Wearing A Kilt On Halloween

[Ckin]

I personally plan to be kilted on Halloween, but not in a costume-y, holiday way. The local town, (Sperryville. Yes, it's as small as it sounds), plans to close off main street for a sort of block party with the local merchants and artisans taking part for the kids in town. Since most of the locals have seen me kilted before, it's not that much of a stretch. The fact that this will be a NICER, and somewhat unique kilt, (USAK great kilt in Ulster Weathered), just means the conversation will probably start with "so you decided to dress up and wear a shirt with buttons tonight?".

We love Sperryville! This sounds like a lot of fun. I get up that way often (from Cville). Maybe me and the missus will come thru and say hi on halloween.

[Baeau]

No fear, Baeau. Your Specter (so sadly herein often referred to as a kilt cop), truly exists! ) Those of us still at home --and sometimes overseas -- very kindly and fondly refer to him as traditionand love him dearly. He is who we are, not who we wish to be now or in the future. Or in and of our wildest fantasies.

If forum members wear the kilt daily -- or almost daily -- I encourage them to do so on Halloween, too, but to wear a mask as was always the way in times of yore, to disguise yourself from some, if not all.

I don't know about others, to me, tradition automatically has respect tied to it. I don't see how they can be separated. Tradition is respect for the past, ideas, & thoughts. Continuing any tradition in the current world, is nothing more than respecting the past.

Cheers,
Steve

[inebrius]

Interesting opinions... change your perception, change the world, I supppose.

We love Sperryville!

IKR!?!? PM sent. Hope to see you there! (open to anyone interested if you're in the area. It's a fun place.)

[Taffy Jack]

You guys have given me a lot of good food for thought. My intent is definitely not to be derogatory or disrespectful of the kilt or the culture the kilt represents.

If you're looking for a somewhat non-standard day on which to wear your kilt -- for social buffering, shyness, unfamiliarity or whatever reason -- may I suggest a formal event? Kilts look magnificent compared to tuxedos or even dress military wear, and literally everyone present will be wearing something less familiar to them than their typical daily wear.

The sharpest "tuxedo" I've ever put on, by far, is a Prince Charlie over a kilt.

Other ways to familiarize yourself with wearing your kilt out and about are to patronize a culturally sympathetic pub (we have MacLeod's Fish & Chips around here), hit a Highland Games event, or even wear your fine woolen threads to church on Sunday -- any place where you wouldn't necessarily wear your standard business attire may help to give your self-consciousness an "out."

And wherever you choose to wear it, walk proudly, look people straight in the eye, and smile like you've got a plan to be revealed as necessary.

[Stan]

What is the kilted community's view of wearing a kilt on Halloween? I am considering making my first time wearing a kilt on Holloween but I do not want to degrade the historical and cultural significance of the kilt and present it as just a "costume". I suppose I could explain to people that what I was wearing is not just a costume but is a genuine, historical garment that represents a people and a society.
To put the question in a bit of context, I am a collegiate coach and would be wearing the kilt on campus among my athletes, many of whom would be wearing costumes of one sort or the other that day since dressing up is going to be a team activity that day. It is that which is fueling my concern of the kilt coming off is just a "costume".

I thought I'd get the opinion of the kilted community on people wearing the kilt on Halloween.

"Wear the kilt, have fun, laugh and enjoy the event, and the evening with friends, old and new".... I think that many of us seem to take our self's to seriously.

Stan L.

[OC Richard]

If you're looking for a somewhat non-standard day on which to wear your kilt...may I suggest a formal event?

The sharpest "tuxedo" I've ever put on, by far, is a Prince Charlie over a kilt.

Yes indeed! I've not owned a suit in ages and through my college years and ever since it's Highland Dress for events requiring a suit, or tuxedo.

[OC Richard]

As far as I am concerned, it is not any different than jeans and a cowboy hat.

Once again it's interesting to hear Highland Dress placed in the wider notion of cultural appropriation and cultural stereotypes.

For a good chunk of my youth I wore cowboy boots, jeans, and a cowboy hat as my everyday dress. Many people wear Western Wear as a matter of course. It strikes me as odd to see such ordinary clothes treated as "costume".

[fw_kilt]

And, dang, I was gonna to go as a cowboy!

[OC Richard]

And, dang, I was gonna to go as a cowboy!

Where you're from you'd have a lot of company!

[Chris Hills]

[QUOTE=Baeau;1365923]A bit of pondering, made me think of a 'not long back' rather contentious thread. The discussions of what was proper highland wear. There, the subject of retail & 'for hire' businesses came up. Then on to how their offerings / marketing have an effect on peoples idea of the proper look. Or here, what makes a great Halloween costume.

Ok, you paint an ugly picture of wearing the kilt inappropriately as a halloween costume that certainly makes it feel detestable to me. Got that. But let me ask this... and not trying to stir the pot, this is legitimately frustrating for me. What about all of these "ren fairs"? I see all of these fake jacobites wearing pretend shirts and shoes that didn't even exist, which really makes me look stupid in "proper" kiltware. Not trying to get into what is proper or not, just saying that if the majority of those on this thread seem to be against halloween costumes, far more people far more often are going in costume to renaissance fairs. Shouldn't that be equally as annoying to us scots then? Or perhaps I am just missing the distinction (and note I am definitely not trying to be snarky, the above notes about halloween costumes certainly got me rethinking things). Your thoughts?