I'm back !

[Graham]

Welcome back Richard, I'm glad the move went well. I've been looking forward to your report on the kilt in Scotland.
It's strange that the kilt should be seen as unusual there, but that's the way it is.
In the weeks I was there I didn't get any hostile looks or remarks, they just figured I was a tourist, which was true.

Well done! for wearing the kilt there, it's good to be know right from the start as a kilted man. The English stopped the wearing of tartan in Scotland, so it might be up to us to get it going again. It will be our 'penance'.

I look forward to further reports, when you can.

[Robin]

Welcome back!

Errr...you don't know me because I'm new inhere and waiting for my 1st kilt to arrive, but still :grin:

I'm sort of baffled by your "Kilt in Scotland report"
I know the streets are not filled with Scots wearing the kilt, but I didn't expect people look at it as something odd...rest of the world...yes, sure, but in Scotland?

Overhere you hardly see anyone wearing the kilt (obvious), but when someone wears it...people just take notice of it "Oh...a kilt" and respect the person who's wearing it. The Dutch probably have an open mind or just don't care ("pff....seen weirder things").

I'll wear my kilt(s) with pride and I'm not concerned about what others think of it, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea for me to wear it when I visit Scotland next summer.

Advise will be appreciated...

[GMan]

Richard my friend, I am so glad to hear that the move went well! You were definetly missed. Really looking forward to reading your posts about kilt wearing in a different environment. Glad that you are able to do that.

How are the wife and kids adjusting?

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Ranald,

Welcome back! Glad that the move went well, and more importantly that you were able to get back on the Net so quickly!

[Derek]

Ranald .. I’m delighted your move went smoothly and that you’ve settled in ok safe and sound. Hope things go well for you and the family. With regard to your Kilt .. We have spent a few 10 day tours with the band in Scotland over the years. I never saw another Kilt other than myself and one elderly chap in a bank in Inverness at anytime. Not even a kilt at any of our gigs and were a Celtic Folk/Rock Band. And yes, unfortunately, I was looked upon with some slight distain by the locals wherever we went and were playing, although they always spoke and treated me ok. I had always imagined being in Scotland Cilted/Kilted where ‘everyone one else would be the same so to speak, but alas, unfortunately it wasn't. I never encountered any hostility other than what appeared to be strange or disapproving looks from people. You just gotta go for it!. Why it should be that way I don't know. Maybe someone on X Marks can explain why that is the case.
Robin … I would certainly wear your Kilt when you go to Scotland. Just go for it .. you'll be fine. We might be doing a few gigs up there in the spring of 2006 and I will be certainly wearing my Cilt (all the time) when we go.
Iechyd Da
Derek

[Ranald]

Many thanks my friends for the replies, it's good to know one is not alone.
As for visiting Scotland kilted I also say go for it, I'm here to show that the kilt is not just for those special occasions but for any time one chooses, my choice is to wear it for as long as possible.It's a case of someones got to show or lead the way to make it happen and I appreciate I am not the only one, so I say good luck to us all.
I only have two regrets on leaving England behind and they are I never got to met my friends Hamish or Derek..sorry. But saying that when they visit I hope to recrify that.
I do know what you mean Hamish about the kilt in a big city, I feel similar about visiting Aberdeen, a bit apprehensive but saying that I have to go because that's where my father comes from.
I'll keep you posted on Scotlands reactions to a man wearing the kilt with a English accent and playing the pipes!
All the best from bonnie Scotland.
Richard D. Reynolds.

