untraditional traditions

[toadinakilt]

The problem is that the US is a large country with strong regional identities. As such, I don't think that any one regional identity would be adopted by the other regions in the same way that Traditional Highland Civilian Dress (THCD) has been adopted by the rest of Scotland as national attire.

This is spot on. My wife is a pretty traditional southerner, and ribbed me pretty hard once (lovingly of course) for drooling over bolo ties! ("If you were from Arizona, I'd understand. But you're not.")

Trying to understand the United States as a single culture is an exercise in futility, for the most part. We can't even agree on Ford and Chevy!
(And I drive a Toyota...)

[Zardoz]

As Todd has pointed out, this is not an "American" jacket that would be universal to all those living in the US; it is a "Western" jacket that would perhaps work for a kilted cowboy in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, etc.

Well, as a Texan, and somebody who wore "western wear" style suits in the late 70's -early 80's 'Urban Cowboy' era, let me say I'm not likely to wear one now, or a western wear style kilt jacket.

[macwilkin]

This is spot on. My wife is a pretty traditional southerner, and ribbed me pretty hard once (lovingly of course) for drooling over bolo ties! ("If you were from Arizona, I'd understand. But you're not.")

Trying to understand the United States as a single culture is an exercise in futility, for the most part. We can't even agree on Ford and Chevy!
(And I drive a Toyota...)

Well, as a Texan, and somebody who wore "western wear" style suits in the late 70's -early 80's 'Urban Cowboy' era, let me say I'm not likely to wear one now, or a western wear style kilt jacket.

My dad is a genuine "cactus kicker" from "Preskitt" and wears neither Western jackets, bolo ties or even a cowboy hat.

He did own a "Navajo" hat a la Billy Jack at one time, but he gave it to my cousin.

T.

[Good Egg]

Just to pick davidpope up on small point of pedantry the kilt is Highland wear, it is not traditional in the Lowlands. Although is becoming more universal now. Indeed the Royal regiment of Scotland is now all kilted whereas pre-amalgamation the Lowlanders wore trews.

[MacBean]

traditional headgear ...replaced with straw, wide-brimmed hats for protection against the sun

Pictures? I'd like to see how that looks!

[MacBean]

The problem is that the US is a large country with strong regional identities. As such, I don't think that any one regional identity would be adopted by the other regions in the same way that Traditional Highland Civilian Dress (THCD) has been adopted by the rest of Scotland as national attire.

Generally I'd agree, but I do think blue jeans, once regional, have now become national. I'm not sure where sneakers started, but they are pretty much cosmopolitan at this point.

[davidlpope]

Just to pick davidpope up on small point of pedantry the kilt is Highland wear, it is not traditional in the Lowlands. Although is becoming more universal now. Indeed the Royal regiment of Scotland is now all kilted whereas pre-amalgamation the Lowlanders wore trews.

Right, that was the exact point of me writing this:

The problem is that the US is a large country with strong regional identities. As such, I don't think that any one regional identity would be adopted by the other regions in the same way that Traditional Highland Civilian Dress (THCD) has been adopted by the rest of Scotland as national attire.

Highlanders wore kilts. Not Lowlanders, Borderers, etc. Lowlanders and Borderers viewed the kilt, and Highlanders in general, are barbarous and uncouth and would have likely not been caught dead wearing a kilt until Sir Walter Scott, Scottish Regiments in the British Army, and Queen Victoria (not contemporaneously) created a fascination with Highland culture that exists to the present day. This lead to the regional cultural traditions of the Highlands (tartan, kilts, GHB, Scots Gaelic) being adopted as a sort of Pan-Scottish culture.

My point is that I don't think that any one regional culture of the US is capable of doing the same thing.

David

[macwilkin]

Just to pick davidpope up on small point of pedantry the kilt is Highland wear, it is not traditional in the Lowlands. Although is becoming more universal now. Indeed the Royal regiment of Scotland is now all kilted whereas pre-amalgamation the Lowlanders wore trews.

With the noteable exception of the pipes & drums of Lowland regiments and TA battalions such as the Glasgow Highlanders and the "Dandy" 9th Battalion of the Royal Scots, who did wear kilts.

T.

[Bugbear]

Pictures? I'd like to see how that looks!

Ya, that's basically what Jock suggested to me in the Panama hat. I only had a straw hat, sounds a bit like Todd's description, and Jock seemed to be just fine with my picture. I was wearing a polo shirt.

I've seen MOR post that he wears a Panama hat, too, so I guess it's just fine to the Scottish eye.

My dad is a genuine "cactus kicker" from "Preskitt" and wears neither Western jackets, bolo ties or even a cowboy hat.

Both of my grandfathers wor bolo ties from time to time, but it's the Western shirts that really stood out.

[Good Egg]

To pick up further on David's post. One of the points of this thread was to explore the possibility of a new American tradition of wearing the kilt.

I fully understand that western wear is regional and no doubt considered a bit 'hick' by East Coast sophisticates, (Taylor Swift must be an embarrassment) but it is a recognizably American style albeit not universal.