What are we allowed to post in this section?

[Nathan]

I've had several threads I posted about dressing traditionally moved from this thread to others. Threads about tweed kilt jackets have been moved to how to accessorize your kilt, a thread about why people should care about dressing traditionally has been moved to general kilt talk. In total I've had something like seven threads I started in this section to keep it vibrant moved so I'm at a loss as to what we could possibly discuss here that an argument couldn't be made to move elsewhere.

I would think that if I wanted advice on which accessories are worn traditionally and how they are worn, it should go here rather than in the accessorize section. I'm also not sure a jacket is really an accessory.

Even this thread will probably end up in forum issues or something. So mods, I want to respect the rules of the forum, but even by judging the threads in this sub-forum that have not been moved, I'm scratching my head.

Please advise some examples of things that could be discussed here so those of us who want to keep this sub-forum active can brainstorm topics that won't be moved.

[CMcG]

I've noticed this too, Nathan, and I think it's a good question. It was particularly surprising when your Tradition and Change thread was moved out of the traditional sub-forum, where we're supposed to "discuss and see examples of how kilts can be worn to emulate a traditional style or fashion."

[California Highlander]

I've had several threads I posted about dressing traditionally moved from this thread to others. Threads about tweed kilt jackets have been moved to how to accessorize your kilt, a thread about why people should care about dressing traditionally has been moved to general kilt talk. In total I've had something like nine threads I started in this section to keep it vibrant moved so I'm at a loss as to what we could possibly discuss here that an argument couldn't be made to move elsewhere.

I agree, especially the Tradition thread. Some respondents appeared to not realize where it was posted (Traditionally Made Kilts and How To Wear Them), and their responses moved the content off-topic after 30 interesting posts had already been made. I would rather see the mods direct the off-topic content to another area rather than move the thread and encourage broad, off-topic commentary by a couple of members.

[OC Richard]

For sure it's difficult, with so many potential crossover topics.

For example, taking only the first page of "general kilt talk" there's a thread about sporrans, a thread about feather bonnets, a thread about boots, and a thread about a jacket. All could potentially be moved to "accessories".

The term "accessories" means different things to different people. For whatever reason I consider the things that actually clothe the body, and usually made of woven or knit wool (hats, jackets, kilts, socks) to be "clothing" and the other things, usually leather or metal (belts, sporrans, kilt pins, cap badges) to be "accessories".

A kilt jacket, to me, cannot be regarded as an accessory because its equivalent Saxon thing is an inseparable part of the suit. A Highland "suit of clothes" (as it were) would consist of the kilt, jacket, and hose (which are an exposed essential element, not hidden like the socks worn with a Saxon suit). Indeed the visual impact of Highland Dress is divided into three somewhat equal thirds hose/kilt/jacket (covering the same space as the trousers and jacket of a Saxon suit). "Accessories" then might be everything else.

What I tend to post here are 1) things regarding vintage kilt photos and 2) things regarding Highland military garb, there being no "Highland military dress" forum (I sometimes wish there were).

Well I suppose trying to keep the boundaries between sections maintained is a constant headache for the moderators. Since there's so much overlap I don't think about it much, however one thread of mine was moved to a patently incorrect forum: a thread about the Cumbric language which was moved to the "Gaelic languages" forum. Putting aside the fact that "Gaelic languages" is itself an oxymoron, there are no grounds for putting a thread about a language which is not Gaelic into that forum (unless of course the forum is re-named). I correctly put my post in the "miscellaneous" forum, but it was moved.

It would be like having a thread about the Toyota Landcruiser moved into a forum called "The Jeep Wranglers".

[WVHighlander]

Nathan,

I think this is well said/written.


John

[Spartan Tartan]

I have noticed this as well, Nathan. I have also began less frequent visits to the site because the section I enjoy seems to be dying and all the interesting topics are moved elsewhere.

Admittedly, I am not a high volume contributor, but I DO come to this sub forum specifically because I enjoy the discussions had. It has become increasingly difficult to find the threads that interest me recently due to their being moved.

[ASinclair]

Nathan, I have also been surprised to see several threads on traditional highland dress get moved to other forums. While following the wonderful thread where you and Colin provided excellent examples of THCD, I was surprised to see us get slammed for our attitude toward our non-traditional kilt-wearing brethren. I used to view all forums, but now just look mainly at this one, assuming that this is where we are supposed to stay in order to not step on any non-traditional toes. So I share your concern and confusion that threads discussing THCD keep getting moved to other forums.

