I'm amazed at you people

[OC Richard]

fishing in a kilt
had dinner in a kilt
hill walking in a kilt

To me I like my kilt it is part of my heritage and clan but that's it, it's an article of clothing and nothing more, yes it sends out a statement “Hi look at me I'm not dressed like you” but that is all, I don't look at it any difference that a smart suit etc.
Or is it that most of you live in the US of A and you feel left out and away from Scotland and you put on an act more so than people that actually live in Scotland.

I find myself pretty much in agreement with you.

I'm a working piper and Highland Dress is my work clothes, something which I must wear in order to get paid. It's rare for me to wear a kilt otherwise.

Part of it is the expense of it all... my kilts are traditional tartan wool handsewn kilts. Maybe if I were interested in utility kilts or sport kilts or casual kilts it would be different.

Unlike most pipers, I will sometimes wear Highland Dress when not being paid to do so; for example my wife and I attended a concert of the Royal Regiment of Scotland a while back and I dressed up for that. And I'll often wear a kilt to a Highland Games that I'm not performing at (once again, unlike most pipers).

About some Scottish-Americans putting on their Scottishness, yes, it's a bit much sometimes. What strikes me is how often a man's propensity to dress up in elaborate Highland Dress and loudly boast about his ancestry is in inverse proportion to his knowledge about Highland Dress and Scottish things in general.

My own ancestry is rather vague; perhaps that's why men beating the drum about their Scottish ancestry strikes me as a bit over-the-top.

[gary meakin]

Yes indeed and that includes talking about why we wear the kilt and how we feel about it.
In starting this thread Richard expressed his own opinion with which not everyone will agree, but in starting this thread he also exhibited a desire to open the subject for discussion. I am sure Richard wants to talk about kilts as much as the rest of us, and is keen to learn why people from nations other than his own choose to wear kilts, that is probably why he has chosen to be here.

You might be right. I guess I just don't think someone is interested in some good opinion exchange when they start with "I'm amazed at you people."

[Cowher]

Sorry for coming in late on this discussion. I was over at the pants forum posting about how women are falling all over me because of my new pants.


In regards to the conversation going on here i have to give a full hearted YES.

[CDNSushi]

on how you treat your kilts, I think some of you act as if is some sort of God, like -
fishing in a kilt
had dinner in a kilt
hill walking in a kilt
have any of you had sex in a kilt, No don't answer that

I would disagree that such things elevate the kilt to something godlike... But it IS indicative that some people really, really, really like their kilts. And I find nothing wrong with that. Isn't there something(s) in YOUR life that you really, really, really like? Being passionate about something, even if it's something simple, is what makes life worth living. Take that away, and you lose out on a lot. I am not the arbiter of whether someone wants to have sex in a kilt, but if they do -- it's nothing to me, nor to you, and it ill befits us to criticize it.

To me I like my kilt it is part on my heritage and clan (Anderson) but that it, it's an article of clothing and nothing more, yes it sends out a statement “Hi look at me I'm not dressed like you” but that is all, I don't look at it any difference that a smart suit ect.

How YOU choose to interpret the kilt is just that: YOUR individual choice. Surely you must realize that not everyone's worldview is the same as this.

Or is it that most of you live in the US of A and you feel left out and away from Scotland and you put on an act more so than people that actual live in Scotland.

Ha! Now that's a laugh. Especially as a Canadian expat living in Japan. But more to the point, of course it's an act. Everything in life is an act, especially the way we present ourselves. I tend to have strong post-constructionalist thoughts. I tend to believe, much like philosopher Judith Butler, that the way we dress really is an act, or more accurately, an human-made, unnatural construct that simply becomes natural through the repetition of stylized acts over time. That being the case, you too are putting on an act by dressing in a way that is consistent with a coerced performance mandated by society.

All that aside, if you go back and read some of the more poignant discussions here on XMarks, you will find that the last time it was suggested that many kilt-wearers are simply "playing at being Scots" any such implication was strongly rejected by most respondents, and it quite seriously raised the ire of many who took issue with the idea that someone might think that about them. No sense in stirring up that pot once again -- if you honestly, truly want an answer to your question, just go back in the archives and read about it rather than re-asking the same question. (The mods will appreciate not having to police another kerfuffle like that again).

[tundramanq]

The renewed interest in Scotlands National dress is the best thing that ever happened to it. If it isn't used it will wander into histories dust bin. Todays traditional kilt is a huge improvement over the kilts of one and more centuries ago - only because it was a living active piece of apparel. Many new designs have and will come out - some will be the Highland attire while others won't. The best will survive, the rest will die out. Without the Prohibition and it's repeal it probably would have died off as a living garment. LOL Tell a Scot he can't and he will make it the national dress!

[Alan H]

I will say that sometimes it does seem that some X Markers elevate the pleats to a sacred object, which fuddles me completely.. Also, there are some X Markers who seem to live and breathe kilt minutiae. I don't really grok that. And there are some X Markers who own so much kilt stuff that it seems to me to be far beyond the limits of anything remotely sensible. There are X Markers who seem to be so into the whole kilt thing that sometimes it seems to me that they've a bit lost touch with reality, and live in a fantasy world centered around a very tweedy 1914.

Any and all of these fellows may be great lads, in all sorts of ways, BTW.

On the other hand, I throw rocks and trees and sweat like a pig in my kilts, not to mention stretching some of them out to dry on the burro hitching rack. That's not terribly sensible either, so different strokes, eh?

[Baldybrown]

In Scotland there are approximately five million Scots. In the U.S. there are over twenty-five million with claims to Scottish ancestry. In my family I have ties to over twenty different clans. Some of my ancestors were forced out of Scotland by greedy landowners during the infamous clearances. There are stories of families being ripped apart and as the boat sailed, those left on the dock, with tears filling their eyes, sang an ancient Gaelic song to those leaving; 'Weel ye no cum home again?'
I think that we American Scots hold on to our Scottish identity fiercely, and rightly so, because we were forced out by the nobility. With clinched fist, we'll hold our heads high and shout it loudly, "You may steal our homes and country, but as long as there's living breath within us, you'll never steal our heritage!" It's our way of 'coming home again."
I'll wear my kilt with pride, whenever the hell I want, and I'll gladly spit in anyone's eye who dares to tell me I can't.

[Father Bill]

Good said, Baldy!

[islandkilt]

aye, damn well said Mr. Brown!

[rondo]

As a Scot living in Scotland I would certainly have to disagree with you Richard that our American friends wear the kilt to put on an act. Just like myself I suspect our Trans-Atlantic cousins wear kilts out of pride for their Scottish heritage or simply because the kilt is a comfortable and practical garment for all men.

^ This...
Rondo