Quote Originally Posted by McClef View Post
Well, Rugby Internationals are certainly one of those exceptions and the "Tartan Army" are precisely that - wearers of tartan kilts.

It's the "special occasion" mentality which needs to be improved. Of course people should be allowed to wear what they want, and of course during the week many will be prevented from wearing what they would really like to wear because of work considerations.

But not everyone you see on the streets on a weekday is necessarily working and these have an opportunity to choose what they wear. Giving their kilts at least an occasional outing outside of special occasions would really help to raise the profile of kilts as well as the numbers.

Tourists have had their expectations raised by all the travel literature of kilts galore. They want to go home with photos of guys in kilts to show their friends and relatives who will of course ask why there are no such photos.

To illustrate - I have been to Canada twice and have been asked where the photos of the Mounties are on my return. I had to confess it's because I didn't see any. Well I did but in ordinary police uniforms which means that the colour and symbol was absent.

Clearly you can't expect ordinary Canadian citizens to make up for this shortfall by donning the Mountie uniform themselves. But I would contend that a little more kilt wearing in Edinburgh would help to make up the shortfall that you find. It's a sad reflection that when you do see someone wearing a kilt in weekaday Edinburgh it's likely to be a visitor.

And as I said before it's not just Edinburgh, the special occasions mentality is nationwide. It just seems more acute in Edinburgh because of its status as the capital city and biggest tourist destination in Scotland.
Hear! Hear! Trefor. Very well stated.

As a kilt wearer of over 57 years standing and a full-time kilt wearer for the past 8 years, I have frequently worn Utilikilts (and had them admired) in Edinburgh and other parts of Scotland. Admittedly, I opt for tartan more often than not nowadays, and regret so much that so few kilts are seen as everyday wear - especially in the capital.

Visitors want, and expect, to see this everyday garment as they travel around, which is evidenced by the number of occasions I have been, and am, asked to pose for their cameras! Had I charged £1 everytime I have been snapped, I am sure I could have paid for one, maybe two, new kilts by now!