Frothing at the mouth......!!

[kiltedscot]

Alaskan Celt wrote: I for one am sick of anyone claiming to be Scot, questioning my RIGHT to wear a kilt, or telling me how to wear it.
My experience is that it is generally non-Scots who question the "right" to wear a kilt.
I am 100% Scottish - a Highlander, in fact - and I would never question anyone's right to wear any garment he chooses, unless it is the uniform (or insignia) of some particular organization of which the would-be wearer is not a member. In fact, I take it as a great compliment that any distantly-related or non-Scot should want to wear my national-dress.
There is, however, a body of opinion - strongest, I have discovered, among members of Caledonian groups and clan societies NOT in Scotland, but overseas - which questions entitlement to wear certain Scottish tartans. Again, I have no quarrel with anyone wearing any available Scottish tartan he chooses, although I cannot quite see any logic in selecting, say, Smith tartan, if your name is Wallace.
I do, however, look less favourably upon the practice of choosing to wear a kilt of Scottish tartan in a version which is greatly at odds with the standards of Highland Dress accepted in Scotland. I think that is mildly insulting, because the Scottish tartan kilt-outfit is, after all, just that: national-dress. For example, how many would feel comfortable "taking liberties" with other traditional costumes, such as Indian and Japanese, to the same point of travesty that Scottish kilts are often pushed?
I would suggest that if anyone wants to wear a kilted garment but not the rest of Highland-Dress attire, then he should not wear a Scottish tartan.

[Graham]

I cannot quite see any logic in selecting, say, Smith tartan, if your name is Wallace.
I do, however, look less favourably upon the practice of choosing to wear a kilt of Scottish tartan in a version which is greatly at odds with the standards of Highland Dress accepted in Scotland. I think that is mildly insulting, because the Scottish tartan kilt-outfit is, after all, just that: national-dress.

Kiltedscot, are you saying then that a kilt is a National Costume and a tartan kilt should be worn properly or not at all?

And, do you really think that family/clan tartans today have so much validity as to necessitate the wearing of ones' family tartan to the exclusion of others?

[Alaskan]

I think that is mildly insulting, because the Scottish tartan kilt-outfit is, after all, just that: national-dress. For example, how many would feel comfortable "taking liberties" with other traditional costumes, such as Indian and Japanese, to the same point of travesty that Scottish kilts are often pushed?

Well said.
This is much the way I feel, but I have found it difficult to express the way I feel in a way in which I can make myself understood.

I don't think that one has to go so far as to wear gillie brougues or an Argyll jacket at all times when wearing a Scottish tartan... but one can still dress in a way that is respectful of the traditions.

[Blu (Ontario)]

... I would suggest that if anyone wants to wear a kilted garment but not the rest of Highland-Dress attire, then he should not wear a Scottish tartan.

Everything you've said all comes down to one word... "Respect". And this I absolutely make every effort to do. However, with regards to the end of your post, are you suggesting that casual attire may not be appropriate? I'm not quite sure how to interpret what you've said.

[T90 Tim]

Sorry guys I couldn't be so nice to him. It really pisses me off when people go on about the "right" or even the right way to wear a kilt. As an American with Highland blood, it sets me steaming, but even if I didn't have any scot blood, I'd still be interested in wearing a kilt.

Then all this talk of calling a kilt a costume. The kilt isn't a costume, it is a form of dress or in laymans terms...clothes.

I think Alaskan nailed it with the written accent, I've corresponded with Scots many times by email and have never had any accented replies. What a fake.

[zeytoun]

Yeah, you can always spot the wannabe jews because they throw too much yiddish in. Oy gevalt! what am I, some kind of shlemiel, some other forum I ought to be posting this on perhaps.

[phil h]

I found it especially suspicious that he typed in a Scottish accent. I've never seen anyone who spoke with an accent who also wrote in that accent.

I do

[phil h]

A loser from London maybe. Part of it rings true. The email address links to a UK site - "Wanadoo.co.uk" - similar to hotmail. The posted website is a fake though.

news flash, scotland is in the UK too.

[kiltedscot]

Blu (Ontario) wrote: Everything you've said all comes down to one word... "Respect". And this I absolutely make every effort to do. However, with regards to the end of your post, are you suggesting that casual attire may not be appropriate? I'm not quite sure how to interpret what you've said.
I was most definitely not trying to say that casual attire is inappropriate - I was trying to express in a clumsy way exactly what you summed up with the word "respect". I believe that, whether the context be casual or formal, anyone who wears a Scottish kilt should wear it with reasonable respect for tradition.

And, Graham, the FULL sentence I wrote was: I have no quarrel with anyone wearing any available Scottish tartan he chooses, although I cannot see the logic in selecting, say, Smith tartan, if your name is Wallace.
I can only repeat what I first wrote: I have no quarrel with anyone wearing any available Scottish tartan he chooses. If someone wants to "mix and match" tartans in any way he wishes, that's fine by me - it is simply that, since all tartans are named after a clan, or family-name, or district, or organization, I do not see any logic in selecting a tartan with which the wearer has no association if there is actually a tartan available with which he does have an association, however tenuous. But, even if there is an association, it is perfectly acceptable, as far as I am concerned, that a man may choose a tartan for his kilt for no other reason than that he likes the colours and pattern - I just would not do that myself.

[Graham]

Regarding whether the chap we speak of is Scottish or not...I actually DO know someone who IS Scottish and who writes with a "scottish accent", at least in emails to me. So I wouldn't be 100% on that point, it may be correct tho.

kiltedscot
Thanks for the clarification, sorry if I misread your post.