not wearing a Kilt

**gazbot** · 16th August 16, 04:05 PM

Hello Rabble,

I recently had the most fantastic Kilted weekend on the nothern bell British Pullman and in The Royal Enclosure at my beloved Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. My lovely Wife Was More than happy for me to be kilted, questioned and photographed. However on the train journey back from Edinburgh in which the dress Code remained smart daywear (lounge suits for Gentlemen) she said she would prefer me not to Kilt. I agreed reluctantly. I normally pride myself on wearing my Kilt wuselt and not innapropriately But I thought It would have been appropriate here. Antike else have similar issues?

**OC Richard** · 16th August 16, 04:14 PM

How cool! I envy your Tattoo experience.

My wife is similar- she's not a big fan of my wearing kilts to things, unless there's a specific reason for it.

She knew I was a piper before we started dating (that should have scared her off!) and has always accepted kiltwearing as part-and-parcel to my playing the pipes. But other than that, and attending specifically Scottish-themed events, she would think of kiltwearing as being eccentric.

**Liam** · 16th August 16, 09:37 PM

My sympathies to both of you...

**Kiltedjohn** · 17th August 16, 01:03 AM

My wife likes the "look" of the kilt, but is concerned that it is very conspicuous. She allows me to go about kilted when we are north of the border. In your situation, she would probably have allowed me to be kilted on the first leg of the journey, but I would have had to change before we got to Carlisle!

**Jock Scot** · 17th August 16, 01:18 AM

Apart from a very rare and exceptional event , I would no more wear a kilt in England, or, anywhere else outwith Scotland, than fly to the moon. Its not a nationalist thing either, its one of those" its just not done" things.

**iKiltIt** · 17th August 16, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

Apart from a very rare and exceptional event , I would no more wear a kilt in England, or, anywhere else outwith Scotland, than fly to the moon. Its not a nationalist thing either, its one of those" its just not done" things.

I don't mean to be argumentative here, but I just don't know the answer to this. Why is wearing a kilt outside of the borders of Scotland "just not done"? Why is it just not done for those of us who don't reside inside the borders of Scotland, yet our family derived from there? That lineage should give me the right to wear my family tartan wherever I am. Again, please don't think I'm trying to argue with you, I simply don't know the "rules".

**Jock Scot** · 17th August 16, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by iKiltIt

I don't mean to be argumentative here, but I just don't know the answer to this. Why is wearing a kilt outside of the borders of Scotland "just not done"? Why is it just not done for those of us who don't reside inside the borders of Scotland, yet our family derived from there? That lineage should give me the right to wear my family tartan wherever I am. Again, please don't think I'm trying to argue with you, I simply don't know the "rules".

A good question! A really good question!

Its a left over from a time(probably the last couple of hundred years) where the Highland Scots did not wear the kilt below the "Highland line" and more recently the Scottish border, therefore the comment of "its just not done". An unbelievably powerful comment--------devastating even---- in some circles of British society, even in this day and age. The convention is still observed by many Highland Scots still, also our Royal Family still appear to observe this convention too. To be clear here, I am talking about Civilian Highland attire NOT military uniforms which require different thinking altogether.

I also note that the male Members of the Scottish National Party(SNP) at the Westminster Parliament in London representing a substantial number of Scottish constituencies don't appear to be wearing the kilt in England, so perhaps they are thinking the same?

From your angle I can quite see that this thinking makes little sense, but you must remember that this civilian international kilt wearing trend is really about as old as the internet(some 30 years?) which is largely responsible for this popularity of kilts worldwide. So yes, its true Scottish Highland thinking has not caught up with what is actually happening. Nevertheless these thoughts still exist in Scotland and will do for sometime yet, I think. At least another two generations.

As an afterthought, you might be interested in two amateur surveys that I did here, that demonstrate well ,the divergence of some Scots' thinking
on kilt matters from the rest of the world. Look for two threads, "Food For Thought" and "Food For Thought 2" (F4T2).

**gazbot** · 17th August 16, 01:24 PM

Some interesting stuff here. Firstly I must say my lovely Wife is very suportive and unsere I am jonesing for a new Lamont weath
red from Slanj By locharron bedside If Her.

I am choosey about wearing it and only wear It at appropriate occasions with à Scottish theme as I thought my return leg of the journey!

At least Kilted at the Tattoo Made up for It.

Interesting cimments About wearing It south of the border. I Do But only eben appropriate as I would radelt get to use It at all.

**tpa** · 17th August 16, 03:22 PM

Having been brought up wearing a kilt, albeit somewhat south of the Highland Line, whilst I can easily see where Jock is coming from, it is not a viewpoint that is built into my psyche. What is built in is that it is a garment that I have the option of wearing if I choose to in the same way that I can wear long or short trousers, if I choose to, wherever and whenever I wish, provided they are appropriate for the activity. The only mandatory requirement is that I wear something, at least outside the house, and so avoid being arrested.

As a result, now that I can, I wear a kilt most of the time. I have ones reserved for special occasions and casual day wear ones. My wife is fine with that as long as the special ones remain special, as that is how they have been regarded for the 38 years we have been together.

This week however my kilts have barely seen the light of day as the house roof is being replaced and I have been working on the roof and in the roof in tight spaces on my knees with lots of dust, paint and other debris everywhere, a scenario not best suited to any kilt.

**Grae** · 18th August 16, 05:41 AM

I have worn the kilt in Singapore, in Italy, regularly in Australia so I would have no hesitation of wearing a kilt in England if I wanted to . With clothes from the whole world on daily display in London why should the kilt wearers feel out of place or unequal to other "non English" clothes. The rest of the world does not buy into this cultural snobbery so why should I. Do we ban Morris dancers outside The land of the Angles? Of course not.