Mall question: Are You Scottish?

**kiltimabar** · 27th August 06, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by David Thornton

And this whole blue jean/cowboy thing is bull. Kilts ARE Scottish, everyone wears jeans.

David

Not everyone used to; at one time jeans were freighted with as much symbolism, myth, and image as kilts.

Once only worn by miners, cowboys, and other hardy workers, by the time of James Dean in the '50's they had acquired an image of toughness, individuality, independence--hence rebellion. Banned as school attire, they were not considered proper dress in social situations. They were denounced by the Communist Party in the Soviet Union as spawn of capitalist society(until the authorities had to give up and declare them symbolic of workers' struggle). Not until the protest generation of the '60's did they achieve the ubiquitousness they have today.

Not so different from the track kilts are on today, is it? We can declare victory when kilts are seen as not just a Scottish thing, as jeans are no longer seen as just cowboy attire.

**Blu (Ontario)** · 27th August 06, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by kiltimabar

... Not until the protest generation of the '60's did they achieve the ubiquitousness they have today. Not so different from the track kilts are on today, is it?

Is it?... I don't particularly see a kilts rebellion or protest going on anywhere.

.

**Barclay** · 27th August 06, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by Blu (Ontario)

Is it?... I don't particularly see a kilts rebellion or protest going on anywhere.

.

Except maybe the malls in Phoenix.

Originally Posted by David Thornton

I say lighten up and politely explain how you feel. Stop being so DAMN SENSITIVE. If you like a kilt, wear one, but stop all this boo hooing about someone elses view.

Aye. Well said.

Like it or not, there is an affiliation between kilts and Scotland in the minds of most people.

**macwilkin** · 27th August 06, 03:37 PM

We can declare victory when kilts are seen as not just a Scottish thing, as jeans are no longer seen as just cowboy attire.

Of course, there are those of us who wear the kilt because it is a "Scottish thing", and are proud of the history and tradition behind it.

Regards,

Todd

**An t-Ileach** · 27th August 06, 04:13 PM

Surely there were enough Scots who built America, and contributed to its culture (psalm singing, for example, or Gaelic in North Carolina) for the kilt to qualify as an American garb that was there before denim jeans were invented?

**Kilted KT** · 27th August 06, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by An t-Ileach

Surely there were enough Scots who built America, and contributed to its culture (psalm singing, for example, or Gaelic in North Carolina) for the kilt to qualify as an American garb that was there before denim jeans were invented?

I'd have to agree. While kilts have been around for a good long time, Jeans weren't worn for must else besides work until the last hundred years or so.

here is a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeans

**jfellrath** · 27th August 06, 07:15 PM

I get this question almost more than any other. Or, I'm also asked "are you Irish," and usually by people who are obviously trying to do one of two things:

Place my kilt-wearing into a portion of their brain that has been, through previous experience with kilts and such, conditioned for their understanding of my wearing it.
Show off that they know that kilts are Scottish (or show off that they "know" kilts are Irish - quotes are intentional).

I can usually pick out which they are by the look on their faces - if they look quizzical, it's #1. If they look smug, it's #2.

My answer to the asker is generally "yes, but I'd wear it even if I wasn't because it's so darned comfortable." If I get the "Irish" comment, I look at them strangely while I say "Well, kilts aren't Irish. I just wear this because I like it."

Perhaps it's a bit immature, but I really get a private kick out of deflating the egos of people who are smug about having bad information. For more on this, please see my sig. ;)

**keepoffgrass** · 27th August 06, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by cajunscot

Of course, there are those of us who wear the kilt because it is a "Scottish thing", and are proud of the history and tradition behind it.

Regards,

Todd

Yeah, I doubt I would have ever considered buying a kilt if not for my Scottish ancestry. I love my kilt and my heritage. I myself hope they dont ever become all to popular, or just another fad. If every other guy in town wore a kilt would this group be here? Or for those of us with Scottish ancestry, wear our kilts and say, "This is my heritage, I wear it proudly" if someone asks about it.

Face it, if you wear a kilt, it is something thats out of the "norm". People are going to look and ask questions. "Are you Scottish?" is going to be a common question thats asked. A kilt is a peice of ethnic clothing. Would you walk around in lederhosen and not expect someone to ask if you were German?

**ScottEPooh** · 27th August 06, 08:27 PM

Would you walk around in lederhosen and not expect someone to ask if you were German?[/QUOTE]

I do have a lot of German heritage, and I would NEVER walk around in lederhosen. Give me my kilt any day!!!

**Sindarius** · 27th August 06, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by keepoffgrass

Yeah, I doubt I would have ever considered buying a kilt if not for my Scottish ancestry. I love my kilt and my heritage. I myself hope they dont ever become all to popular, or just another fad. If every other guy in town wore a kilt would this group be here? Or for those of us with Scottish ancestry, wear our kilts and say, "This is my heritage, I wear it proudly" if someone asks about it.

I could not have said it better myself. I'm not trying to make a fashion statement and while I certainly enjoy the freedom of the kilt, it is not the reason I wear it. For me it all comes down to heritage.