Kilt Do's and Don'ts

[DWFII]

It occurs to me that the whole idea of fashion and tradition and the juxtaposition of them is a bit of a red herring.

As mentioned before fashion changes with the wind and seldom outlasts a generation. But beyond that (or maybe because of it) fashion is much more narrow and nuanced.

After all, a "little black dress" is still a little black dress no matter how short the hem. A doublet is still a doublet be it Sherrifmuir or Montrose. And a great honking hairy sporran is still a sporran.

The point is that fashion may dictate the shape of things but tradition dictates the thing itself. A great hairy sporran may no longer be in fashion but a sporran of some sort is literally de rigueur with a traditional kilt.

[DWFII]

...the vast majority of kilted locals are t-shirted. Will the latter fashion last long enough to become a tradition? I, for one, suspect that it will. In the US.

If and when it does, will those in the kilt-and-t-shirt culture have a right to tell those in the jacket-and-tie culture that they are not adhering to the "rules" of tradition?

I don't know...I don't think so. Part and parcel of tradition...and I guess you have to decide on a personal level whether to give it due deference or not...are the founding principles and the cultural context that beget tradition. And/or...whether there is a cultural context in the first place.

It might be instructive to consider the non-traditional kilt. On some level, at least for the distant observer, it is hard to make any connection between a non-trad kilt and the traditional dress of the Highlands and/or a deferential posture toward Scots history and ancestry.

Given that, I wonder...are non-traditional kilts fashion? What (where) are the cultural antecedents? Will they disappear from common or even uncommon usage over time? To this observer, there is no connection to tradition nor is there ever likely to be one if for no other reason than that it is very hard to discern any long lasting cultural association for the non-traditional kilt (maybe that's why we call it "non-traditional").

Again, I think this tends to zero in on the distinction between "fashion" and tradition.

For that same reason, T-shirts may be a fashion that has a long tenure...it remains to be seen...but, in general, T-shirts by themselves have no significance to anyone , and certainly not on a culture-wide level (some wear Nike , some wear Coke)--they are a cultural phenomenon but I doubt they are or ever will be a tradition associated with kilts.

But more importantly, for all the reasons given above, I don't think that this kind of "tradition" can spring up on foreign soil, so to speak. Again, there are no cultural antecedents and because of that it seems (to me at least) a little arrogant for those with tenuous (at best) connections to the "founding principles" to be trying to "teach their old granny to suck eggs."

Maybe a quick review of the kilt as a military uniform will bear me out. How has the kilt and the traditions of wearing it changed--in Canada, in the Colonies, in New Zealand, in Australia? Not much, if at all or so I am given to believe.

[Standard]

Enough talking, we need more pictures. I think we need to keep this the light hearted thread that it started out as IMHO.

[DWFII]

Enough talking, we need more pictures. I think we need to keep this the light hearted thread that it started out as IMHO.

Oh come on...the talking isn't preventing anyone from posting pictures.

That said...do be careful wi' tha sickle, lassie.

[kiltedwolfman]

Do's and don't's, rights and wrongs, fashion or faupa, tradition or habit; I think this thread has shown that all of these things are more an aspect of era then of need. Everything we think as right and proper was at one time, and likely will again some time, be considered maveric or inappropriate.
From a total personal perspective I treat my kilts as I believe they were originally intended, as regular everyday attire. I wear everything from T-shirts and sandals, to full on proper highland formal dress. To me kilts are a wonderful garment and being as such they, and thier wearers shouldn't feel overly burdened by convention.

mmm I can see the arrows being lit... ;) ( I love stirrin' the pot! )

[Jock Scot]

Oh come on...the talking isn't preventing anyone from posting pictures.

That said...do be careful wi' tha sickle, lassie.

I have never ever seen anybody dressed like that, in my fields!

[Highland Logan]

Do's and don't's, rights and wrongs, fashion or faupa, tradition or habit; I think this thread has shown that all of these things are more an aspect of era then of need. Everything we think as right and proper was at one time, and likely will again some time, be considered maveric or inappropriate.
From a total personal perspective I treat my kilts as I believe they were originally intended, as regular everyday attire. I wear everything from T-shirts and sandals, to full on proper highland formal dress. To me kilts are a wonderful garment and being as such they, and thier wearers shouldn't feel overly burdened by convention.

mmm I can see the arrows being lit... ;) ( I love stirrin' the pot! )

Good point. now I'm sure no one said that you couldn't wear a T-shirt.. I know I didn't. I wear T-shirts in the summer. Now you said "full on proper highland formal dress". Well that's full of right and wrong. You can wear a T-shirt with your pants (jeans), but at a formal event you would wear proper attire, "special pants" with the satin stripe down the side, patent-leather shoes, ect. You get the idea. There is a right way and worng way to wear everthing all based on the time and place, it doesn't matter whether you're in a kilt or pants.

Frank

[DWFII]

I have never ever seen anybody dressed like that, in my fields!

That's from a Victorian "diorama"--you know a stereoscopic slide. I cut off the other side which was for all intents and purposes, identical. It's called "Comin' through the Rye" and was probably purpose shot.

But he's a clan chieftain, no mistake and she's about to geld him. So watch who you're kissin' and where. Personally, I would at least make her drop the emasculator.

[Jock Scot]

That's from a Victorian "diorama"--you know a stereoscopic slide. I cut off the other side which was for all intents and purposes, identical. It's called "Comin' through the Rye" and was probably purpose shot.

But he's a clan chieftain, no mistake and she's about to geld him. So watch who you're kissin' and where. Personally, I would at least make her drop the emasculator.

The fellow has only one feather, which makes him an armiger(he has a Scottish coat of arms),a clan cheiftain has two feathers and a Clan Chief has three feathers.The feathers have also to be eagle feathers and the feather in the picture does not look like any eagle feather I have seen. As to the "emasculator",well, it would be far too close for my liking!

[DWFII]

The fellow has only one feather, which makes him an armiger(he has a Scottish coat of arms),a clan cheiftain has two feathers and a Clan Chief has three feathers.The feathers have also to be eagle feathers and the feather in the picture does not look like any eagle feather I have seen. As to the "emasculator",well, it would be far too close for my liking!

I didn't know that about the feathers...thanks...I was trying to be a bit tongue in cheek, though, that's why I said it was probably "purpose shot" (staged).

Maybe it's a turkey feather?