Kilt Do's and Don'ts

[DWFII]

A comment..apropos of nothing specifically but maybe worth considering...

For non-traditional kilt wearers "Do's and Don'ts'' are almost meaningless. That's not too surprising when you consider that a "non-traditional" kilt can be anything from a mid-thigh scrap of tartan to a wrap of leather billets.

If you wear the kilt to honour traditions and ancestry and so forth, then by its very nature you're going to be constrained by "rules" and expectations. Most who wear the kilt for these reasons, willingly...even joyously...embrace those traditions and those rules.

As a thread, "Do's and Don'ts" only makes sense if there is a standard of "appropriateness" that is recognized and accepted as the founding principle.

[ThistleDown]

A comment..apropos of nothing specifically but maybe worth considering...

For non-traditional kilt wearers "Do's and Don'ts'' are almost meaningless. That's not too surprising when you consider that a "non-traditional" kilt can be anything from a mid-thigh scrap of tartan to a wrap of leather billets.

If you wear the kilt to honour traditions and ancestry and so forth, then by its very nature you're going to be constrained by "rules" and expectations. Most who wear the kilt for these reasons, willingly...even joyously...embrace those traditions and those rules.

As a thread, "Do's and Don'ts" only makes sense if there is a standard of "appropriateness" that is recognized and accepted as the founding principle.

"Appropriate" being different from "rules"? Therefore allowing for "fashion"? For example, it was formerly fashionable in Scotland to wear a straight black tie with a PC in an approporiate daytime setting (as a morning suit, in other words). Today the wearing of a PC during the day is out of fashion.

Second example. It was formerly fashionable in Scotland (i.e., in an otherwise traditional context) to wear a cravat as a less fussy alternative to the jabot when a Montrose jacket was worn during the day. Again as a morning suit. Today an ornate version in colours to match the kilt is being worn in place of a bow tie with a wing-collared shirt and the PC in the evening. That's fashion.

Another? Buckled shoes with evening wear were formerly fashionable in Scotland. Today they are out of fashion.

So is "dos and don'ts" really personal "likes and dislikes"?

[Highland Logan]

"Appropriate" being different from "rules"? Therefore allowing for "fashion"? For example, it was formerly fashionable in Scotland to wear a straight black tie with a PC in an approporiate daytime setting (as a morning suit, in other words). Today the wearing of a PC during the day is out of fashion.

Second example. It was formerly fashionable in Scotland (i.e., in an otherwise traditional context) to wear a cravat as a less fussy alternative to the jabot when a Montrose jacket was worn during the day. Again as a morning suit. Today an ornate version in colours to match the kilt is being worn in place of a bow tie with a wing-collared shirt and the PC in the evening. That's fashion.

Another? Buckled shoes with evening wear were formerly fashionable in Scotland. Today they are out of fashion.

So is "dos and don'ts" really personal "likes and dislikes"?

ThistleDown you have made DWFII's point for him. What you discribe are trends, not traditional or proper dress protocol. It was a trend to wear tennis shoes with a tux in the 80's.. it was not proper evening attire, it was a trend and it went away. There are all kinds of reasons why people dress poorly; they didn't know any better (ignorance can be an excuse for only so long; educate yourself and ask questions), they don't have the money (if you can't dess to go to a formal ball, maybe you shouldn't go), and the famous "I like it like this", which really boils down to a cover story for the last 2 and a possibe mix of selfish behaviour to do what ever one feels like.

Frank