"Rules" for wearing family tartan

[Bludongle]

"I made it through the wilderness.... Somehow I made it through..."

Day two of reading through this most interesting of threads.

Two comments and then my point.

1) over and over in my head I kept on hearing my grandmothers voice mumbling behind my aunts at family reunions... "You girls sure do insist on swallowing camels." and giggling.

2) That being said, out of all the forums I have been a member of, this place, by far, has some of the most civilized arguments I have seen.

Now to the entrée.

I have been a member of XMTS for half a decade (my gawd, say it isn't so!) and have been rather reticent about being participatory. Although the Good Lord knows I ain't shy, there are a few reasons for my wall-flowering but it comes down to mostly two.

Kilt wearing is something that I enjoyed in a two fold way. I have enjoyed the distictive look and I secretly take a little pride at the chance to embrace the connection that it gives me to my (assumed) Scottish heritage. The kilt, IMHO, is one of the coolest and most expressive pieces of male clothing that has come down from western antiquity. It is distinctive in almost every way and immediately sets itself apart from any other item of masculine attire with class and style. Knowing that my great grandmother on my mothers side is MacCraken I held a certain pride knowing something so cool (and something I looked so damn good in) might possibly be part of my heritage. Note that I say "might".

My name is John Smith. This is my second reason for my uncertainty to bring anything to the table.

I am, for all intents and purposes, a true Heinze 57. Ask any one of my relatives what our ancestry is and you will get everything from Cherokee to Russian Jew. Most are willing to admit/include the various African inclusion or Caribbean Islander. However, no one can give a lick of proof or a name past their own parents and maybe a random grandparent. I know that my fathers mother was adopted or handed over to another family as a teen. I do not have any clue as to my great grandfathers name other that he was also a Smith. So if asked my heritage I would say "distinctly American Melt with Russian Jew, English, French, Scot, with a touch of Greek from my mother and English, Swede, Spanish, Cherokee, other from my father". or simply "Mutt".

The lack of true claim which leads to a lack of confidence in confiding my love for all things kilted has left me mute.

But no more.

I appreciate this thread for its candid and open discussion concerning the why's and wherefores of a kilted heart and where it has lead most. I now feel that if I was to find out tomorrow that most of my family was genetically bred to look like Europeans from Oriental stock and we are all from the Himalaya's I would still embrace and enjoy my love for all things kilted and the Scottish heritage it springs from. That being said....

Hi, my name is John and I wear a kilt.

Isle of Sky light weight off the rack bought at the Letchworth NY Highland Games 1996.

[robthehiker]

The lack of true claim which leads to a lack of confidence in confiding my love for all things kilted has left me mute.

But no more.

I appreciate this thread for its candid and open discussion concerning the why's and wherefores of a kilted heart and where it has lead most. I now feel that if I was to find out tomorrow that most of my family was genetically bred to look like Europeans from Oriental stock and we are all from the Himalaya's I would still embrace and enjoy my love for all things kilted and the Scottish heritage it springs from. That being said....

Hi, my name is John and I wear a kilt.

Thanks for reminding me what I like best about this site.

[robthehiker]

Let's all hug

Hug a guy in a skirt?? No way!!

[butch]

But it's a real pretty skirt, with lots of character!

[McClef]

My name is Trefor and I wear a kilt.

Kiltwearers Anonymous is born!

[auld argonian]

...we're not very anonymous, though...are we?

Best

AA

[BoldHighlander]

Matt, perhaps I should state right now that I personally don't have any problem with others wearing whatever tartan they choose I have simply been playing the devil's advocate (something I enjoy doing anyway) in order to illustrate a point.

Playing 'devil's advocate' is all well & fine, but most gentlemen (& ladies) will usually announce the fact early on in a discussion/debate (it saves on heartburn, hurt feelings & headaches all around).

To now say you "don't have any problem with others wearing whatever tartan they choose" after you carried on so in the opposite direction causes me, for one, to doubt the sincerity of your above statement.

I really do sincerely hope I'm wrong, but you know what they say:
"once fooled, shame on you; twice fooled, shame on me."

[Brian K]

"I made it through the wilderness.... Somehow I made it through..."

Day two of reading through this most interesting of threads.

Two comments and then my point.

1) over and over in my head I kept on hearing my grandmothers voice mumbling behind my aunts at family reunions... "You girls sure do insist on swallowing camels." and giggling.

2) That being said, out of all the forums I have been a member of, this place, by far, has some of the most civilized arguments I have seen.

Now to the entrée.

I have been a member of XMTS for half a decade (my gawd, say it isn't so!) and have been rather reticent about being participatory. Although the Good Lord knows I ain't shy, there are a few reasons for my wall-flowering but it comes down to mostly two.

Kilt wearing is something that I enjoyed in a two fold way. I have enjoyed the distictive look and I secretly take a little pride at the chance to embrace the connection that it gives me to my (assumed) Scottish heritage. The kilt, IMHO, is one of the coolest and most expressive pieces of male clothing that has come down from western antiquity. It is distinctive in almost every way and immediately sets itself apart from any other item of masculine attire with class and style. Knowing that my great grandmother on my mothers side is MacCraken I held a certain pride knowing something so cool (and something I looked so damn good in) might possibly be part of my heritage. Note that I say "might".

My name is John Smith. This is my second reason for my uncertainty to bring anything to the table.

I am, for all intents and purposes, a true Heinze 57. Ask any one of my relatives what our ancestry is and you will get everything from Cherokee to Russian Jew. Most are willing to admit/include the various African inclusion or Caribbean Islander. However, no one can give a lick of proof or a name past their own parents and maybe a random grandparent. I know that my fathers mother was adopted or handed over to another family as a teen. I do not have any clue as to my great grandfathers name other that he was also a Smith. So if asked my heritage I would say "distinctly American Melt with Russian Jew, English, French, Scot, with a touch of Greek from my mother and English, Swede, Spanish, Cherokee, other from my father". or simply "Mutt".

The lack of true claim which leads to a lack of confidence in confiding my love for all things kilted has left me mute.

But no more.

I appreciate this thread for its candid and open discussion concerning the why's and wherefores of a kilted heart and where it has lead most. I now feel that if I was to find out tomorrow that most of my family was genetically bred to look like Europeans from Oriental stock and we are all from the Himalaya's I would still embrace and enjoy my love for all things kilted and the Scottish heritage it springs from. That being said....

Hi, my name is John and I wear a kilt.

Isle of Sky light weight off the rack bought at the Letchworth NY Highland Games 1996.

It's nice to see that something very positive came from our back and forth here!

Good on ya, John

Regards,

Brian

[BoldHighlander]

Dinna fash yoursel'

Shall we all hold hands & sing Koombiya then?

[OC Richard]

As a piper, I'd rather Kumbaya, as it fits on the pipe better than Auld Lang Syne.