Two Telling comments? The Answer Perhaps?

[Nathan]

Thanks for the interesting thread, Jock!

The "looking like a tourist" angle is certainly one worth exploring and I'm sure that there are those that feel that way.

I am personally always surprised when people ask, why the Scots don't wear the kilt as every day clothing more often. Why would they?

I don't wear my kilt daily although I wear it more frequently than most. Most Scottish Cape Bretoners would never consider wearing a kilt "just because". Most don't own one and to do so would be to demand attention and that, I'm afraid, is not in the character of the majority of folks.

I'll over state this to make my point, just in case some native-born Scots have encountered a similar perspective. The working-class Highland people of Cape Breton are a somewhat modest bunch. They don't have a lot of time for show offs, dandies or braggarts. They are happy to see someone with a talent share it, but not so impressed by someone who talks about their proficiency are shows off their wealth conspicuously if they are lucky enough to have some etc...

The overstated bit is that the kilt and one's clan tartan is viewed as an *almost* sacred thing by a lot of these folks. Having one made would be a monumental event in someone's life and wearing it wouldn't be taken lightly. It certainly isn't viewed as just another set of clothes. There is no reason these coal miners, farmers, fishermen, teachers, former steel workers etc... would feel the need to "dress up" in Highland attire just to go about their lives.

For an occasion, that's another story. A Masonic lodge event for members of the Scottish rite, a day at the Highland Games, perhaps a wedding, prom or New Year's dance would all be times when dressing up in one's finest would be considered appropriate and if the kilt is your finest, why not! A ceilidh is a much less formal affair and people would be wearing their regular casual street clothes.

The kilt wouldn't be most people's first choice for fixing fishing gear, bringing in hay, shoveling their driveway or cleaning out their shed. They wouldn't strap it on to go to the local tavern or to buy their groceries.

In fact, the only daily kilt wearer that I've encountered in Cape Breton is an American gent who purchased land along the Cabot Trail and had a shop selling souvenirs and militaria. Perhaps it's still open, I'm not sure. Even the kilted regiment only wears the kilt with parade dress and wears combats (fatigues for the Americans, number 8 dress for the Brits). The kilt is comparatively uncomfortable and impractical.

In parts of Cape Breton you'll see Gaelic street signs, Celtic crosses in the cemeteries, memorial cairns, and tartan and thistles on a good many signs and logos but kilts wouldn't be viewed as practical or in any respect "normal". They wouldn't be affordable to many and the wearing of one without an occasion or a reason would be looked upon by most as a desperate cry for attention.

Not sure they'd think you were a tourist, but they'd certainly think you were an odd duck.

So is it possible that a lot of Scots would also view wearing the kilt out and about as showing off or looking for attention?

[Jock Scot]

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So is it possible that a lot of Scots would also view wearing the kilt out and about as showing off or looking for attention?

I think almost exclusively most Scots would consider that most kilted visitors to Scotland were doing exactly that. Unfairly perhaps.

As for Scots wearing the kilt to show off, well no doubt there is an element of that, although generally speaking I think peer pressure takes care of that.

[CeilidhDoc]

JS and Nathan--

I think this is another issue that has significant merit.

When I go out kilted, and even when I first started wearing the kilt, I never had the fear of "looking like a girl in a skirt" that some westerners seem to have to grapple with. The main reason I can end up feeling self-conscious is if I have the impression others think I am wearing it as an attention-grabbing "Look at me!" kind of show, rather than the nod to my ancestors which I intend. My personality really couldn't be more different from the former, and for me the only potential real downside to wearing the kilt is coming off like that to others.

The problem is that there is no real way to advertise without a discussion what your exact intent is, and there is no way to talk to all those around you and let them know, so people will just make up their own minds without your input at all in most cases. I don't know what the solution is to that issue.

Slàinte!