kilts in Scotland

[TheSp8]

While stationed in Germany we made 2 trips to Scotland. We saw guys wear kilts each time. Most looked to be for special events since they were wearing PCs. There was a parade and some event going on in Edinburgh that some that were just there to watch were wearing their kilts. Still sounds like a special event to me. The 2nd trip I was kilted the whole time, either in a UK or a tartan kilt. The only comments I got were nice kilt, I belong to (clan name), or a whistle. Never got a negative comment.

Converting Pounds to Dollars for a comparison is not very accurate. We would just use Pounds as Dollars when comparing things. We fed the three of us a very nice meal on the 1st trip for around 55 Pounds. Our thinking was that an equivilant meal in the states would be about the same in dollars. Of course, when you convert it jumped to $110 for the meal. If you get paid and spend everything in Pounds then the cost works out about the same.

YMOS,
Tony

[SteveB]

Part of my family has been here 387 years, some 120 years, some 88 years. Some of my spouse's family has been here 387 years, a small portion has been in America over 1000 years. History is stranger than fiction.
--- Steve

[graham_s]

It's an expensive thing to buy a Kilt in Scotland.
A kilt alone can cost around £250, never mind the rest of the accessories.
Not a prospect for the average person in the street.
"party" Kilts or "tourist" Kilts (generally made by heritage) are not very common as they are only available in tourist shops.

[haxtonhouse]

wow, I didn't expect this much response! Thank you all, these have all been eye opening. My ancestors came from Scotland to America in 1676 on my father's fathers side and again in 1802 on my father's mothers side. I agree that the kilt is a treasure to keep and respect, and I have had to scrimp and save to buy one (I am still waiting on it to be made by Newsome). I thank you all again for your insight, you are a very informative lot!

[Jock Scot]

wow, I didn't expect this much response! Thank you all, these have all been eye opening. My ancestors came from Scotland to America in 1676 on my father's fathers side and again in 1802 on my father's mothers side. I agree that the kilt is a treasure to keep and respect, and I have had to scrimp and save to buy one (I am still waiting on it to be made by Newsome). I thank you all again for your insight, you are a very informative lot!

I am not cleaver enough to seperate the relevant sentance,but the skimping,saving,respecting and treasuring bit of your contribution describes,precisely,the Scottish way of thinking about kilts.Well, by some of us at least!

[highlander_Daz]

I point thats not been adressed is the fact that the kilt is Highland wear and not Scottish wear, Highland folk, and what they wore was look down upon by Lowland folk, Highland culture and lowland culture were completly seperate, not so many years ago weegies or Edinburgh folk would not have been seen dead in the kilt, indeed only recently after the mergers of the Scottish regiment (an act of pure vandalism) border regiments were protesting at having to wear the kilt "we are proud to be lowlanders!!!" there has been a merging of highland and lowland cultures with lowland folk adopting highland traditions and branding them as "Scottish" , theres nothing wrong with that , and of course Highland wear has gone from being banned to being a multimilion pound industry,
I was once in Glasgow and some guys wear giving an English guy a (good natured) ribbing for wearing the kilt, I thought to myself hes as entitled to wear one as a weegie, if your point is its odd to wear the kilt because hes English, its just as odd for a Glaswegian to wear one, after all its Highland wear.

Of course you dont have to be a cowboy to wear Jeans, just the same as you dont need to be a Highlander to wear the Kilt, but I think this blurring of cultures should be bourne in mind
the Kilt is Highland wear NOT Scottish wear.

Happy new year by the way

[seanboy]

the Kilt is Highland wear NOT Scottish wear.

Your talking b****ks

[Arlen]

Your talking bo****ks

First, I'll ask nicely that you don't use full sweary words on the forum. It's a family place.
No offence, but just to let you know.

Second, he is actually right. Look into the history of kilt wearing.
The kilt was a highland item of clothing. No one below the Trossaches used to wear them.
Indeed, you can even find journal notes from Glaswegians in the 1700's mentioning the outlandish wearing of kilts by the highland men.

That said, it is now seen by most Scots as a Scottish item of clothing and it is certainly accessible to all.

I'm born and bred Glaswegian but I wear a kilt every day without fail.
My family are from the Highlands but stopped wearing kilts regularly when they moved to Perthshire two generations ago.


When you look in the yellow pages or at the catalog of a kiltmaker, you will find it says 'Highlandwear specialist.' Not Scottishwear.

[macwilkin]

Your talking b******s

Not from a historical perspective he isn't. While the kilt is thought of as a Scottish garment in modern times, during the 18th century, most Lowlanders, especially those who favoured the Hanoverians, wouldn't be caught dead in one.

T.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Your talking bollocks

Perhaps, as a critic, you would care to back up your assertion? The received wisdom is that the kilt originated in the highlands, not the lowlands. Further, lowlanders eschewed the kilt in favour of breeks and trews. You live in Glasgow-- which is in the lowlands-- so if you know something the rest of us don't, please share your knowledge. Criticism without facts to back it up is mere gainsay. And gainsay does nothing to advance or improve our understanding of our rich cultural heritage.