Maybe I'm wrong, maybe the Kilt isn't 'just clothes'.

[English Bloke]

... why not represent your own proud nation? ... why dress up as a Scot---play being a Scot---when you are not?

Jock, you're seeing the whole international Kilting thing as playing dress-up. I don't think it is and I don't think many Kilt wearers do pretend (I don't dispute there are some.) I have Scottish root but that isn't my primary reason. It is why I have aquired my two Bruce tartans at no small expense, one of which is extremely rare, but I don't wear the Kilt to pretend to be Scottish. I wear it because it's comfortable and also because I'm not afraid to be different.

I mean neither you nor it any disrespect Jock but it is just clothes to me. I don't see the Kilt with the same reverence as you. If I wear a checked shirt, I'm not pretending to be a lumberjack. If I wear a white rugby shirt I'm not pretending to be an England Lock. If I pull on jeans today I don't immediately reach for my ten gallon hat. On the other hand, I can't abide pretenders who don medals they are not entitled to... so I see, in a sense, where you're coming from...

If I wear a Kilt, in my own head I'm still an English Bloke in a Kilt but often we don't see ourselves as others see us. In light of the above, I am re-evaluating my stance. Perhaps it's me who is being rude inadvertantly and I think that would be a shame as it was never my intent.

Before I make any rash decisions though, I do need to explore what my alternatives might be?...

[Singlemalt]

My fathers parents came to Canada from Inverness. My mother family has been in Canada many generations, however she was a Kerr with Cameron, MacLeod and Mac Niel in her immediate background. I have never actually been to Scotland though I still have some contact with relatives there. However, I am emphatically not Scottish, I am proudly Canadian and tell my son's regularly that being born in this beautiful country is the equivalent of winning a lottery.

Thousands of my fellow Canadian's have served Queen and country in our military kilted. My mothers uncle died at the battle of the Somme kilted during the war that was to end all wars. Yet still young Canadians are regularly Piped home from Afghanistan in caskets draped in the Maple Leaf.

When I wear my kilts I am not pretending to be Scottish. In the words of one of my favourite philosophers of the 20th century Popeye T. Sailor "I am what am and that all what I am!"

Any Scotsman who inferred I did not have a right to wear a kilt had better be ready for whats coming!

[Morris at Heathfield]

A few random thoughts:

First, some historical perspective:

As for their attire, any man, of what degree soever, that comes amongst them, must not disdain to wear it; for if they do, then they will disdain to hunt, or willingly to bring in their dogs; but if men be kind unto them, and be in their habit, then they are conquered with kindness, and the sport will be plentiful.

—John Taylor, the "Water Poet"

That was around 1618, at Braemar. Presumably things have changed a bit since then.

Secondly, I do believe I understand Jock Scot's point of view, at least to some extent. It doesn't really matter to me that people around the world wear T-shirts and blue jeans, but sometimes I wish they wouldn't all ape American styles so. There are all kinds of beautiful clothing that are infrequently seen now that the world has almost become a sort of sartorial monoculture. I think that is a big part of the appeal of historical reenactment, Renaissance Faires, and cosplay at sci-fi and anime conventions. Nevertheless, even though I'm not one who likes to stand out a lot, I try to do things to stand out a little bit, whether it's by wearing plaid shirts (admittedly not so uncommon when I was a teenager, but perhaps less common now), a Dundee or Black Watch tartan tie on formal occasions, and maybe a black waistcoat with square, chrome buttons () as well. Recently I've taken to wearing bolo ties at a place where I volunteer, as neckties don't seem to be required, but folks are expected to dress up a little more than in T-shirts, jeans, and plaid shirts (my customary attire since high school). Bolo ties aren't terribly common, but as I have one, given to me by my maternal grandfather, I felt I ought to wear it more often. I also sometimes wear a western shirt that belonged to my paternal grandfather with my bolo tie. Perhaps that's the sort of thing Jock Scot meant by representing our own proud nation. Of course, not everybody in the US is a westerner, or a cowboy. (Er, not that I'm a cowboy, but I can say that my paternal grandfather herded cattle before he went off to college.)

Thirdly, I disagree with the idea that wearing the kilt is pretending to be a Scottish national. If you are in a bagpipe band, you wear the kilt. If you are going to the Highland games, you don't have to wear the kilt, but you might as well, if you have one. There are occasions in North America where the kilt is proper attire, and not something out of the ordinary.

Fourthly, as someone who is, I admit, more English (by blood at least) than Scottish, I think there's something to be said for the idea that there's some amount of cultural envy going on. Let's face it: St. George's Day is tomorrow. What will the English be wearing? I will be wearing the kilt, ironically enough. The English may have had some semblance of a national costume in the early 20th century, but for the last thousand years the English national costume has been pretty much "what the French were wearing last year". Now it may be "what the Americans were wearing last year", I'm not really sure. So, for someone who is a British mongrel, what are the options?

