American tourists in Scotland

[GG]

American tourists in Scotland; well I guess it comprises Europeans living outside Scotland, too.

It isn’t the first time this issue has come up. And every time I’m sitting back with a feeling that Scotland, the land of the kilts might very well be the most kilt unfriendly country of all.

I have been to Scotland once. And I very much liked the country and its most beautiful landscapes. But that was before I started wearing kilts. My interest for kilts was born on that visit, actually.

My wife and I have several times talked about going back. But I must admit that after what is said here by Scotsmen I’m very much in doubt.

I can wear my kilts without problems in Denmark, where I live, and in Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. So why not go to these places where the kilt is almost unknown but accepted, rather than to Scotland, where it is known, but only accepted to be worn by Scots and at very, very rare occasions.

And if a kilt at all, then by all means an eight yard tartan wool kilt, pleated to the stripe – probably sewn by Scottish hands.

I mean, if a modern kilt is not recognized by the Scots as a kilt, what can they have against it more than in every other place on the world? Then it must be just an odd garment, and not anything that could be harming THEIR national feeling, or?

Do I exaggerate? Or did I misunderstand something? I really hope I do and did.

Until further my spring holidays shall be spent in Rome, I think – kilted when I feel like it and without the need for a special occasion.

Greg

[wildrover]

Of late, I have mostly been wearing overalls and an old straw hat. I don't think I would wear that or Highland attire either if I visited Scotland, though.

Hmmm...hole cut out of the front for the stomach to pooch out, or no?

Joking apart, it has been known!

That kit, minus the hat (and sometimes including it) is pretty common in a lot of small towns in Colorado...I can't speak for the rest of the SW or TX, but I imagine it's similar there. I have a pair of boots that could be described as "cowboy" that are my daily wear with jeans and slacks, and could be worn with an off-white casual suit (though that's not my style)...and a belt buckle that's a little larger than normal, I'd call it "Western" style but it's from Alaska, not Texas. I imagine it's certainly out of the ordinary for, say, Scotland...but then, it's also part of what I normally wear (I'm wearing both at the moment), and I'd wear it in Scotland and not sweat over it.

There are certain parts of that style that are commonly adopted by a large portion of the population over here, in the Southwest and Texas anyway, and in Tennessee, Kentucky, etc...but like a PC and frilly lace with a kilt, you're not often going to see a leather sport coat (I have one of those too) with a bolo tie, Stetson, boots, Wranglers, big belt buckle and embroidered button-up. Sometimes, yes, often, no.

Somehow the kilt goes way deeper than fashion or fad. It's a family link. Clan or tribe -you can be whoever an whatever you want to be and yet you're always welcome as part of a large extended family.

Funny you should mention that...last time I kilted up, one of the questions was "is there a special occasion, or did you just feel like wearing your colors today?" Perfectly serious question, too.

And that is well and good. Boots and cowboy hats are not ideal for an urban mayor or gas jockey.

It's really only the hat that I don't see. Maybe the kilted equivalent is a swinging six badger full mask sporran to walk around the mall...there's a point at which it's obviously overdone and out of place.

The image of the very conservative, very straight, not at all young, city councillor George Puil dressed in drag for a gay pride parade is forever seared in my retinas.

You have a councillor with a well-developed funnybone!

I actually worry more about what people will think of me when I wear my cowboy hat than I worry about what people will think of my kilt.

Yeah, it really is the hat that does it. Boots & buckles are pretty common.

You're quite correct. I was in downtown San Antonio, but also got out to Del Rio, Fredericksburg and Boerne. I saw very few cowboy hats, though plenty of "ballcaps" and few "cowboy" boots, though plenty of workboots and dress shoes (in San Antonio).

Look closer at the guys who appear to be wearing dress shoes...you'll probably see that what you assumed was a dress shoe is actually a very, very nice "cowboy" boot.

I strongly suggest you feel the waters before doing a canon-ball into a generally civil pool of gentlemen.

True! Knowing people better means you can really yank their chains! See, you can't judge someone by their neck tattoos...you can only judge if they're also wearing a sideways flatbill, a black long sleeve Afflicted shirt, grey Dickies shorts, a massive wallet chain, black socks pulled to their calves, oversize black or grey skate shoes, their Black Flys, and they're on a quad in the Southern California desert on a 100* day. Then, you can judge the hell out of them.

If you show respect for them, then that respect will be acknowledged; but if you show a wanton disregard for those traditions, then you will likely be met with a disapproving attitude.

Good advice for all walks of life . One of the best things I've heard here in a while.

-Sean

[Tony Miles]

I live in Colorado also and those big belt buckles, cowboy boots and Stetsons can be pretty common on the West Slope. The shiny big belt buckle is usually an award from a rodeo event like steer wrestling or bull riding - When it's not an award and just for dress up it's called a "tombstone for dead meat"

just sayin

[Sir William]

Look closer at the guys who appear to be wearing dress shoes...you'll probably see that what you assumed was a dress shoe is actually a very, very nice "cowboy" boot.
-Sean

Actually, I did look because I was trying to see how many were wearing boots. Sadly, I saw mostly regular ol' shoes. I did see a few men wearing boots but they were few and far between. Kind of reminded me of trying to find kilted men in Inverness.

(To be fair, I did see quite a few boots worn when I attended a ceremony at the Alamo, but certainly not by a majority.)

My point is that one would expect to see quite a few kilts when in Scotland, just as one would expect to see quite a few cowboy hats and boots when in Texas (or anywhere else in the West). I know from living and traveling around the Western US that many men wear cowboy hats and boots on a daily basis. I didn't see that equivilent in Scotland, not in the Highlands and certainly not in the Borders. I personally like wearing my boots - and I get strange looks from people here in the east, just as I like wearing a kilt, though the Scots are much more polite about not staring.

[GG]

Thank you for answering me, Scotsman.

Of course I have an understanding for the "Scottish" situation and the history, leading to it.
I should, as a tourist, a foreigner, never want to disgrace the kilt or other, to the Scots, national symbols.

And I always, as a natural thing, try to make a good appearance. That said, again as a tourist, as a man being free of duties, I prefer to dress rather relaxed, which in no way implies what I myself should call badly or shoddy dressed.

By all means it should be way better than the – often drunken - Scottish kilted hooligans to be seen in Europe and with absolutely no sense for colour matching or those Scottish types appalling especially the Poles when visiting their country by lifting their kilts and flashing their parts.

But I do keep things simple. My “Scottish” items during a holiday should be the kilt, day sporran, belt & buckle and kilt hose. That combined with nice, branded polo shirts - in colours harmonizing with those of the kilt and hose - and shoes. Very seldom flashes and kilt pin. Never bonnet and sgian dubh etc. I find it dishonest should I try to look like a Scotsman, just for wearing the kilt.
My avatar (from Lugano, Switzerland, by the way) indicates my way of holiday dressing.

And when not in a kilt I will very often wear shorts in the day time.

My places to go are where I can do so without lifted eye browns and back talking.

Greg