MTV News

[Kilted KT]

It will probably be something like:

"men's kilts are being widely accepted across the country and experiencing a rebirth as the most comfortable form of casual clothing for men and teens"?

definitly, their target demographic - teenagers who are always at the forefront of what is "cool"..and have mom and dad's credit cards at their disposal or a job and no rent or car to pay for!!!

[pbpersson]

and have mom and dad's credit cards at their disposal or a job and no rent or car to pay for!!!

Ooooo...major kilt purchases!

[auld argonian]

Ooooo...major kilt purchases!

Yeah...but with all that disposable income they'll outdress us!

How leveling mortgage and car loan payments are!

Best

AA

[Rex_Tremende]

However, any such news articles can only serve to speed the acceptance of kilts. Most of the laughter when I'm at the mall I think comes from teenagers.

One of my early kilted experiences was also at the mall. A teenaged girl sashayed up to me out of her group of cohorts, which included several young men, to say into my ear, “I like your look.” Since then, I've had many young people compliment me. Whenever I sense I'm around pimply-faced snickerers, I say to myself: I'm older than you, I make more money than you, I can do whatever I dern-well please.

By and large, though, I have a great deal of confidence in the future generations. MTV helps in its oblique sort of way.

Regards,
Rex in Cincinnati.

[macwilkin]

She's looking to cover kilts from the "widely accepted" and "rebirth" kind of angle... not so much the clan affiliation angle.

That's too bad, in my opinion. My students generally accept the kilt because I discuss my Scottish heritage and the concept of the "clan tartan". I once had a student make a snide remark in the hall when I was wearing my kilt at work -- I stopped and explained the "heritage aspect" of the kilt and he apologized for "insulting my family" -- his words, not mine.

They wouldn't have to do a documentary, obviously...but perhaps if they mentioned stars like Kiefer Sutherland, Ewan MacGregor, etc. who wear a kilt as a symbol of their Scottish heritage.

Regards,

Todd

[beloitpiper]

I'm 19 and I try to spread the Kilted Gospel as much as I can, but I think MTV.com may do it some harm. Although I would love to have more kilted compatriots to gallivant around with, I'm not sure making kilts the next hot trend is in my best interest.

I dunno, I just see some really ugly kits surfacing in my generation's future...

[NewKilt]

That's excellent news, Rocky. Perhaps kilt wearing is/will spread faster than I've been thinking. I keep forgetting just how connected the world is today, with TV, the internet, cellphones capable of sending and receiving pictures. Trends can change rather quickly.

Darrell

[Ugly Bear]

MTV usually causes things to become insanely popular at an insanely fast pace thus causing a backlash.

Interesting. What things did MTV cause to become popular, and thus caused backlashes? Aside from musical groups, that is.

[RockyR]

[quote/cajunscot]That's too bad, in my opinion. My students generally accept the kilt because I discuss my Scottish heritage and the concept of the "clan tartan". [/quote]

While I (as a tartan kilt maker) would LOVE for the kilt to be most widely known for it's clan affiliations and Scottish Heritage, if you want the kilt to be "widely accepted", then it has to go BEYOND that. It has to appeal to people OTHER than just those of us with celtic blood.

[macwilkin]

While I (as a tartan kilt maker) would LOVE for the kilt to be most widely known for it's clan affiliations and Scottish Heritage, if you want the kilt to be "widely accepted", then it has to go BEYOND that. It has to appeal to people OTHER than just those of us with celtic blood.

With all due respect, Rocky: why do you have to go "beyond it", though? Why must history and tradition be ignored and sacrificed for something to be "accepted"?

My point was, that my students at our community college accept the kilt as a heritage symbol and it's history. After talking to some, they express interest in their own heritage. A few have even asked me about "non-Scottish" tartans if they have no Scottish blood. The very fact that tartans are being designed for Italians, Swiss, Norwegians, Germans, Chinese give the tartan kilt that appeal to others that you mentioned. It's been my experience that students will love history if you make it interesting and something they can relate to; I'm all for telling them about the modern trend in kilts, but they could have also dropped a name like Ewan MacGregor, showed a picture of him traditionally decked out, and talked about his kilt symbolizing his family. That would have worked.

I don't want the kilt to be "widely accepted" just for for the sake of being accepted. The kilt isn't for everyone, and that's all right. In my experience, most folks I talk to accept the kilt once I explain what I mentioned above.

To me, a discussion of kilts without some discussion of its roots is wasted. But, I'm a history teacher, and I hate to see history ignored. You have to know where you came from to get where you're going.

Please don't get me wrong, though: I'm happy that you are getting some exposure, though. That's good.

Regards,

Todd