The Tartan Police!

[awoodfellow]

The wearing of a kilt type garmet is not a tradition created by the Scots. The Scots, however, adapted the unbifurcated garmet to suit their needs. Adjustments were made and a Scottish tradition was born. I think those with a knowledge and deep respect of their Scottish ancestry fully appreciate the "traditional" aspects of the kilt. And I think those with that knowledge will migrate toward the traditional teachings in making and wearing the kilt.

Those that wish to wear non-traditional, kilt looking unbifurcated clothing with jack boots and chains to terrorise the public are fooling themselves into thinking they are terrorising the public. Have at it. Frankly, the public doesn't care. Frankly, I don't care. It's like pink and green hair. It just doesn't matter anymore. Because it's all showmanship. It is all marketing. This too shall pass.

But what will remain is the Scottish Tartan and Kilt and all that it represents. The tartaned kilt is a tradition in the grandest sense of the word. A thousand years from now unbifurcated dress for men may be mainstream again. Who knows. But in the libraries and museums you won't read about the leather Rkilt or the UK canvas with brass buttons and pockets of the 21st century. In the history books and encyclopedias you'll read about the Scottish Kilt and Tartan and how the finest weavers and kiltmakers in Scotland created the tartan kilt. You'll read about thread count, sett and pleating to the stripe. About how the kilt was suppressed in an attempt to demoralize a society. You'll still read about the struggle of those vagrant and poverty stricken Scotsman, who under duress or oppressive governments, dispursed around the globe and created a new world for themselves taking their tartaned kilts with them. That is history and tradition.

brose