[Tobus]

I'm glad you brought this up, Nathan. I have wondered the same thing. I admit that my main interest on this board is 'traditional kilt talk', and it seems to have been scattered to the proverbial winds of late. I may be missing some good topics because they're getting buried in subforums that I never open because they don't interest me.

[Terry1948]

As a relative newbie to XMarks, with a wide interest in various ways of wearing the kilt, I would like to comment on this thread.

There is a lot of crossover, so let's take a thread about jackets (as an example) that has been placed by the OP only in the Traditional subforum, but would actually apply to both Contemporary and Traditional (and let's not get into how those terms are defined!). There could be members who would miss it because they view themselves as being Contemporary and not Traditional, so don't look in that subforum. However, they would look in the Accessories Forum, and would see comments from those who pattern themselves in a Traditional ambience, and those who feel they are wearing the kilt in a Contemporary manner. That might lead them to explore the Traditional subforum more. The reverse would also be true for Traditionalists.

I think it behooves folks to use the search function (even with its limitations -- this is not Google, after all, and tag the threads). Part of the enjoyment of XMarks is finding new perspectives on the kilt and how to wear it. I have seen examples of personal styles that I really appreciated, and others that I felt worked for that person, but not for me. But it has been an opportunity to learn.

With all the crossover on topics, I don't envy the Moderators in trying to keep the forum readable. XMarks is populated by people from all over the world with different perspectives. The goal is to make the forum usable for all these people, not just a subset. So, sometimes where an OP posts a thread may not be where the Moderators think it should go for the access of the entire forum, and they move it. I am assuming that the OP gets some form of notification that the thread has been moved.... For someone who has been following the thread, wouldn't any new posts show up in New Posts, and from there it would be obvious that the thread has been moved? The reader who wants to follow the thread would then know to look there.

[artificer]

As a relative newbie to XMarks, with a wide interest in various ways of wearing the kilt, I would like to comment on this thread.

There is a lot of crossover, so let's take a thread about jackets (as an example) that has been placed by the OP only in the Traditional subforum, but would actually apply to both Contemporary and Traditional (and let's not get into how those terms are defined!). There could be members who would miss it because they view themselves as being Contemporary and not Traditional, so don't look in that subforum. However, they would look in the Accessories Forum, and would see comments from those who pattern themselves in a Traditional ambience, and those who feel they are wearing the kilt in a Contemporary manner. That might lead them to explore the Traditional subforum more. The reverse would also be true for Traditionalists.

I think it behooves folks to use the search function (even with its limitations -- this is not Google, after all, and tag the threads). Part of the enjoyment of XMarks is finding new perspectives on the kilt and how to wear it. I have seen examples of personal styles that I really appreciated, and others that I felt worked for that person, but not for me. But it has been an opportunity to learn.

With all the crossover on topics, I don't envy the Moderators in trying to keep the forum readable. XMarks is populated by people from all over the world with different perspectives. The goal is to make the forum usable for all these people, not just a subset. So, sometimes where an OP posts a thread may not be where the Moderators think it should go for the access of the entire forum, and they move it. I am assuming that the OP gets some form of notification that the thread has been moved.... For someone who has been following the thread, wouldn't any new posts show up in New Posts, and from there it would be obvious that the thread has been moved? The reader who wants to follow the thread would then know to look there.

I'm going to have to disagree with this. People can explore whichever sub-forum they like, but each sub-forum serves a particular purpose.

The Traditional subforum exists for those who wish to discuss the finer points of how the kilt is worn in a traditional sense. (Following the 'Rules' as it were).
Some contemporary dressers find the discussion excruciating and knit-picking.

The Contemporary subforum exists for those who may wish to wear the kilt in a more 'modern' sense. Alternate jacket styles, scrunched down hose, unusual sporrans, etc.
Traditional dressers may find some of this... troubling .

To strip the traditional forum of everything BUT the kilt itself essentially destroys the subforum, as a kilt worn traditionally frequently DOES have a jacket (or jumper). Why take the discussion of
traditional jackets worn WITH traditional kilts OUT of the Traditional Sub-forum?

Just my $0.02, but I find the recent 'pruning' of the traditional forum has sucked much of the life and discussion out of XMarks, at least the parts I quite enjoyed.

ith: