilt is an heir to a very deep cultural undercurrent, that is part of the Indo-European underpinnings of European culture, through millennia of migrations and dispersions. I see the kilt as a means to connect back to that, which makes it interesting, even in its modern, rationalized incarnation.

As an aside: Hare Krishna's have shown that you can take a very traditional piece of clothing and make it modern and individual, which brings me to my last point:

Wearing a kilt means men have the opportunity to truly dress up and down, rooted in a strong sartorial tradition. That's what makes it interesting and an expression of individual style much more than wearing a suit, or business casual does. Sartorial expression was more varied, for men, in the past, and I believe highland dress taps that potential.

I don't wear formal clothing much, and I like how the kilt is so well suited to outdoor pursuits. I'm in the field a lot, walking, making fire, building, and it is such a practical piece of clothing. And it makes me look sharp among the cargo pants brigade.

All excellent reasons for me to wear kilts a lot.

[Jock Scot]

What a smashing OP!

OK I suppose I can be put fairly and squarely in the traditional box and whilst I can see what you are saying has merit, I think however that you and many others are making a mistake in thinking that "traditional kilt wearing" always means "tweeds and brogues" and are "only worn for on special occasions". Well I suppose, as a generalisation in this modern day and age its nearly true, but not quite. I wont go into detail, but as a kilt wearer for three score years and ten, plus a tad, I have seen some non kilt fashions come and go-----several times-----and even trends with the kilt, albeit more slowly, come and go too.Traditions will prevail over fashion everytime and I have been around long enough to be confident in saying that and will do for as long as people wish to keep those traditions alive, so I see no real conflict between traditions and fashion.

So, as I said not so long ago on this website, if you want to wear the kilt, then, just do it. However, should you ask me what I think of your outfit. then my reply will depend on what I see, if you don't ask, then I shall just quietly think what I think-------- you may just be a wee bit surprised in what I think! Enjoy your kilts.

[BCAC]

You should perhaps accord others the right that you reclaim for yourself.
You have the right to wear any article of clothing (kilt included) any way you wish.
I have the right to think that how you do it is wrong.
My opinions are just as "sacré" as yours.
Wars have been fought to allow people to have freedom of opinion.

[ratspike]

The white American guy of Swedish descent who has dreadlocks and wears cotton and camouflage kilts ducks for cover and hides in the corner.

Jock, Bill, Nathan, thank you for your thoughtful comments. I always enjoy reading what you gents have to say, and there's quite a lot I've learned from your posts. Even though I fall on the opposite side of the fence, I do have have a deep appreciation for "traditional" kilt wearing in it's various forms. I think I can do a better job expressing that and not coming off as dismissive going forward.

Nathan, your post has given me lots to think about as I have my morning coffee. I've had dreadlocks for a lot of my adult life and even though I'm 44, I'm still just a punk rock hippie artist at heart. It's a very deep, personal thing for me but I'd never be so arrogant as to say it's spiritual. I'm definitely conscious of how I'm perceived, professionally and personally. Two years ago I booked a wedding with a couple from out of town, so I didn't meet them till the big day. The groom was Jamaican and had lots of family who'd flown in, so that was unexpected. Everybody was completely fabulous and treated me well, but you can bet there was more than a little bit of eye rolling from pretty much everyone.

I'll admit that I hadn't thought of kilts in quite the same way. Not that I don't understand why it's is so important and means so much to guys like yourself and many other members here, I think I just didn't connect the dots because of the way I came to wearing kilts. While my first exposure to kilts was through Highland Games and traditional music almost 30 years ago, it was Utilikilts that got me out of my pants for the first time. My attitude towards the kilts that I wear and make is that they're just clothing, and outdoor clothing at that. Even though they share some visual characteristics with a proper kilt, I don't feel they're the same thing at all. Where does this leave me, then? I'm not sure, but it's given me a lot to bounce around in my head. Thanks for that!

[English Bloke]

Great thread. Excellent responses.