Two Telling comments? The Answer Perhaps?

[Ron Abbott]

Without going through every post I'm not sure whether it's been mentioned so far, but other than the whole 'look like a tourist thing' there is also the cost factor.

Suit, shirt and tie, or jeans and whatever......works out a lot cheaper than kilt, sporran, belt, jacket, hose, flashes, sgian dubh, kiltpin. Even if you buy what I consider to be complete and utter tat....'the clan crest range'....it's still not cheap.

Add a change for each day or every few days and you're talking a fair bit of money.
I mentioned on another thread as well, that for many things I do not find the kilt comfortable. I am sure some will disagree. I hate wearing a kilt when driving and I don't like sitting down in it. All these damned pleats bunching up under your backside! And when driving, the sporran has to be moved to the side.

The kilt is however comfortable for so many other things, but better than trousers and a pair of boots or whatever? The jury is out on that one.

[ThistleDown]

Back to Jock's first post.

Sally said it. "Oh come off it Harry you don't look anything like a tourist when wearing the kilt!"

Sally sees a manner -- a bearing -- in Harry that marks him as a native no matter what he wears.

[Hawk]

Good God that was well said, Nathan!

Ah, yes....now we're starting to get back to civil discussion. I refer back to my post #72 on page 8 of this thread. Thank you Kyle for your continuous dialogue.

Hawk

[CMcG]

Back to Jock's first post.

Sally said it. "Oh come off it Harry you don't look anything like a tourist when wearing the kilt!"

Sally sees a manner -- a bearing -- in Harry that marks him as a native no matter what he wears.

She probably does see a manner or bearing, and I suspect that his sartorial choices embody that identity. In many ways, his style is probably more important that the way he carries himself, though, because it is easier to perceive... it's hard to know without getting her to chime in

I'm more than a little leery of the oft-repeated slogan around here to "just wear the the kilt with confidence." Someone might extend this to "just wear the kilt with the bearing of a native Scot." In either case, no amount of confidence or Scots manner can make up for a horribly touristy outfit

[Half Scot Half Pole]

If I may gently return this thread to its original topic,

Jock Scot asked the question - "why don't the Scots wear the kilt daily?" Or, maybe; "why do the Scots wear the kilt only on special occasions?"

He received a few answers from his friends among which were - "I am not going to look like a tourist in my own country"

Many folks posting on this thread are mature in years, our most youthful days behind us, and I've found that I tend to be forgetful of some of the aspects of my rowdy youth, which is slowly being obfuscated by my graying head.

Respectfullly, I wonder if maybe a welcoming approach toward Scots-born young men, regarding the incorporation of the heritage of the kilt into their modern lives, might be the answer.

Present sponsorship of Highland Games sports heros with kilt-wear might be coordinated to become an all out campaign regarding the wearing of the kilt. Is there any government sponsorship via media to promote the kilt and the kilt alone? I know some on XMTS are folks of influence, and maybe a paradigm shift in the world of kilts, including manufacturers, distributors, sponsored sports hero's, etc., might be just what the doctor ordered. As great as they are, "Braveheart" and "Rob Roy" are dated movies, a new thing needs to come about.

As regarding the diaspora not being able to address this issue because we somehow are not pure in heart, let me remind you that the music of the Blues was despised in the states, that British guitar players came to appreciate that which we failed to, and Rock and Roll was born on Blues riffs. Britain gave the gift of Blues back to the states, not necessarily in the tradition, but Blues riffs even so. That's why the Utilikilts, because an American-born company appreciated aspects of the Scottish-born kilt that no one else ever thought to consider, Utilikilt still giving all due to Scotland for the kilt's creation.

As the moderator allowed certain posters' remarks to stand, I'll say this in response. Kindly allow those of us not Scots-born or spawned a chair at the table to discuss this issue. Condescendingly disparaging another's heritage is the definition of a small stature and an even smaller mind. Or just post on your own community forum from which we lesser mortals can be excluded.

[sailortats]

I have to say that this thread and the "wearing a kilt in Scotland" thread have completely discouraged me from making my long desired trip to Scotland. Why go when you are going to be considered a doofus no matter what you do. It also makes me look at the kilts I have now and think that they would make good looking dish rags.
I am not accusing anybody of anything, I know you are just speaking your mind without malice but right now I am so very discouraged about the whole kilt thing.

