Old Punks Young Punks

**Keith A** · 29th June 07, 10:17 PM

Im Sitting Here At Work Its About 0100 Hrs Iv Got 3 More Hrs To Go. I Was Thinking Over The Past Few Months Iv Read Alot Of Post From Brothers How Are Old Punks And Young Punks. So I Was Thinking How Many Of You Are Out There Who Are Wearing Kilts, And Did Growing Up A Punk Have Any Bearing On You Wearing A Kilt Now. North Jersey Hardcore Rules.

**Beertigger** · 29th June 07, 11:41 PM

NYHC.

What's w/ the Initial Caps? That's Awfully Hard To Read.

**Casper** · 30th June 07, 01:00 AM

I'm 28, grew up as bit of a little homeboy in high school, followed by a bit of a rocker in my early 20's, then settled into country/rock/celtic in my late 20's.

**Clockwork John** · 30th June 07, 01:48 AM

I'm a punk, and I wear a kilt, but I'm not sure the two have anything to do with each other... being a punk opened my mind to "non-traditional" fashion, and in America, a kilt is definitely non-traditional... I wear what I want, when I want... maybe "growing up punk" gave me the confidence and attitude required to wear a kilt on a day-to-day basis, with no particular reason for it, other than that I want to wear it... but I wear it because I'm a Scot and I'm proud, not because it's "rebellious" or "unconventional."

**Arlen** · 30th June 07, 01:57 AM

Well, I grew up listening to everying from Glen Campbell and Gaberlunzie to The sex pistols, s&tb, Janis Joplin to Klf to Sepultura to Ella Fitzgerald and Blosom Dearie.
The list goes on and on and my musical tastes vary widely.
Here in Scotland the punks tended to be more concerned with Tartan trousers than Kilts.
I think it was more that I grew up in Scotland and that I had an interest in my heritage and culture.
But I can see how having a more varied view of fashion in other countries could help lead one into kilt wearing.

**MacHummel** · 30th June 07, 06:35 AM

I grew up a punk and still remain one at heart I work at a highschool when I am wearing kilts I find the punk kids make no real reaction to me but if I wear a Minor Threat shirt on dress down day with my denim kilt the kids usally ask about my shirt like "you know who they are?" , By the way keith A you have it wrong its Niagara Falls Hardcore rules

**KiltedCelt** · 30th June 07, 07:13 AM

I grew up in the 80's Baltimore/Washington
Hardcore Punk Scene so I guess that makes me an "Old Punk"! You had to have a lot of self confidence not to mention guts to dress punk in those days! Baltimore was and is a very conseritive town and we regularly had trash,bottles,you name it thrown at us fom cars and townhouse windows etc. I was once narrowly missed by a metal trash can thrown from a pedestrian overpass! The cops would harass you for no other reason then the way you were dressed! Not to mention the in fighting between the "Punks" and the White Power/Nazi Skin Heads that was tanamont to a gang war at times. So while theres not a direct link ( didn't wear one back then) to my kilt wearing to day. My past has made the occational joke or rude comment(very few and far between I might add)a breaze to deal with in comparision and has made it very easy for me to wear the kilt in public.

Cheers,

Mike

**Riverkilt** · 30th June 07, 08:17 AM

Having worked in and volunteered in prisons for over seven years I still have trouble thinking of the word punk as applying to anything other than what it means behind bars. (if you're confused you can look it up yourself)

As a youth, I was much more sneaky, hid behind the norm and came out for raids and sabotage rather than openly wearing the uniform of a troublemaker...so the question doesn't apply to me...I don't think.

I can say that it still amazes me how many compliments I get on my kilts from young men affecting the punk look (in non-prison terms).

And, I've even had one youngster, openly smoking pot at a highland games while wearing his black Utilikilt workman's, snub me when I went up to him in my black Utilikilt workman's and said something like hey, we're wearing the same kilt.

Guess it ruined his day, trying to be so defiant and here's an olde fat man wearing his same defiant looking kilt...

Trust me, they NEED to find a better word to describe their look/movement/culture than punk....

Ron

**KiltedCelt** · 30th June 07, 10:00 AM

In most good dictionarys you'll find one of the def. of 'Punk'is "useless worthless person". That is the meaning and useage in regards to the Punk movements of the 70's and 80's.Like many words it has more the one meaning depending on where you are and who you are talking to ...ask for a fag in downtown London and most likly you'll be given a cigarette ask the same in downtown. N.Y. City and any number of things might happen but none of them will involve cigarettes!

Cheers,

Mike

**Riverkilt** · 30th June 07, 12:16 PM

Aye Mike,

Suppose since were near the edge...in prison a "punk" is a convict who is "available." They often advertise their availability by wearing their jeans slung low in back like a plumber working under the sink.

But once assigning the meaning of the word punk intended by the original post my guess is that a lot of us olde folk like the punk look of the Black UK because we didn't get a chance to go that route when we were young...okay, speaking for myself...but hey, if I'd lived the punk life as a kid I'd probably not have the income I do now to feed my kilt addiction...

Ron