kilts in Scotland

[Darkislander]

Can't really add much to the above. There was a time when we went to war in them, socialised in them as every day wear. It now has become formal attire.

[Rex_Tremende]

The ones who don't wear kilts regularly are probably exactly the ones who would object.

So then all of us who choose not to wear our kilts everyday are "tossing aside" the kilt?

That's odd. When I read the first statement, I didn't think of Todds, I thought of wedding parties, rugby fans, and kilt police whose kilts haven't fit for the last 20 years.

Regards,
Rex.

[Chef]

Good; then they can't complain when others take up what they have tossed aside.

I remember St Francis of Assisi once predicted in the thirteenth cent. ; " the evil day will eventually come when priests & nuns will cast aside their Habit with contempt and dress as the Worldling..but then the Worlding will take up the Habit and hold it in reverence until the darkness passes".
Maybe the same could apply to the Kilt? (Prediction of "St." William Wallace???)

<>

Sorry Stan, I've got to call you on that, and as a Scot, personally I find it rather insulting. The fact that kilts are not common for day to day wear does not mean that Scotland is tossing it aside.

Let's look at what we are dealing with, a proper modern kilt is an expensive proposition it always has been. Until fairly recently factory kilts were not available (many don't think they are kilts anyway but that is a different argument). Given the economy of Scotland over the century and the fact that the majority of Scots were common working folk is it any wonder that such a garment would be kept for special occasions. Should they have worn them into the coal pits or the shipyards. Would it have made sense to milk the cows in them?

You also had 10 years of rationing in the UK, during and after the War, which included clothing. Wool was rationed because of the need for uniforms. But even today, why would a rational frugal working Scot get dressed in an expensive kilt to go to work? To please some tourist's idea of a Scotsman?

Of course there are some Scots who wear the kilt regularly and a few who are kilted primarily but lets face it as much as we love kilts they are NOT the most practical garment for a lot of work. If they were women wouldn't wear pants.

When I think about this what amazes me is not that so few Scots wear the kilt regularly, but how many feel that it is an important part of life's special occasions in Scotland or to show your national pride. My Grandfathers owned kilts as did many of their peers, but they worked in coal mines and saved a pretty penny to get them. That's not tossing aside, that's holding on with great reverence an respect. It would have been to easy for the kilt to disappear from Scotland during difficult times but it didn't.

So maybe when you hear complaints from Scots who think it's wrong for someone who isn't Scottish to wear the kilt you will understand where they come from. For you it's a piece of clothing but for many Scots (whether they wear it regularly or not) the kilt symbolises much more.

</>

[bjproc]

I wear one maybe a couple of times a week. I rarely see anyone else wearing one unless there is a rugby match on.

i don't have a kilt, but theres only a couple of guys i've seen here that wears one from time to time


@ Chef

very well put.

[ozone]

from: www.macgregorandmacduff.co.uk
Kid's Kilt Hire Package £45.00 - View >
Prince Charlie Hire Package £49.00 - View >
Argyll Hire Package £49.00 - View >
Ghillie Shirt Hire Package £69.00 - View >
Glen Orchy Tweed Hire Package £79.00 - View >
Glen Orchy Black Kilt Hire PackageImage Spacer £79.00 - View >

Looks like, at current exchange rates ($1.97295 to the pound), kilt hire is rather expensive in GB as well. Surprisingly, the rates for what we may consider a "traditional" kilt package seem to be comparable to the USA.

As far as kilt-wearing Scottish people go, I saw more kilties in one day in Portland, Oregon than I saw in 2 weeks in Scotland when visiting in 2003.

