Kilted US expat in Scotland needing advice

[Jock Scot]

Purely out of interest, how many kilts do you see being worn in your area of Scotland, on a normal day to day basis?

[SoulFyre777]

Purely out of interest, how many kilts do you see being worn in your area of Scotland, on a normal day to day basis?

In East Lothian, the occasional piper or wedding attendee is about it really. Actually, I can’t recall ever seeing anyone wearing a kilt as everyday attire since we’ve been here. Of course, we see them in Edinburgh a bit more. My wife has seen a few around town in the winter months that didn’t appear to be pipers. So maybe it’s just the cooler weather that brings them out? I don’t know. Of course, I have no real basis of comparison either so maybe that’s a fairly normal cross-section elsewhere in Scotland as well…?

[Jock Scot]

Thank you Adam. Your observations are entirely as I had expected, although, I am not really familiar with the area you live in .

[Jock Scot]

......................Of course, I have no real basis of comparison either so maybe that’s a fairly normal cross-section elsewhere in Scotland as well…?

Fairly normal I would say. You may be interested to hear that I have just returned from town(Fort William) and as a brief snapshot of a normally busy High Street, at this time of year, just starting to get busier with the arrivals of the tourist coaches (buses) and their enthusiastic passengers and the locals hoping to get their shopping done before it gets too busy, I saw two kilted gentlemen. One was me, in a reflection in a shop window and a coach driver helping his passengers off the coach.

Coach drivers often seem to use the kilt as part of their outfit these days, so when the coach park is full it would not be unusual to see more than a few kilts on show there. For them at this time of year, it seems to be shirt sleeves, tartan kilt usually worn at about the "regulation" height, scrunched down hose, and light weight boots. Thus far, I have not spotted a modern style of kilt this year.

[CBH]

Coach drivers often seem to use the kilt as part of their outfit these days

So this means anyone wearing a kilt in Scotland - tourist or local - still looks like a tourist of a worker wearing a uniform ?

I'm still bringing mine when we visit in 2027.

[Jock Scot]

So this means anyone wearing a kilt in Scotland - tourist or local - still looks like a tourist of a worker wearing a uniform ?

I'm still bringing mine when we visit in 2027.

Errr, I am not sure what you mean. Local civilian kilt wearers of which I am one, often have a style of wearing the kilt, but not always. Civilian Kilt wearers from the Lowlands often have style of wearing the kilt, but not always. Coach drivers often have a way of wearing the kilt, but one would not ever describe their outfit as a uniform.

By all means bring your kilt and you will wear it as you please, as we all do.

[Jock Scot]

So this means anyone wearing a kilt in Scotland - tourist or local - still looks like a tourist of a worker wearing a uniform ?

I'm still bringing mine when we visit in 2027.

I have been thinking about your question and have, perhaps, arrived at understanding your reasoning and question?

At first glance, someone wearing the kilt could be a tourist, coach driver or, a local by just wearing the kilt. But that is not the end of the story.There are then, other pointers that indicate to us locals to various assumptions, which could be right or wrong and of course to find out for sure the answer is to engage the person in a polite conversation. Which occasionally happens. So:-

1. As a local, I probably know the local kilt wearers. So that makes things easy.

2. How the person is wearing their kilt. For example, no tie, the knot to tie the tie, is often, but not always an indication, the kilt worn too low\high, their hose and foot wear, general attire and demeanour.

3. It is a fair bet, but not a certainty, that anyone that I don't recognise, will be a visitor.

4. Their accents/language/volume, is a real help if one is in range to hear it.

5. Experience.

All these minor indicators help with the "blink of an eye" assumptions------which, I say again could be wrong!---- as one walks or, drives around town.

The real clincher though, is that it is usually a visitor who is wearing the kilt!

I hope this helps.

[CBH]

4. Their accents/language/volume, is a real help if one is in range to hear it.

I knew this is a dead giveaway once I've spoken.

I bet my sun tan is better than most in the UK as well

[geomick]

I have been thinking about your question and have, perhaps, arrived at understanding your reasoning and question?

At first glance, someone wearing the kilt could be a tourist, coach driver or, a local by just wearing the kilt. But that is not the end of the story.There are then, other pointers that indicate to us locals to various assumptions, which could be right or wrong and of course to find out for sure the answer is to engage the person in a polite conversation. Which occasionally happens. So:-

1. As a local, I probably know the local kilt wearers. So that makes things easy.

2. How the person is wearing their kilt. For example, no tie, the knot to tie the tie, is often, but not always an indication, the kilt worn too low\high, their hose and foot wear, general attire and demeanour.

3. It is a fair bet, but not a certainty, that anyone that I don't recognise, will be a visitor.

4. Their accents/language/volume, is a real help if one is in range to hear it.

5. Experience.

All these minor indicators help with the "blink of an eye" assumptions------which, I say again could be wrong!---- as one walks or, drives around town.

The real clincher though, is that it is usually a visitor who is wearing the kilt!

I hope this helps.

What is the standard knot for the tie? I'm guessing Windsor knot, which looks better (more symmetrical) than the four-in-hand common for ties in the USA.

[Jock Scot]

What is the standard knot for the tie? I'm guessing Windsor knot, which looks better (more symmetrical) than the four-in-hand common for ties in the USA.

The four-in-hand is the most usual choice here, although the Windsor knot is seen a bit more often these days.