Wearing your kilt to other cultural events

[Kid Cossack]

I wear a kilt pretty much all the time, and I've been to an Oktoberfest, a couple of Greek festivals and a Polish festival kilted. Everyone seemed to like it, although one Greek fellow ribbed me about the funny looking fustanella I was wearing!

I think that, at cultural events particularly, people are in a "let's celebrate our unique little slice of humanity" mood to begin with, and thus probably more receptive to the kilt than they'd otherwise be.

As to not disrespecting the culture being celebrated, I don't think the kilt has any more to do with it than, say, shoes or a shirt. For a formal event, I'd avoid a t-shirt and flip flops, but I'd wear a polo shirt and Keen sandals (modern ghillies).

If anyone was offended, I'd explain that this is how I dress, and that I came to the event to celebrate their culture (and score some good food and wine or beer!), and that I meant no offense.

I had a conversation like that at a BBQ joint with two very large, very tough looking black dudes. They were plenty surprised to see a fellow sporting tartan there, but while we waited in line we had a really good conversation about comfort, heritage, what people thought, and how much chicks dig on the kilt.

I was the only white face in the room, I got a lot of attention, and everyone pretty much liked the kilt.

In the end, the kilt is just a kilt, it's just a few yards of cloth wrapped around you. If a man in a kilt is a man and a half, then a jerk in a kilt is a jerk and a half, and a good guy, a good guy and a half. What you do with that extra self confidence, and that extra attention, the kilt gives you is up to you.

Use your powers for good, brothers!

[macwilkin]

I've worn a kilt to a joint Midsummer/Midsommar celebration that our local Scottish and Scandinavian Societies had last june; there were folks there dressed in traditional Norwegian and Swedish costumes, and everyone loved the kilts -- we even brought our piper along and he played as everyone danced around the Maypole in the front yard of the Lutheran church.

During the program, I discussed the close ties between Scotland, Norway and Sweden, and brought along my Norwegian tartan tie to show off (thanks to Freelander!) -- several folks inquired as to how they could order material.

Our Scottish society has also held a "Nova Scotia night", where my MIL discussed the connections betweens the Scots and the Cajuns. One year we invited a local Sikh psychologist to discuss the long relationship between the Sikhs and the Scots, especially the Singh tartan and Lord Singh's love of Robert Burns.

Bottom line: of course it's appropriate. Just quote Burns's "A Man's a Man for a' that" to anyone who objects, or tell them the auld Scottish saying:

"We're a' Jock Tamson's Bairns -- who's Jock Tamson? Well, he's God."

Regards,

Todd