[Dhuni]

Chef's last post got me thinking.
I've only got a few posts on here; but I have been wearing a kilt for over 40 years and have loads of people back in Scotland. When I see these posts from folks that have dozens of kilts I'm amazed!
Unless they're a piper, working at a clothing store,tourist shop or as a distillery guide, most people I know back in Scotland usually get a kilt for their wedding and have to make it last the remainder of their life.
I met one of the old Fraser brothers from Moniack many years ago and his nickname was Scraps; a reference to the state of his well worn kilt!
And he lived in a Castle!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

BANG ON THE MARK CHEF! You've nailed it. Kilts, real, proper kilts, are something special to a Scot. As for the quasi-kilt... well, it's just so much "look at me" counter-cultural clothing.

I don't see the Nisai Japanese inventing utili-kimonos, or sport-kimonos. Perhaps they have more respect for the special things in their culture than do our own people born upon foreign shores.

Like Chef I'm a kilt snob and proud of it.

[sharpdressedscot]

<>

Sorry Stan, I've got to call you on that, and as a Scot, personally I find it rather insulting. The fact that kilts are not common for day to day wear does not mean that Scotland is tossing it aside.

Let's look at what we are dealing with, a proper modern kilt is an expensive proposition it always has been. Until fairly recently factory kilts were not available (many don't think they are kilts anyway but that is a different argument). Given the economy of Scotland over the century and the fact that the majority of Scots were common working folk is it any wonder that such a garment would be kept for special occasions. Should they have worn them into the coal pits or the shipyards. Would it have made sense to milk the cows in them?

You also had 10 years of rationing in the UK, during and after the War, which included clothing. Wool was rationed because of the need for uniforms. But even today, why would a rational frugal working Scot get dressed in an expensive kilt to go to work? To please some tourist's idea of a Scotsman?

Of course there are some Scots who wear the kilt regularly and a few who are kilted primarily but lets face it as much as we love kilts they are NOT the most practical garment for a lot of work. If they were women wouldn't wear pants.

When I think about this what amazes me is not that so few Scots wear the kilt regularly, but how many feel that it is an important part of life's special occasions in Scotland or to show your national pride. My Grandfathers owned kilts as did many of their peers, but they worked in coal mines and saved a pretty penny to get them. That's not tossing aside, that's holding on with great reverence an respect. It would have been to easy for the kilt to disappear from Scotland during difficult times but it didn't.

So maybe when you hear complaints from Scots who think it's wrong for someone who isn't Scottish to wear the kilt you will understand where they come from. For you it's a piece of clothing but for many Scots (whether they wear it regularly or not) the kilt symbolises much more.

</>

I agree on most of your post, and I understand it's a symbol of pride and heritage, but technically it is a garment. but I guess it holds more meaning to the people that hold the heritage, yet it may mean very much to the people that aren't even Scottish. I think everyone is Scottish at heart.

[TheSp8]

While stationed in Germany we made 2 trips to Scotland. We saw guys wear kilts each time. Most looked to be for special events since they were wearing PCs. There was a parade and some event going on in Edinburgh that some that were just there to watch were wearing their kilts. Still sounds like a special event to me. The 2nd trip I was kilted the whole time, either in a UK or a tartan kilt. The only comments I got were nice kilt, I belong to (clan name), or a whistle. Never got a negative comment.

Converting Pounds to Dollars for a comparison is not very accurate. We would just use Pounds as Dollars when comparing things. We fed the three of us a very nice meal on the 1st trip for around 55 Pounds. Our thinking was that an equivilant meal in the states would be about the same in dollars. Of course, when you convert it jumped to $110 for the meal. If you get paid and spend everything in Pounds then the cost works out about the same.

YMOS,
Tony

[arrogcow]

BANG ON THE MARK CHEF! You've nailed it. Kilts, real, proper kilts, are something special to a Scot. As for the quasi-kilt... well, it's just so much "look at me" counter-cultural clothing.

I don't see the Nisai Japanese inventing utili-kimonos, or sport-kimonos. Perhaps they have more respect for the special things in their culture than do our own people born upon foreign shores.

Like Chef I'm a kilt snob and proud of it.

I appreciate that you don't like contemporary kilts, but ascribing motives to those of us that wear them (and i wear traditional kilts as well) has no place on this forum.

Adam