New from North Carolina

[Mike_Oettle]

Hi, Ryle, and welcome to XMTS from the bottom end of Africa.
I grew up in a very conservative, almost entirely Afrikaans-speaking town.
I was automatically disliked because I spoke English (although in time I spoke passable Afrikaans), and I didn’t dream of showing up on the main street in a kilt.
I did hitch-hike home to my parents’ farm once in my kilted army uniform, but I wore it out of sight of the locals.
But it might not have been so bad. The morning I left, my mother took me to a spot about 15 miles away – at the next small town – and left me on the national road. Before long a former teacher of mine picked me up and took me a fair distance. He didn’t mind the kilt in the slightest, although he was a bit surprised that I had joined the “Skotties”.
I would rather like to go back there kilted and see what their reaction would be.

Jeremy wrote: “I almost hate to say ‘follow the cookie cutter look’ . . .”
But if you wear a traditional tartan kilt with a traditional sporran (simple or fancy), and flashes in your long socks, you are sending out a signal that cannot easily be mistaken.
And ask the women on this forum – they have a saying that a kilt is like catnip to a woman!
Regards,
Mike

[jeremy j starche]

Jeremy wrote: “I almost hate to say ‘follow the cookie cutter look’ . . .”
But if you wear a traditional tartan kilt with a traditional sporran (simple or fancy), and flashes in your long socks, you are sending out a signal that cannot easily be mistaken.

I fully agree, hence the 'almost.' I can and do dress very cookie cutter for certain types of places and I can dress very casual for others.

As a rule of thumb: The more cultural the place is, the less I feel the need to follow "tradition."

Museums? I dress as I please, including solid colored kilts.

Drunken rib burn off? Bright tartan kilt, hat complete with pompom and clan badge.