And, on that note:

Before I make any rash decisions though, I do need to explore what my alternatives might be?...

Come on, man, did you have to rub it in?

[Jock Scot]

-------------

-----However we all have a past and quite rightly some of us wish celebrate our ancestors and their achievements, but the way it is done outwith Scotland is not generally understood by the Scots; it appears to be all rather intense and rather "over the top" to us and it is this, I think, that we find difficult to comprehend.As we see it, why dress up as a Scot---play being a Scot---when you are not?

Alright , here then is the problem, the kilted people outwith Scotland do not understand that the Scots(we have enough stories here to illustrate the point now I think)do not understand. AND the Scots do not understand that kilted people from outwith Scotland(that is plainly obvious from the posts)are generally not playing at being a Scot-----even if they are not a Scot .

Well alright that is a major generalisation, but it does direct us to a problem of a major divergence of opinion. In the great scheme of things I suppose it is not earth shatteringly important.However it is important to individuals from both points of view, and it really appears to be a problem with/for visitors who come to Scotland unaware that there is a problem. So what to do?

We on this website are lucky in that we are able to listen and learn, I do and we all do one way or another and even if we might not like what we hear we cannot say, "we did not know". Realistically though,most of the world are unaware of this website.

Whilst I can't say that I am surprised to hear EB's, Steve's and other's stories, I am, as a Scot, frankly appalled at some of my countryman's out and out bad manners. In passing, I wonder what part of Scotland these so called "experts" came from------I have my suspicions!

Is there not some way to reach visiting kilt wearers to Scotland AND the Scots themselves so there is some sort of understanding of each other's point of view.It is never going to reach everyone but-----

Maybe some literature explaining this at the tourist boards,maybe you shop owners in and outwith Scotland could help, maybe Scottish hotels and B&B's need to be brought in on this. I don't know the answer, but sure as eggs are eggs this situation is not helping the Scottish tourist industry and it is not helping the tourist enjoy their stay as much as they might.

[CMcG]

Alright , here then is the problem, the kilted people outwith Scotland do not understand that the Scots(we have enough stories here to illustrate the point now I think)do not understand. AND the Scots do not understand that kilted people from outwith Scotland(that is plainly obvious from the posts)are generally not playing at being a Scot-----even if they are not a Scot .

Well alright that is a major generalisation, but it does direct us to a problem of a major divergence of opinion. In the great scheme of things I suppose it is not earth shatteringly important.However it is important to individuals from both points of view, and it really appears to be a problem with/for visitors who come to Scotland unaware that there is a problem. So what to do?

<snip>

If I've learned anything from this thread, it is that I would risk scorn if I wore my kilt in the UK without some sort of recognized occasion.

As far as what to do about promoting a greater cultural understanding between Scots, the Scottish diaspora, and even non-Scot kilt wearers, I know not. Xmarks certainly is an important resource though. Every discussion we have is searchable by Google et al., so we have passively addressed this issue to the World Wide Web. That's how I found Xmarks in the first place and I hope that tourists planning on kilting in the UK will think to research before they go...

[Jock Scot]

If I've learned anything from this thread, it is that I would risk scorn if I wore my kilt in the UK without some sort of recognized occasion.

Do you know I think we are in danger of over reacting to all this. Yes there are some Scots(mainly) that are prepared to voice an opinion directly to a kilt wearer and as Steve has described there are others who smirk, but in truth we do need to keep all this in proportion.

If we plough through all those wonderful "kilted in Scotland" picture threads on this website there are very few reports(any?) of negative reactions to the kilt, by irate Scots.

In spite of it all, the Scots are a very polite and respectful nation, and whilst they almost certainly will not understand the need for visitors to be kilted in Scotland, there are many of us who enjoy seeing the kilt being properly worn, whoever is wearing it.

I have just remembered that one of our members had a bit of a tiff with some petty golf official on a Scots golf course, but I think that was more to do with golf rules than anything too anti kilt.

[davidlpope]

If you delve into my pedigree, I have English, Norman, German, Viking, Scots, plus a few more, blood tracing through my veins. So a good mixture, in fact just like the rest of you and just like many of you, I try on occasion to remember my roots, but do I dress up as a Viking, a Norman knight, A German? No I don't. Why? Because I am a Scot!

Jock,

Sorry to be a bit late to the party, but your post put me in mind of a celebration in Scotland where folks do dress up as Vikings. See the link, below:

http://www.uphellyaa.org/gallery/procession

Perhaps one point that has not yet been raised is that American kiltwearers who attend "Highland" Games here in the US are a self-selected group who are, in large part, history/genealogy buffs. There are large numbers of Americans who bear Highland surnames who have absolutely no interest in Scots history/Highland culture and would never consider wearing a kilt. Few even know that their surnames are Scottish in origin.