[The Wizard of BC]

"In either case, no amount of confidence or Scots manner can make up for a horribly touristy outfit "


I totally agree with this statement.


And I think that this is where lies the crux of the issue.


I have just done what the average guy would do when first considering a kilt. I checked the internet.


I did a google search using the words "kilt outfit" I looked at just the first page of entries just as any newbie would thinking that these must be the best examples to follow.


Here are just a few of the pics I found. Now, keep in mind all of the companies are located in Scotland and are some of the most respected names.











The same things that we here rail against on an almost daily basis are being perpetuated repeatedly.
The outfits shown are totally stereotypical of the tourist look.

Kilts way too long.
White hose.
Belt worn with Vest.
Horrible sporrans.


And this is what the average guy is greeted with.
They don't have an uncle named Jock Scot. They have not yet found X Marks.

What is the average guy to do? What choice does he have but to follow what he sees as being presented by Scots as the proper way to wear a kilt outfit.


Is it no wonder that the average guy will look like a tourist.

[TenorClef]

I have to say that this thread and the "wearing a kilt in Scotland" thread have completely discouraged me from making my long desired trip to Scotland. Why go when you are going to be considered a doofus no matter what you do. It also makes me look at the kilts I have now and think that they would make good looking dish rags.
I am not accusing anybody of anything, I know you are just speaking your mind without malice but right now I am so very discouraged about the whole kilt thing.

Isn't this just a part of the general sartorial decline? If I go to work wearing shoes, some one will pipe up 'what's the occasion?' A tie and a jacket? I must be going to a wedding or funeral. Crazy times I know. However many don't wish to wear jeans & t-shirts all the time.

[California Highlander]

I have to say that this thread and the "wearing a kilt in Scotland" thread have completely discouraged me from making my long desired trip to Scotland. Why go when you are going to be considered a doofus no matter what you do. It also makes me look at the kilts I have now and think that they would make good looking dish rags.
I am not accusing anybody of anything, I know you are just speaking your mind without malice but right now I am so very discouraged about the whole kilt thing.

Well, I'm planning on going to Scotland (Cairngorms/Inverness/Caithness) in July/August 2015 and will bring the kilt, wear it some, but not everyday, and not worry too much and over-think things. Highland games? Hill walking? Pub night with XMarkers? Probably wear it. Strolling around, shopping, dinner, distillery tour? Maybe not.

There seems to be a wide range of opinions on when and wear and how to wear the kilt, including mine. I've learned a lot thanks to many of those XMarks philosophers and sages, but it still comes down to what I feel is appropriate for any occasion or event based on many factors that may not be obvious in a general online discussion such as this.

Cheer up and wear the kilt!

[WillowEstate]

Back to Jock's first post.

Sally said it. "Oh come off it Harry you don't look anything like a tourist when wearing the kilt!"

Sally sees a manner -- a bearing -- in Harry that marks him as a native no matter what he wears.

That's very interesting food for thought. I agree that we see those close to us in a different light even to friends, let alone strangers. I think Sally sees Harry as the man, perhaps a bit further than just "bearing" but the whole Harry that probably only she knows. So whatever his appearance, he's still Harry, not a kiltie or non-kiltie or whatever.

Harry though is looking at himself and definitely doesn't see himself in any way a tourist or visitor to his homeland but does associate the kilt wearers generally as said visitors.

One could ask, does he see Jock as a tourist? I would think obviously not. Aside from Jock always appearing impeccably dressed in his photographs, what's the difference? I suggest it's that Harry sees Jock the whole man he knows so well, not some arbitrary bloke in a kilt.

You could take any one of the people Nathan mentioned or perhaps just look at the Avatars of McMurdo or Steve, who appear strikingly similar in dress to Jock. Until they spoke (I'm assuming you have Canadian accents, guys) why would Harry see them in any other light than Jock? Would he see them as tourists? If so, what would single them out as such?

And how about the "Tartan Army" of Rugby and Soccer fans. I doubt anyone could see them as tourists, could they? And their standard of dress ranges from very formal to, shall we say, equally casual!

Clearly Harry wants to portray himself as a native of his homeland and that's great, so is his reticence in wearing a kilt due to the kilt itself, which I would have thought unlikely in the Highlands, or just the usurpers (no offense intended to anyone) of his national dress, which one could perhaps more understand in Edinburgh in the summer?

I don't have the answers to these questions but this thread, even with its deviations, has caused me to think about it a whole lot more.