I can tell you one young man's thoughts on kilts in the Hebrides. Whether that was a minority opinion I cannot say, but I suspect it might be a common thought and does fit in with personal experience there, over many years. As to the historical facts I am not sure, but I certainly get the impression that the kilt was not commonly worn there.
We were having a superb dinner on South Uist, when Mrs Jock asked our young waiter, a local, why he was not wearing the kilt-----he was wearing a pair of very well cut trews--- the reply was instantanious, "no one wears the kilt over here, not even for weddings."I have to say that in all honesty I was not surprised.
It was very noticable that tartan was not standard hotel decor, nor was there any local style music,--- no pipes, no fiddles, no accordian, no local style songs------- playing in any establishment that we visited. It made a refreshing change from the mainland and we did wonder if the locals were making a concerted effort to be different?
" Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the adherence of idle minds and minor tyrants". Field Marshal Lord Slim.
Bookmarks