Two Telling comments? The Answer Perhaps?

[Cyd]

In Blairgowrie there used to be a couple of older fellas that wore kilts regularly, but that was it. For us, and I think most Scots, a kilt is a substitute for a suit, but even then only on particular occasions. Growing up we used to wear kilts at times to International rugby matches, but that was more tongue in cheek than anything else. Some would paint their faces too in a big St. Andrews cross, but that wouldn't be recommended for everyday garb either.

There definitely is a "I don't want to be mistaken for a tourist" as well as a distinct cultural difference. You don't see many Scots running around in white trainers and sweat pants either, which is frequently the dress that preceded the tourist kilt. I think some of the push back comming from some in this forum when I point out traditionally, you don't dress to show up your host is part of that. Generally the British are much less comfortable loudly dressed and presenting themselves as the center of attention. Being the center of attention is not always a good thing, and wearing a kilt daily is certainly unconventional and likely to attract attention.

If your goal is to make daily kilt-wearing a norm, I wish you luck. I suspect however you will have to be happy being benign form of exhibitionist, which is absolutely fine. Just recognize it for what it is. Especially in Scotland.

[Grouse Claw]

"If your goal is to make daily kilt-wearing a norm, I wish you luck. I suspect however you will have to be happy being benign form of exhibitionist, which is absolutely fine. Just recognize it for what it is. Especially in Scotland."

And there it is, gentlemen, guys, or whatever you like, on the nose, you/we are a collection of eccentric exhibitionists. I think Cyd is right. So we can take down this site.

[Cyd]

Could it be the dilution of tradition over time Jock? As the younger generations get further from their own heritage, and by many Scot's admission, a heritage that is seen less and less, save for a couple of special gigs a year, the opportunity for the caricature Scot, as defined by others, increases. When tourists wearing the kilt far outnumber the natives in kilts, it is easy to see why the native would make the correlation to the tourist.

I assume this will continue at a somewhat exponential rate, as the result of a self-fulfilling prophesy. The less Scots wear the kilt to avoid looking like tourists, the greater the percentage of kilts seen are on tourists (and we all know how well most pull that look off ). Add to that the natural age related decline of a generation of native kilt wearers and, voila!, Harry meets Sally at your kitchen table.

I fear that pretty soon we'll have to send a contingent of Xmarks members to retrain the native population on their own traditions, based on what some old farmer name "Jock Scot" told us.

Best to you and yours,
Brooke

Unfortunately, daily kilt wear has never been the norm in Scotland, saving perhaps a fraction of the population in the Highlands in the 15th-16th centuries. In fact, the romantic revival of the late 18th and 19th centuries had more to do with popularizing the kilt as we know it than anything else. From then forward, kiltwear in Scotland is pretty much as formal wear. I don't think it has declined all that much in 100 years. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if wearing the kilt in Scotland has increased in recent times with the re-emergence of the Scottish National Movement. (I am talking amongst civilians, not military regiments or any other miniscule exception one cares to find).

I would also suggest to you that the last thing that would convince a Scotsman to do anything is a foreigner telling him to do it.

There is nothing wrong with wearing a kilt daily, if that is what you choose to do. I wear a kilt daily around the house for personal reasons myself. It is however exceptional and to wear a kilt daily in public is a form of exhibitionism. Nothing wrong with it, and your reasons may be very good (as Steve Ashton pointed out, it is his job!!). Just recognize it for what it is and be happy with your decision.

[Cyd]

Perhaps normal, everyday wear for North America was imported from Europe?

dunno about any of this. Tourists have always been easy to spot, and it is what they are wearing that gives them away. Perhaps it is more true with regard to business wear.

[Dughlas mor]

Cyd, Scotsmen are certainly not unique in their reluctance to take advice from foreigners. I am far from being a daily kilt wearer, but I would say that your statement that daily kilt wearing in public is a form of exhibitionism is your opinion only, and I am sure that the daily kilt wearers among us will value it as they see fit.

[Cyd]

... I am sorry you feel the way you do and I am sorry your friend feels the way he does regarding the kilt. To my mind one way to change the mindset would be for Scots, real Scots, to wear the kilt and show the unwashed masses how to do it right.

So "real Scots" are Canadians??

I share your opinions on an "exclusionary mindset" but with all respect, aren't you guilty of the very same thing by first lumping those who see the kilt as a garment reserved for special occasions as being of such a mindset, then suggesting that those same people are not "real Scots" because they don't see tradition through your eyes from a few thousand miles away?

I would suggest that if you are going to argue that opinions from members of the forum from Scotland should be discounted because their view of Highland dress is more conservative than yours and Canadians can somehow "do it better," you damage your own reputation not those you attack. Your last sentence almost gave me whiplash. JockScot was trying to educate. The whole point is that "real Scots" as a group do not, and have never, worn kilts as daily wear! The notion that in promoting that you are somehow reviving a tradition or heritage is absolutely ridiculous.