[Derek]

Well done Ranald! Just keep flying the flag of the Kilt/Cilt. Yep, it was a shame we could not meet up. But I'm sure we can rectify that sometime in the future. Yesterday was another first for me by the way .. I had to go with my pal to a garden centre (which is privately owned by an ex landscape gardener) to buy some plants for a client of his, so I decided to keep me Cilt on and take a chance I did'nt get it grubby. I did'nt as it happened and when the owner took my mates money off him at the end, he said in all his 27 years of being there I was the first Cilted guy he (at least) had seen there. Again, the place was busy, but everyone was to wrapped up in their own business to be bothered with the 'guy in a Cilt'. Strange how that might/could be different if I had done it in Scotland.
Iechyd Da
Derek

[Rob]

We have spent a few 10 day tours with the band in Scotland over the years. I never saw another Kilt other than myself and one elderly chap in a bank in Inverness at anytime. Not even a kilt at any of our gigs and were a Celtic Folk/Rock Band. And yes, unfortunately, I was looked upon with some slight distain by the locals wherever we went and were playing, although they always spoke and treated me ok. I had always imagined being in Scotland Cilted/Kilted where ‘everyone one else would be the same so to speak, but alas, unfortunately it wasn't. I never encountered any hostility other than what appeared to be strange or disapproving looks from people. You just gotta go for it!. Why it should be that way I don't know. Maybe someone on X Marks can explain why that is the case.

Derek,


For some strange reason, Scots no longer seem to regard kilts as being normal everyday wear. However, if you had gone to Scotland to attend a wedding, you would probably have been looked at with slight disdain if you had NOT been wearing a kilt. This is even the case when a Scotsman (whether he be a Highlander or a Lowlander) marries outside Scotland. A friend of mine, who is English, told me that his daughter will be marrying a Scot in London, and that he (as the father of the bride) will be expected to wear a kilt outfit.


The association of the kilt with formal occasions, such as weddings, has meant that many Scots look upon casual wearing of kilts in the same way that English people would look upon a man wearing a dinner jacket with blue jeans. In fact I would go so far as to say that the English and Welsh are more likely to accept a man wearing a kilt casually than the Scots are these days.


Scottish kilt makers keep telling us that the kilt has never been more popular, and that sales are up. I can only assume that there are thousands of kilts in Scotland that only ever get paroled from their wardrobe imprisonment when a wedding invitation is received. Maybe the Highlander Scots are keen to shake off the ‘Brigadoon’ image.


Perhaps someone like Highlander Daz (who lives in Inverness) would care to comment on this strange Scottish phenomenon.


Rob

[Ranald]

Derek,


For some strange reason, Scots no longer seem to regard kilts as being normal everyday wear. However, if you had gone to Scotland to attend a wedding, you would probably have been looked at with slight disdain if you had NOT been wearing a kilt. This is even the case when a Scotsman (whether he be a Highlander or a Lowlander) marries outside Scotland. A friend of mine, who is English, told me that his daughter will be marrying a Scot in London, and that he (as the father of the bride) will be expected to wear a kilt outfit.


The association of the kilt with formal occasions, such as weddings, has meant that many Scots look upon casual wearing of kilts in the same way that English people would look upon a man wearing a dinner jacket with blue jeans. In fact I would go so far as to say that the English and Welsh are more likely to accept a man wearing a kilt casually than the Scots are these days.


Scottish kilt makers keep telling us that the kilt has never been more popular, and that sales are up. I can only assume that there are thousands of kilts in Scotland that only ever get paroled from their wardrobe imprisonment when a wedding invitation is received. Maybe the Highlander Scots are keen to shake off the ‘Brigadoon’ image.


Perhaps someone like Highlander Daz (who lives in Inverness) would care to comment on this strange Scottish phenomenon.


Rob

I have to agree with Rob here, but I think highlander Daz has spoken on this before.
Oh BTW women here loooove the kilt! say no more.But they seem to hide it well !!!
Oh alright then, been chatted up by two women at my youngests nursery school, I went into interior design shop today to hunt down some tartan cloth.Three women were buzzing around me, I couldn't stay long, I'm not used to all the attention!
Also while in the shop fabric was shown to me from a swatch book, I must admit it felt a very authentic way to chose fabric,by number and not name.
Anyway enough from me all the best
Richard.