Truly Mixed Emotions Meeting Another Gent in a Kilt

[OC Richard]

My band was gearing up to play at the 2020 World Pipe Band Championships before they were cancelled, and knowing that I just enjoy wearing kilts, someone higher up in the band came to me and said, in a very respectful and appropriate way, that he recommended I bring shorts and pants to wear when we aren't playing...he wanted to help me avoid being perceived as "that guy."

I find this very interesting, because in 40 years of playing in Pipe Bands, several different ones, I can't remember ever having a band-mate who "just enjoyed wearing kilts".

The attitude I've always seen is a specific love/hate relationship with Highland Dress.

Yes band members take pride in their dress. They want to look smart at contests. They look down their nose at anything other than a full-yardage wool handsewn kilt. They're quick to admire a well-turned-out band, and quick to notice if a band has poor Dress & Deportment.

Yet they frequently complain about being required to wear Highland Dress, they express the wish to be allowed to compete in ordinary clothes, they put on their kit at the last possible moment before competing and instantly switch back into mufti when their duty is done.

When our combined bands went over to Scotland for The Worlds the caution you received was not required, because not a single one of the 50-odd band members making the trip would wear their kilt when not necessary for band duty.

Are you unique in your band? Or are there other band-mates who prefer wearing kilts to wearing ordinary clothes?

I myself am an outlier in this regard, because I will often show up in kilts at Highland Games I'm not performing at. My piper friends will ask "when are you competing?" and when I say I'm not they give me odd looks. They just can't imagine why somebody would wear kilts when not required to.

But in Scotland no, I only wore band kit when required. Ditto my various holidays in Scotland, I wouldn't dream of hauling all that cumbersome stuff around. Suitcase space is too valuable!

(Our combined bands in George Square, Glasgow.)

[WalesLax]

I find this very interesting, because in 40 years of playing in Pipe Bands, several different ones, I can't remember ever having a band-mate who "just enjoyed wearing kilts".

.....

Are you unique in your band? Or are there other band-mates who prefer wearing kilts to wearing ordinary clothes?

Richard,

All of your assessments are spot on - my bandmates are pretty similar to yours, and love the idea of events we have played at where we were told to 'just show up wearing whatever you would normally wear.'

That said, you are also correct in that I am unique within the band. While I don't like wearing my kilt on long rides to competitions, I am happy to wear it all day. I also wear kilts "out in the wild" on my own; anywhere from dressed formally for events down to (and I write this knowing it won't go over well with everyone here) wearing a kilt with a t-shirt, soccer jersey, or rugby jersey, and everywhere in between. With the exception of one kilt that I have specifically for running in, every other one is exactly what you would expect from a fellow XMarkser.

I feel like I fit a unique niche, and the gentleman who gave me the advice was both taking my best interests and what he knew about me in mind, and I appreciated the advice. Honestly, I am a big fan of "fitting in" when I travel, both personally and professionally, and the one place I would have genuinely considered wearing away from the competition would have been on a whisky tasting tour.

Rob

[WalesLax]

(Our combined bands in George Square, Glasgow.)

I couldn't figure out how to edit my previous reply to include your picture, but I wanted to let you know how jealous I am. One of the things I was really looking forward to was playing in various locations around town, and having pictures of me and my band playing in those locations.

This is a FANTASTIC picture; thank you for sharing it!

The band I started piping with, City of Chicago, competes regularly, but I was most definitely not good enough at that point to have traveled and/or competed with them.

Rob

[Brian Rose]

The band I started piping with, City of Chicago, competes regularly, but I was most definitely not good enough at that point to have traveled and/or competed with them.Rob

I work a number of sports car races during the summer. One of my (now retired) co-workers had been a piper. He said he gave up when he realized his daughter was a far better piper than he'd ever be. He was also from the Chicago area.
I've often wondered what he'd think when I showed up kilted for a race. It started as a bit of fun- now I get asked where it is when I don't wear one. It's now expected.

[Jock Scot]

...........


............. and the one place I would have genuinely considered wearing away from the competition would have been on a whisky tasting tour.

Rob

An honest question. Why?

[OC Richard]

Here in the USA there are certain sorts of events that more or less fall under the umbrella of "Scottish themed events" such as

-Robert Burns suppers

-Highland Games

-concerts of Scottish music

-whisky tastings

-Kirking of the tartans

-appearances of Scotland at sporting events.

You will see kilted men at all of these.

I can certainly understand that a concert of the Pipes & Drums of The Black Watch taking place in Scotland might be considered a military themed event rather than a Scottish themed one. But here in the USA it's a Scottish themed event, and in fact many of the Americans in the audience don't realise that they're seeing soldiers.

(At the intermission of a concert of the Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards somebody asked me "why are they wearing medals?" and I said "they're soldiers. They drive tanks".)

[WalesLax]

An honest question. Why?

Fair question, but looking at it from the opposite direction, why not?

Rob

[WalesLax]

Here in the USA there are certain sorts of events that more or less fall under the umbrella of "Scottish themed events" such as

-Robert Burns suppers

-Highland Games

-concerts of Scottish music

-whisky tastings

-Kirking of the tartans

-appearances of Scotland at sporting events.

You will see kilted men at all of these.

I can certainly understand that a concert of the Pipes & Drums of The Black Watch taking place in Scotland might be considered a military themed event rather than a Scottish themed one. But here in the USA it's a Scottish themed event, and in fact many of the Americans in the audience don't realise that they're seeing soldiers.

(At the intermission of a concert of the Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards somebody asked me "why are they wearing medals?" and I said "they're soldiers. They drive tanks".)

I would add curling events to this list, but otherwise it looks pretty spot on.

I don't know if it matters that NY and Chicago are very Irish areas, but I also see a lot of kilt-wearing at Irish themed events; particularly if Ireland is playing in an event and/or St. Patricks Day related events. In Chicago, I saw kilts on the Welsh groups as well; not in NY though.

Unrelated to Scotland or Ireland, I wear mine to formal dinners and weddings (when asked, which is most of the time).

Rob

[Jock Scot]

Fair question, but looking at it from the opposite direction, why not?

Rob

A fair answer, but in truth I cannot see a Scot in the normal course of events, donning the kilt just to visit a distillery, unless they are in the tourist industry. It would brand you on first sight and second sight as a tourist not a Scot.

You may be interested in a thread that I started a few years ago now. "Two Telling Comments?The Answer Perhaps?" that describe the quandary that some young Highland Scots find themselves in here when wearing the kilt. I am sure you may find the rather long discussion enlightening and should be found by using the search thingy that is available here.

[WalesLax]

A fair answer, but in truth I cannot see a Scot in the normal course of events, donning the kilt just to visit a distillery, unless they are in the tourist industry. It would brand you on first sight and second sight as a tourist not a Scot.

I assure you that the moment I open my mouth, that branding would be confirmed.

I don't disagree with you, but like I said, it's the other place I would consider wearing it. I don't have to, but I would.

Rob