Lowland/Scotch-Irish/American Colonists vs. Highlanders.

[Jock Scot]

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Wearing the kilt seems natural for a Scotsman (highlander or lowlander) but only a few of us can don a Quaker hat with ease.

You must be joking! Its only in very recent times----the latter part of my lifetime----- has the kilt been accepted by some Lowland Scots. There are still places in the Lowlands where the kilt is regarded with vicious scorn.

I kid you not.

We in the Highlands often have considerable difficulty to this day, in listening to Lowlanders claiming the kilt as theirs and giving out kilt attire advice----often incorrect------ without a rather cynical smile at best and not a little disbelief!

[ThistleDown]

Its only in very recent times----the latter part of my lifetime----- has the kilt been accepted by some Lowland Scots. There are still places in the Lowlands where the kilt is regarded with vicious scorn.

I kid you not.

We in the Highlands often have considerable difficulty to this day, in listening to Lowlanders claiming the kilt as theirs and giving out kilt attire advice----often incorrect------ without a rather cynical smile at best and not a little disbelief!

Therein lie the nuts of two things: 1. The reasons why many Highlanders don't wear Highland dress south of the Highland Line, even today, and 2. one good reason why the kilt is not -- by many -- worn daily in Scotland: the Lowland population is 20 times that of the Highland and much of the Highland population is Lowland or elsewhere in origin.

[Peter Crowe]

Therein lie the nuts of two things: 1. The reasons why many Highlanders don't wear Highland dress south of the Highland Line, even today, and 2. one good reason why the kilt is not -- by many -- worn daily in Scotland: the Lowland population is 20 times that of the Highland and much of the Highland population is Lowland or elsewhere in origin.

Conversely Rex, many Scots in the Lowlands have Highland forebears as well as Lowland Scots, English, Irish, Welsh and others. The Highland/Lowland cultural division outwith the earlier Lordship of the Isles was also at it's most pronounced from about 1500-1800, the era when the great kilt and later little kilt developed from the older saffron robes of the clan elites, and can be over-stated today. Gaelic was once spoken in Galloway and variants of Scots long spoken in Caithness. For example most of Argyll and Bute is Highland (the geographic boundary fault line passes through Rothesay), but culturally closer to Glasgow and west-central Scotland, than Inverness and its hinterland.

In my experience as a kid in a kilt-wearing family (and although a minority there were others like us) in Lowland Scotland in the 70's and early 80's, I was often teased by some for wearing the kilt as my Sunday best or as part of Scout uniform, but it owed more to the socio-economic class of those who affected to despise it than to their cultural or ethnic origins. In the past 20 years this seems to have changed somewhat, but whether that is because my peers grew up or indicative of a deeper change I am not sure. Children and teenagers love to tease that which is different or they perceive as old-fashioned and I believe that was where it was coming from when I was younger.

[ThistleDown]

Yes, I agree, Peter. Other than my university years at Aberdeen I've never lived in the Lowlands. At school in the Highlands I was kilted and that continued most often during my university years. My fellow students respected my choice just as I respected theirs. Children in the streets I walked to my lodgings called 'kiltie kiltie cauld bum' but that was the extent of it. (My second degree was at Manchester and after a very few strange weeks, I packed my kilt into a box and and sent it home.)

Those young Aberdeen townies were, as you say, of a different socio-economic class than I was, but they have grown up to be the middle-aged users of kilt-hire shops today. Most often they take their instruction from the owners of those shops, without having the advantage of generations of kilted ancestors. Even if their names are Highland.

[Father Bill]

It's sad to me as so many of you explain how the Scottish hire shops are re-defining highland wear to their own benefit without respect to tradition, history or reality.

[ThistleDown]

It's sad to me as so many of you explain how the Scottish hire shops are re-defining highland wear to their own benefit without respect to tradition, history or reality.

It is for us, too, FB, and may explain why some of us on here crack on ad nauseum about THCD and how it is 'properly' worn in the Highlands. We simply want folks to get it right no matter where they live and have very few places where we can do so. At home we don't critique someone for wearing a belt with a waistcoat, or ghillie brogues -- we let them do it because it is impolite to do otherwise. On this forum we are asked 'how' and we respond from our personal knowledge and experience. Often, sadly, that is emphatically rejected in favour of how it is done outwith the Highlands.

Back to David's point in this thread. For those who have not done so, I suggest some heavy reading: Ken McGoogan's 'How the Scots Invented Canada'; Paul Cowan's 'How the Scots Created Canada'; Tom Devine's 'To the Ends of the Earth', Colin Calloway's 'White People, Indians and Highlanders'; Tom Devine's 'The Scottish Nation 1700 to 2000'; and James Hunter's 'A Dance Called America'.

[Father Bill]

Thanks Rex, and I'm long since more than halfway through your excellent reading list.

I too cringe when folks ignorantly call hire dress the "right" way, but sometimes I do compromise lest I be odd man out when others will be over-dressed. I may wear a BBSB jacket when frankly my charcoal tweed would be a better choice. I dress it down through my accessories.

Again, appreciative of the reading list!

[Peter Crowe]

Yes, I agree, Peter. Other than my university years at Aberdeen I've never lived in the Lowlands. At school in the Highlands I was kilted and that continued most often during my university years. My fellow students respected my choice just as I respected theirs. Children in the streets I walked to my lodgings called 'kiltie kiltie cauld bum' but that was the extent of it. (My second degree was at Manchester and after a very few strange weeks, I packed my kilt into a box and and sent it home.)

Those young Aberdeen townies were, as you say, of a different socio-economic class than I was, but they have grown up to be the middle-aged users of kilt-hire shops today. Most often they take their instruction from the owners of those shops, without having the advantage of generations of kilted ancestors. Even if their names are Highland.

I learned from my Dad, who learned growing up wearing the kilt in the 40's and 50's (a much more tweedy era than today). He was the kid who wore his kilt daily to Uddingston Grammar School from 1952-56, and has never complained about getting pelters in a village just outside of Glasgow. His first pair of long trousers were his uniform as a Midshipman in the Merchant Navy at age 17. I also agree the kilt-hire business in Scotland has gone in for gimmicky rather than traditional.

[Terry Searl]

You must be joking! Its only in very recent times----the latter part of my lifetime----- has the kilt been accepted by some Lowland Scots. There are still places in the Lowlands where the kilt is regarded with vicious scorn.

I kid you not.

We in the Highlands often have considerable difficulty to this day, in listening to Lowlanders claiming the kilt as theirs and giving out kilt attire advice----often incorrect------ without a rather cynical smile at best and not a little disbelief!

...... I have dear friends from the Lowlands and when I suggest I wear my kilt the lady says she won't be walking beside me if I do.........she isn't derogatory about it, and won't elaborate further, but she says she just doesn't like to see men in Kilts