Based on discussions in previous threads, I think I'm safe in saying that American kiltwearers are much more likely to be "tartan/kilt nerds" than Scots who wear the kilt. Perhaps you're just not a "Viking Nerd" Scot!

As an aside, thanks for your candor and honesty. I appreciate your opinion and your willingness to share it.

Cordially,

David

[The Thirsty Viking]

Jock,
Perhaps you're just not a "Viking Nerd" Scot!

just to clarify....


One could be both...hypothetically, of course... right?

[MacBean]

Jock,
Perhaps one point that has not yet been raised is that American kiltwearers who attend "Highland" Games here in the US are a self-selected group who are, in large part, history/genealogy buffs. There are large numbers of Americans who bear Highland surnames who have absolutely no interest in Scots history/Highland culture and would never consider wearing a kilt. Few even know that their surnames are Scottish in origin.

I think David has an excellent point here, though I'd add that the genealogy buffing often extends to visiting Scotland, joining Clan Associations. It is a process of re-connecting to a heritage lost. There are all levels of proficiency in that effort, as is to be expected. I think Americans would like to feel more welcomed (and guided) in these tentative attempts at reconnecting, and are puzzled when their efforts are rebuffed or made fun of.

Jock, I've heard you say that Highlanders have a special relation to the kilt (or something like that). Could you expound on this a bit more perhaps? Why do you think they are protective of that and discouraging of those with ancestral connections but no longer living in Scotland?

After all, the MacBean Chief (James McBain) lives in Arizona. The Clan Chattan Chief lives in Zimbabwe (or similar place). The MacKintosh of MacKintosh lives in Singapore. Should they not dress the part on occasion either?

[Jock Scot]

I think David has an excellent point here, though I'd add that the genealogy buffing often extends to visiting Scotland, joining Clan Associations. It is a process of re-connecting to a heritage lost. There are all levels of proficiency in that effort, as is to be expected. I think Americans would like to feel more welcomed (and guided) in these tentative attempts at reconnecting, and are puzzled when their efforts are rebuffed or made fun of.

Jock, I've heard you say that Highlanders have a special relation to the kilt (or something like that). Could you expound on this a bit more perhaps? Why do you think they are protective of that and discouraging of those with ancestral connections but no longer living in Scotland?

After all, the MacBean Chief (James McBain) lives in Arizona. The Clan Chattan Chief lives in Zimbabwe (or similar place). The MacKintosh of MacKintosh lives in Singapore. Should they not dress the part on occasion either?

Alright this is a personal view and I do think that you chaps firstly do not need to over-react with the undoubtedly true stories and views posted here on this thread and secondly, I think many Scots and certainly those from outwith Scotland forget or are unaware that the kilt is not Scottish attire, it is first and foremost HIGHLAND SCOTS ATTIRE. Until very recently---say the last 30/40 years the kilt was loudly and scathingly ridiculed by the lowland Scots. Now I really do not want to get into a Highland/Lowland Scot argument, but their histories, loyalties, thought characteristics, particularly in attitude, are noticeably different.

Generally speaking the lowland Scot is not backwards at coming forward when voicing an opinion on anything. And the Highlanders are never ceased to be amazed just how "expert" the lowlanders have become on kilt matters in such a short space of time! Again generally speaking, the lowland Scot has a considerably "shorter fuse" than a Highlander.

The Highlander, is rather less "in your face", and generally has "a far longer fuse" but woe betide any one who riles either variety! The Highlander keeps his council and will keep his opinions very much to himself and is very much a "gentleman" to strangers.I think on the whole a Highlander will view a visiting kilt wearer with silent and gentle respect and not a little lack of understanding, tinged with a touch of gentle amusement.

What the Scots in general, I think, find difficult to understand is this need for non Scots to delve into roots, clan histories, Scottish history, kilt attire in the minute detail that some/many of the non Scots seem to need to do and it is quite true that there are many on this website that know far more detail on "things Scottish" than we do. However I do know for a fact that a two hour lecture containing rather tenuous and dubious facts of a person's ancestry to justify the ten tartans that "he" is "entitled" to wear, but who is plainly not Scottish is oh so boring to me and I think most Scots. Sorry, but it happens time and time again.

Its not surprising really, the Scots are living it, one way or another, every day, 24 hours a day and being surrounded in tartan,whisky, dubious tourist historical facts, endless coaches, cameras pointing in all directions they end up with a distinctly jaundiced view of it all.

Does that help our(Scots) general understanding of what a visitor is requiring? No, sadly, it does not. Is it a personal thing that the Scots have against visitors? No absolutely not!

On the other hand, the potential visitor has read the tourist hype, seen the kilted pictures, learned the potted history of their roots, assumed that those awful MacIan pictures are fact, so the end result is that our starry eyed visitor leaps off the plane full of enthusiasm only to be met with Scotsmen and women who are getting on with living and rarely even think about kilts etc----------except on special occasions.

I hope this helps. I am away for a few days, so bare with me if I don't reply.