Kilts in Scotland.

[Frank McGrath]

A couple weeks ago there was a discussion about using bottle openers as Sgain Don'ts. One, very knowing x'er emailed me a picture of a cast bottle opener that could be worked into a woden handle. Well, I have lost that information, and would really appreciate if he could post it back on the thread. thanks. Frank

[Rab Gordon]

Might have been mine, I sell these online, link


Hot drop-forged bottle opener


Cast bottle opener

If any Xmarkers here would like a few then contact me for a discount

Regards,
Rab

Sgian Dubhs

[Rab Gordon]

To steer this thread back to topic of Kilt wearing here in Scotland...
A few weeks back, when I took Tono (from Spain) for a few beers in the local pubs we were both kilted and it was interesting that the people who knew me asked what the occassion was, assuming that I was on the way to or from some social event.
People who did'nt know me just assumed that I was a tourist
I don't think twice about going to a ceilidh, Burns supper, wedding, games, etc. in my kilt and would expect to see plenty of locals wearing the kilt. I'd also often take my kilt on holiday or 'walkabout'. But it is relatively unusual but still perfectly ok to wear it day to day.

Rab

[Robin]

I've seen 4 casual kiltwearers during my vacation...

-1 at the British Open.
-P1M
-A gentleman in Inverness
-C152T

That's it :rolleyes:

[Frank McGrath]

I just got my copy of Peterson's 4 Wheel and Off road in the mail. I always look at the pictures on the back page first. Lo and behold, a picture of a caber coming down on top of a Toyota pickup and breaking in half. The thrower and his buddies are standing in amazement. But, they are Kilted!

[freddie]

A few years ago while visiting relatives in Edinburgh (who knew I was into kilt wearing) they offered to take us out to dinner, but did ask "You're not going to embarrass us by wearing a kilt are you?". Unfortunately I think this is a general view in Scotland. Michael MacDonald said in his book 'Scots Kith and Kin' "In the Highlands the kilt is mostly worn by tourists, so if you're lucky enough to see one, it may not be 'at home'. Of course it is widely worn at special functions such as weddings and dances, as it should be. I think the notion that everyone in Scotland wears the kilt is the same as someone from Scotland going to America and expecting everyone to be wearing cowboy gear. Although I've seen far more Americans wearing stetsons at home than Scots wearing kilts !

[Captain]

[START RANT]

The problems that arise really are attributable with the attrophy of western society's ability to dress well regardless of circumstances. I work for an outfit that employs seventeen thousand people in this area. Incredibly, a significant percentage of workers have NO clue how to dress for work. People seem to think it is perfectly appropriate to dress for work the same way they do for gardening! Wrinkled, unkempt clothes, poorly matched, unbuttoned and untucked in clashing colors and patterns are far too common.

Look. Work isn't an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog. Don't wear sandals, ratty-assed jeans, a wife beater and an unbuttoned garrish "dress" shirt and think you're dressed for work. A sporty-utility-kilt isn't appropriate for a professional environment. Sorry. It just doesn't work.

[END RANT]

I hate to break it to ya, but a billionaire from your great state is one of the reasons Americans feel they don't have to dress up... and I gotta say I agree with them... Steve Jobs, the public face of Apple Computing wears, almost without fail, a black turtleneck/mock turtleneck, ratty jeans, and old athletic shoes to every press conference he's ever seen at. If he can get away with such casual dress and make billions (as do his workers)... why should I have to dress up to make a small fraction of what he makes?

The world's changing and what's acceptable as work wear is changing... Less and less focus is given to what we wear, versus what we produce. I for one am glad that my neck is now no longer held prisoner by a tie... and that if I want to help minimize my gut by not tucking in my shirt, then I'm free to do that. On top of all that, if I get to look individual instead of just another one of the sheeple in my matching suit... BONUS!

This is, of course, just another man's opinion, but I feel wholeheartedly my Utilikilt should be more than acceptable at work (which is a professional job)... they let in those wearing flip-flops, t-shirts, etc so why not a casual kilt?