If you're gonna do it, do it right!

[Jock Scot]

Jock - is that a flask peaking out of the left pocket on the argyll?

Brian

Brian and Robert. Now really, would a gentleman have his flask on show? Sticking out of his pocket? No, perish the thought! Now, if you are thinking about MY left hand pocket of my argyll then you are seeing three antler buttons on the pocket flap -------the right hand pocket flap has slipped out of view inside the pocket itself. Sorry. I must get my photographer to check that I have things "ship shape and Bristol fashion" next time I stagger back to the yard after a longish stroll.

[GreenDragon]

"Why did he dress like that?" He asked in Japanese.

"Because he's Canadian," was the reply from my co-worker.

I say "huh?"

[ziggy]

I say "huh?"

haha, too bad that wouldn't workin in canada :P (because I am canadian)

[NewGuise]

This might henceforth be my standard response to anyone who questions my kilt wearing: I am Canadian. Leave them trying to remember what "Joe the Canadian" in the infamous Molson's commercials was actually wearing...

[http://www.coolcanuckaward.ca/joe_canadian.htm]

[GMan]

My guess, is that you were the most comfortable one in attendance.

[CDNSushi]

haha, too bad that wouldn't workin in canada :P (because I am canadian)

Why wouldn't it? Never having been to Scotland, I can't say this for certain, but it seems to me, based on what others have said that kilt-wearing in Scotland isn't all that common nowadays.

As such, I would venture to say that Canadians wear the kilt as much as anyone, and so do Americans. By saying that "Canadians also wear kilts" doesn't imply that every Canadian owns one and every Canadian does, but rather, that it's commonplace.

Growing up, (born and raised in Southern Alberta) I can't say that kilts weren't commonplace. They were. Usually it was special occasions, whether they were being worn by pipe bands, or someone getting married, or for a cultural event, or for Scottish dancing, to be fair, I can certainly say that I grew up around kilts and that Canadians wear kilts... Mind you, it never occurred for me to wear one until recently, nor did I think people might wear them without a special occasion to go to, but that's besides the point.

As a short, little anecdote, let me just say that during my last trip to Edmonton this summer, I attended the Fringe Festival that was on mid-August. I attended the entire event kilted, and had a blast! Not a single negative comment from the thousands of attendees; in fact, I had many people compliment me on my kilt (I wore Isle of Skye) and many people wanted to know what tartan it was and were not shy about sharing with me their own family's Scottish roots and histories.

The funniest part about it all was that there were a few others walking around similarly attired, including one fellow in a Utilikilt. As I was walking back to my car (about 11pm), a rather large man started yelling at me from across the parking lot.

"Hey!..... Hey! Stop for a sec. I wanna talk to you!"

A little alarmed, I stopped, turned to face the man, and slowly walked over to where he was standing.

"Sure. What Can I do for you?" I inquired.

"You're not Scottish, are you." He said rhetorically.

"No, I'm not." I confirmed.

"Well, I just wanted to know...." He paused. "What the heck is up with the kilt then? I swear, you're like the 6th person I've seen wearing a kilt today... Look, I'm Scottish and I don't think I've ever seen so many people wearing kilts at a single event -- and that includes my family reunion in Scotland! So, you gotta tell me. What's up with the kilt thing?"

I chuckled. "I think that men are starting to realize that kilts are comfortable. You know... Down under..."

"So... It's just a trend?" He asked.

"Yeah, a trend, but more than that." I answered. "Maybe a fashion statement, or just a way for people to express their heritage or uniqueness."

"Oh, ok. Well thanks. I just had to ask, y'know. Cause being Scottish and all, and seeing like 5 of you in kilts... I just had to ask. I thought that maybe you were part of one of the plays or performances or something."

"Well, I hope that answers your question... So, what's your excuse?" I asked. "Being Scottish, like you said, why AREN'T you wearing one?"

"Ahh." He said dismissively as he stepped into his truck. "I don't have the legs for it," he muttered as he shut the door to drive away.

Now, whether you want to call it a "mosaic" North of the border, or a "melting pot" South of the border (in the U.S.), we tend to celebrate multiculturalism -- a concept that a homogeneous culture like Japan finds hard to grok. My co-worker spoke correctly when he said that I was celebrating being Canadian by wearing a kilt... After all, we have even enshrined official tartans into our provincial lists of "official" birds, animals, mottoes, slogans, etc, etc.... So in that sense, I'd call kilts about as Canadian as poutine and maple syrup, eh!

[slohairt]

We also have many kilted/Highland regiments. One of our military experts (paging Cajunscot/Todd) could chime in, but I think we have something like 15 or 16 still?

[NewGuise]

I saw more than a few kilts growing up on Canada's northern prairie and out on the west coast; not all of those wearing kilts were Scottish - some were just in pipe bands or associated with military regiments. I completed my undergraduate degree in Nova Scotia, where I saw many kilts, and wore one myself for the first time; most of the guys I knew who regularly wore kilts were of Scottish descent, but none had ever been to Scotland - the few folks I knew from Scotland never wore kilts. So I really did think of it more or less as a Canadian thing.

Here in Edmonton - a city with a statue of Robert Burns in its downtown core - I regularly attend the Fringe Theatre Festival, which does indeed seem especially kilt-friendly; I have seen multiple kilts at every Fringe over the past two decades, and at the annual Folk Music festival as well. But in the past week alone, in my neighbourhood, I have seen at least three different men in kilts (tanks, even), myself excluded. That is relatively new. Something in the water? A new virus? Bring it on ...

[McMurdo]

Interesting stuff NewGuise
Here in Toronto I run into kilt wearers from time to time, in fact when I moved into my apartment building a gent that lives here came up to me saying he though the was the only one, I've since introduced him to XMarks. We also have a statue of Robert Burns in Toronto, here is ours.

[NewGuise]

We also have a statue of Robert Burns in Toronto, here is ours.

Ours is down on one knee.

Yours is bigger. And ... erect.