kilts in Edinburgh

[ozone]

Phil, good point about the yankee doodle dandies. But, you have to admit: New York is full of New Yorkers....who are an interesting stereotype all by themselves. So, in a way, we do have people parading around in some of our big cities on this side of the pond who very well fit the stereotypes that Europeans have of Americans. OK, let the flaming begin on that comment :-)

Perhaps we Americans just long for Disneyland-type places wherever we go and that's why you are seeing messages posted that are pining for more people in kilts. Well, we tourists will just have to visit Edinburgh in kilts more often to create our own self-fulfilling prophecy.

[McClef]

The whole premise of this thread seems to be that Edinburgh folk should parade about the streets in kilts to please the tourists as if the place was one big theme park. What it is is the second largest financial centre in Britain, the capital city and the seat of Scotland's elected government. We don't see women in funny hats and shawls parading around Cardiff or dressed up as leprechauns in Dublin. When did you last see crowds of Yankee Doodle Dandies in New York. Sorry for the rant but a modicum of common sense is needed here.

It's a bit of a reductio ad absurdam summary of the discussions Phil.

Edinburgh isn't "Scotlandland" and it is all of what you say above.

But is does sell itself as several things, one of which is things tartan and it does have the highest concentration of shops selling things tartan that I know. I haven't seen anyone suggest some form of enforced kilt wearing on the populace but I have pointed out the deficit between expectation and reality and I was also careful to point out that the problem is not limited merely to Edinburgh.

Of course common sense is needed, nobody has implied otherwise, but those of us who regularly visit in our kilts and who keep on getting asked for our photos cannot but wonder if it is being applied.

When I visited Philadelphia for example, I saw many people dressed in 18th century costume which was not only interesting but brought back the history of that period, it does not turn Philly into a theme park but it certainly adds to the visiting experience. Is it too much to expect that the appropriate authorities in Auld Reekie could organise something similar?

There are large differences between Edinburgh, Cardiff and Dublin. Cardiff was a village until the middle of the 19th century and the little old ladies with their shawls and pointed hats were to be found in Welsh-speaking areas of the North and West. It has only been the Capital of Wales for 100 years. Leprechauns are mythical, but Dublin was the English stronghold in Ireland for centuries, surrounded by a small area known as The Pale. Edinburgh on the other hand has been the Capital of Scotland for centuries.

Perhaps we Americans just long for Disneyland-type places wherever we go and that's why you are seeing messages posted that are pining for more people in kilts. Well, we tourists will just have to visit Edinburgh in kilts more often to create our own self-fulfilling prophecy.

It's not just Americans, I have posed for pictures with many people from Eastern Europe, the Far East and Japan. I have met kilted people from several countries such as France, Switzerland and Germany. In fact when I see someone in a kilt in Edinburgh I tend to assume that they are visiting.

Yes, there has to be a common sense solution somwhere.

[Phil]

I will make an effort to wear a kilt whenever I can but I know the majority of fellow Edinburghers (if that's what you call them) will continue as they are, wearing trousers/pants(pardon the offensive language here) if for no other reason than their place of work will require them to. They all have dress codes and while it may feel good to rebel it doesn't usually enhance your promotion prospects. Yes there is prejudice against kilts in many workplaces even here in Scotland in the same way there is against jeans and trainers too. We live in a society where one is very much judged on appearances still. I have now reached an age where I can proffer two fingers to such constraints whether that is fortunate or not I don't know but I do know there are many reasons preventing younger people wearing kilts on a day to day basis from peer pressure through to financial and career pressures.
Remember too that kilt-wearing was never the norm in Edinburgh or other large towns and at one time kilt wearing highlanders (teuchters) were regarded as country bumpkins and not to be emulated by polite society. Glasgow was more exposed to highlanders migrating to the city but even they quickly lost the kilt habit once there. Nowadays it has become popular and regarded as a symbol of national patriotism.

[McClef]

Of course there are many work situations which prohibit kilt wearing and that's far from unique to Edinburgh or even to Scotland.

But like all towns and cities there are many people not at work at any given time and they are in any case free to decide what they wish to wear in their leisure hours. The trends and fashions they then adopt cannot be put down to work however but factors such as peer pressure then come into play, especially amongst the young. One can see the same "uniform" all over.

Yes indeed kilt wearing was viewed by Lowlanders as a Highland thing and the prohibition of the kilt touched them little if at all. That didn't begin to change until the visit of George IV to Edinburgh when he set the fashion by wearing a kilt (albeit with flesh coloured stockings) and later by Queen Victoria's espousal of things tartan. But it still wasn't seen as everyday attire and still isn't whether it's in Inverness or Dumfries (with honourable exceptions of course!)

So changing the culture a little on that point is I agree, a challenge. Hopefully where Edinburgh leads the rest of Scotland might follow.