I have no problem with this as a forum or you individually promoting regularly wearing a kilt. There are even good arguments for doing so. Let's try to keep it real however. To do so is to change tradition, not revive it.

To the moderators: Do you ever moderate yourselves? McMurdo's comments about "real Scots" are quite offensive to REAL Scots, not to mention the "unwashed masses" (assuming they are not synonymous with people born in Scotland that don't wear a kilt)!

[Cyd]

Cyd, Scotsmen are certainly not unique in their reluctance to take advice from foreigners. I am far from being a daily kilt wearer, but I would say that your statement that daily kilt wearing in public is a form of exhibitionism is your opinion only, and I am sure that the daily kilt wearers among us will value it as they see fit.

I wasn't using "exhibitionism" in a derogatory sense. I was just pointing out that wearing a kilt on a daily basis is unusual, which is undeniable, and attracts attention to the wearer. Of course if you choose to wear a kilt daily and casually it is your choice and there certainly is no harm or anything derogatory about it. In fact I said exactly that in the post you refer to. Why do you choose to interpret my comments in a manner that is so clearly erroneous and contradictory to the sentence immediately preceding the one you refer to?

My comment regarding a reluctance to take advice from foreigners was directed to a specific comment, which is why I quoted it. I don't believe I suggested in any way it was unique to a Scotsman. You have to read it in context.

[Cyd]

"If your goal is to make daily kilt-wearing a norm, I wish you luck. I suspect however you will have to be happy being benign form of exhibitionist, which is absolutely fine. Just recognize it for what it is. Especially in Scotland."

And there it is, gentlemen, guys, or whatever you like, on the nose, you/we are a collection of eccentric exhibitionists. I think Cyd is right. So we can take down this site.

NO, NO! If that is your take, your logic differs considerably from mine. It is precisely the reason this site should exist!!

If you don't recognize that what we are doing is unusual and wearing a kilt every day in the 21st century a way of attracting attention, you are being delusional. There is nothing wrong with eccentricity, and if it turns out to be a good idea it will eventually be adopted as the norm. It is also however a swim upstream. In the meantime enjoy life and be happy.

I am beginning to think some of you guys see this forum more as a refuge of like-minded people seeking comfort from a cruel world, rather than a place to share ideas about highland dress, kilt construction, and everything else that goes with it. There seems to be a tendency to try to quash anything that doesn't fit into your view.

I think maybe I will just move on. Frankly, a lot of you are guilty of the very things you complain about.

[ThistleDown]

We're not going to stop going on holiday, but future holidays will include sun and beaches. My wife is much happier with this plan...

Frank

If your wife is happier in warmer climes, you will be too, Frank. Don't give up on Scotland as a wonderful place to visit, though. It has superb scenery; an ancient history on view; a vibrant, contemporary culture drawn from the best of all the world; and warm folk to welcome you. There are a few negatives: the weather can be even more miserable than New York (but not much, so listen to your wife if what she wants is sunny beaches all year 'round), the pesky midges of the West more complained about by us than by visitors, and -- perhaps the most important for many New World guests-- we live in the 21st Century.

Wander freely through our cities, into our glens, our villages and our townships, over our moors and our mountains, stumble among the stones of our beaches and slop through our marshes. Nowhere on earth is better than this. Nowhere.

[Cyd]

Originally Posted by CeilidhDoc
...This may be a pipe dream, but what would be wrong with simply changing the mentality from "Look at that idiot tourist making a mockery of the kilt, lets roll our eyes and talk behind his back and think smug things..." to "Look at that tourist who has no clue what he is doing. We should set him straight." I know that changing mentalities is not easy, but it can be done if people care to make the change.

Slàinte




One of the first things I did when I joined this forum was start a thread about fly plaid etiquette because my first involvement with a Scottish "gathering" in America was so completely foreign to me. I figured "to each his own" and sought some advice as to what was appropriate when here as opposed to Scotland. I was convinced that I shouldn't bow to the well-intentioned mistakes of tradition I found in my new home. That I should lead by example, and although I would never spoil a party by rudely telling someone they were doing something as trivial as dress wrong, that this forum might be a good place to start getting some of these North American misconceptions of proper Highland Dress resolved.

Absolute nonsense.

Just read through this thread, or the sticky entitled "Kilt Kops." You're quite right to have labeled your suggestion a "pipe dream." In my short time here I see little desire to learn or listen. There is rather a smug satisfaction that all is right to the extent in the posts above some actually claim that we should bring daily kilt wearing back to Scotland because the Scots have lost touch with their heritage!!! and these same people think kilt kops are arrogant and egotistical??!! In short there ARE Scotsmen, right here in this forum, TELLING you politely when you have it wrong and they are consistently being ridiculed and quashed.

"Unwashed masses" as one former moderator above termed Scots that don't normally wear kilts? YOU ARE THE UNWASHED MASSES!! You are just too full of your own self-importance to realize it.