Old Punks Young Punks

[Keith A]

Im Sitting Here At Work Its About 0100 Hrs Iv Got 3 More Hrs To Go. I Was Thinking Over The Past Few Months Iv Read Alot Of Post From Brothers How Are Old Punks And Young Punks. So I Was Thinking How Many Of You Are Out There Who Are Wearing Kilts, And Did Growing Up A Punk Have Any Bearing On You Wearing A Kilt Now. North Jersey Hardcore Rules.

[Beertigger]

NYHC.

What's w/ the Initial Caps? That's Awfully Hard To Read.

[Casper]

I'm 28, grew up as bit of a little homeboy in high school, followed by a bit of a rocker in my early 20's, then settled into country/rock/celtic in my late 20's.

[Clockwork John]

I'm a punk, and I wear a kilt, but I'm not sure the two have anything to do with each other... being a punk opened my mind to "non-traditional" fashion, and in America, a kilt is definitely non-traditional... I wear what I want, when I want... maybe "growing up punk" gave me the confidence and attitude required to wear a kilt on a day-to-day basis, with no particular reason for it, other than that I want to wear it... but I wear it because I'm a Scot and I'm proud, not because it's "rebellious" or "unconventional."

[GreenDragon]

I'm 28, grew up as bit of a little homeboy in high school, followed by a bit of a rocker in my early 20's, then settled into country/rock/celtic in my late 20's.

Minus the Country, that pretty much describes me, too. Except I'm 26.

[kallen]

I am a HeadBanger, not a Punk. Its weird, that HeadBangers & Punks didn't get along, 'cause the attitude wasn't that much different. We just didn't put safety pins in our noses!!!

[Kilted Christian]

I played in rock bands in the late 70s and early 1980s wearing a fair amount of glam clothing (leather pants, skin tight satin, some hair color) and it fits with the desire to be separate, to be non-conforming, to question authority, etc. I was always, however, more and more a thinker, so I have transitioned to balding and professional attire in my work and tend to express my clothing individuality by choices and attention to detail in dress and grooming. Kilts have recently entered the picture, but my wife is struggling with it. These things will take time. I think that being punkish (never true Johnny Rotten punkish but then rock and roller lifestyle is only a slight nudge away) spills over into my worldview today, and wearing kilts is part of it.

[corbinj]

Old punk here, not the prison type. It has most affected the way I dress, my whole life. Starting in 1976 when I saw and loved a hat with a big red star because it pissed off my Dad. Wow what power! That trend continued all throughout my formative years. I have to be honest about one thing, punk to me was never a scene. One of the things that was most punk to me was not being able to be catagorized. I am still that way. Yeah I had a mohawk, I wore torn up jeans, listened to all the punk bands, rode my skate 'till it gave me cancer, yada yada yada. I was the first one I knew open minded enough to wear a kilt. It really freaked out the local " punk scene" 1982. I think younger punks have alot more openness in their scenes. Black punks, Mexican punks,There are even punk gays nowadays or gay punks, I am not hip anymore. That would have been a death warrant back in the "old days". The first kilt like thing I wore was a pair of railroad bib overalls with the legs torn off about nine sizes too big, looked real silly, but made my point. Pissed off all my punk friends, got my *** kicked by the local skins just for good measure. I got my cool back later when the cutest girl in school thought I was a rebel, and asked me out, to piss off her parents most likely. No one likes a punk showing up to take out their daughter... no one. Well to finish this ramble, The main reason I wear kilts is because I like to. Yeah, Kilts foster some panic in the main stream, that is just a bonus to me. Note to River, the older I get the more like my Dad I become. I realize this is because "punk" is really just another name for new and misunderstood. Buddy Holly, Elvis, John f.Kennedy, Ghandi, Jesus, Budda. Just a few of the more famous folks who some called punks. see ya

[Arlen]

Well, I grew up listening to everying from Glen Campbell and Gaberlunzie to The sex pistols, s&tb, Janis Joplin to Klf to Sepultura to Ella Fitzgerald and Blosom Dearie.
The list goes on and on and my musical tastes vary widely.
Here in Scotland the punks tended to be more concerned with Tartan trousers than Kilts.
I think it was more that I grew up in Scotland and that I had an interest in my heritage and culture.
But I can see how having a more varied view of fashion in other countries could help lead one into kilt wearing.

[KiltedCelt]

I grew up in the 80's Baltimore/Washington
Hardcore Punk Scene so I guess that makes me an "Old Punk"! You had to have a lot of self confidence not to mention guts to dress punk in those days! Baltimore was and is a very conseritive town and we regularly had trash,bottles,you name it thrown at us fom cars and townhouse windows etc. I was once narrowly missed by a metal trash can thrown from a pedestrian overpass! The cops would harass you for no other reason then the way you were dressed! Not to mention the in fighting between the "Punks" and the White Power/Nazi Skin Heads that was tanamont to a gang war at times. So while theres not a direct link ( didn't wear one back then) to my kilt wearing to day. My past has made the occational joke or rude comment(very few and far between I might add)a breaze to deal with in comparision and has made it very easy for me to wear the kilt in public.

Cheers,

Mike