no kilts in Scotland?

[James Martin]

Just received this from a friend in Scotland:

"I suspect those comments* are more representative of the position twenty years ago, but the kilt is very much alive and well in Scotland today. For example, the other week I was in the supermarket in Perth and all three of the men shopping in one aisle were wearing the kilt - the fact that it was the booze
aisle was mere happenstance "

So there is hope for a kilted future -- even north of the border!

* about the disappearance of kilts in the homeland.

[RockyR]

Kelly and I just got back from Scotland. We toured the Highlands as WELL as hitting "touristy" cities like Glasgow and "Eddinburra". We saw a few more kilts than we did here, but it wasn't the "standard male outfit" by a far cry.

[Graham]

Welcome back Rocky, I want to hear all the news when you can.

I only saw kilts on pipers, but James, it great to hear of some wearing them casually.

now the question Rocky....did you wear the kilt at all there? Did you drum up any sales?
another post perhaps, sorry to get OT James.

[MacMullen]

We talked to a girl at the local fabric store here who had just returned from living in Scotland for the summer. She said, "I didn't think that people really wore kilts there, but, when I got there, I saw people walking around in kilts all the time!"

I think she said that she had lived in Edinburgh.

[Colin]

I always laugh when people in the US tell me there are no kilts in Scotland. The first 3 people (and probably most influencial outside of this board on my kilt wearing) that I ever saw wearing kilts as day to day clothing were in Glasgow, Oban, and Inverness. This was in 1999 and I still remember their non issue and lack of a need for justification with their clothing choices. I have seen kilts in formal wear my entire life, and I still see at least one kilt every few weeks (I am away from Vancouver centre), but those were the first casual kilt wearers I met.

We are not as ground breaking as we think we are in the colonies.

[chacbalam]

KILT, n. A costume sometimes worn by Scotchmen in America and Americans in Scotland. (Ambrose Bierce's Devil's Dictionary)

While I don't agree with this deffinition, especially the "costume" part. I do wonder how prevalent kilt wearing actually is in Scotland. I have always heard that for most people a kilt is hired when needed for a special event, but other than that, kilts are not very common. I know that inexpensive "sport kilts" are becoming more common at certain football games and the like.

If I wore one of my Gordon kilts in Scottland would I stick out as an American tourist or would I be accepted? What about a non-traditional Kilt such as Freedom kilts or a UK.

[cessna152towser]

Kilt wearing is rather patchy. I'd say if you wore a bright tartan kilt, Chacbalam, here in the Scottish Borders you'd stand out as a tourist, though a dark tartan such as black watch or an all black kilt would be more commonplace (I've been out wearing a black kilt on Sunday and again today). However there are a few pockets of Scotland where happily, tartan kilts are more widely worn, Perth and Inverness both spring to mind.

[Kilted Taper]

What about a non-traditional Kilt such as Freedom kilts or a UK.

My brother-in-law recently returned from a trip to Scotland with his parents. He wore a UK one day in Edinburgh. Said it was like walking around here in the states. Lots of confused looks...folks not quite sure to make of it. But he felt very comfortable walking around.

[Colin]

This might be a bold statement, but given the number of people in North America versus the number of people in Scotland. I would be willing to bet there are still more kilt wearers in Scotland than in North American based on population. Yes North America is a diverse country, but so is Scotland now. Of course I am not talking about actually numbers, but percentage.

We all get engulfed in the fact that the membership at xmarks grows, so the number of kilt wearers is growing. We have to remember that alot of people were wearing kilts before they found this forum, and that some did in fact start after finding the forum. However with a population in the millions, we at this site are still only 1100 members strong (at the time of this message), joined by the unknown number of people that wear their knilts but don't join online discussion forums.

[cessna152towser]

I attended a committee meeting in our local high school last night (not kilted) and was surprised by the impressive range of photos of school events all around the entrance hall, covering school dances, parents nights, prizegivings etc. as in the majority of the photos pupils and teachers appear kilted yet I have never seen any of these people walking around kilted in our local streets. However it can only be a good sign that young Scots people are getting brought up to wear kilts even if only in the privacy of their own school.