Sgian Dubh w/ Non-Traditional Insulting?

[Ayin McFye]

Good day everyone. This question is for our traditional kilt wearers out there.

A friend of mine mentioned to me on St. Patrick's day that wearing a Sgian Dubh with non-traditional kilt attire, can be seen as insulting to a traditionalist. So my question is according to the die hard traditionalist kilt wearers, when is it ok or not ok to wear a Sgian Dubh?

Even if I'm not a 100% traditionalist, I also don't ever want to offend someone if I can prevent it. I highly respect the kilt, and I understand that the kilt style that I embrace is a bit of a mix between traditionalist and modern, but I'd still like to know proper protocol should I choose to follow it.

I know that the non-traditional kilt wearers will say "Just wear it if you want to", but that's not what I'm interested in.

Thanks in advance.

[Macman]

Ayin, this probably won't answer your question, but no matter what you wear, there is likely someone you will offend. I've worn the kilt traditionally, right out of Dunakin's book, and had people come up and tell me what I'm wearing wrong. There are many opinions as to what is correct when dressing traditionally.
If you're going traditional, then the sgian dubh is always okay to wear.
If you're wearing non-traditional kilt attire, then whether you wear the sgian or not doesn't matter, because you've already offended a traditionalist, somewhere, by not wearing the kilt traditionally. For clarity, I'm not saying that all traditionalists will be offended, or even that it is bad to be offended, just that someone will be, sgian or no.

[Monkey@Arms]

I frankly don't even understand the question. How could wearing a small sheath knife in your sock be an insult? A crime, sometimes, but an insult?

Best regards,

Jake

[Colonel MacNeal]

I think as long as its not an evening sgian, anything your locality will allow should be OK.

[JS Sanders]

I'll add mine to Macman's...

No matter how either impeccably or slovenly kilted you are, some ding-a-ling is gonna express details of their offense.

I've reached the time of life where I no longer suffer fools. It's a sad state of affairs where our decisions in life are dictated by those who may take offense. Good manners always, however, I don't accommodate jugheads.

A non-traditional look is not something you'll see me wearing, but I don't get on my ear when someone else does. And this includes wearing a sgian. If that look pleases you, why stop at the sgian?

Slan,
steve

[Jock Scot]

Good day everyone. This question is for our traditional kilt wearers out there.

A friend of mine mentioned to me on St. Patrick's day that wearing a Sgian Dubh with non-traditional kilt attire, can be seen as insulting to a traditionalist. So my question is according to the die hard traditionalist kilt wearers, when is it ok or not ok to wear a Sgian Dubh?

Even if I'm not a 100% traditionalist, I also don't ever want to offend someone if I can prevent it. I highly respect the kilt, and I understand that the kilt style that I embrace is a bit of a mix between traditionalist and modern, but I'd still like to know proper protocol should I choose to follow it.

I know that the non-traditional kilt wearers will say "Just wear it if you want to", but that's not what I'm interested in.

Thanks in advance.

If anybody,but anybody gets insulted over kilts and its attire(apart from wearing feathers that one is not entitled to) then one really ought to go and get a life! Strong opinions are held by some, of that there is no doubt, but lets keep things in perspective. Please.

If you want to wear sgian dubh, then wear one, there is no right or wrong here.It is down to personal choice.

Now, I have to admit I am a tad confused here. If one is to wish to wear a non traditional kilt and attire, why would one want to conform with anything that is traditional? I am not saying, for one second, you can't. I am just wondering why you should want to?

This raises the question of; do modern and traditional kilt attire mix? From what I have seen here, and only here, then in my humble opinion, my answer is, no they don't. Each to their own.

[Nighthawk]

If anybody,but anybody gets insulted over kilts and its attire(apart from wearing feathers that one is not entitled to) then one really ought to go and get a life! Strong opinions are held by some, of that there is no doubt, but lets keep things in perspective. Please.

If you want to wear sgian dubh, then wear one, there is no right or wrong here.It is down to personal choice.

Now, I have to admit I am a tad confused here. If one is to wish to wear a non traditional kilt and attire, why would one want to conform with anything that is traditional? I am not saying, for one second, you can't. I am just wondering why you should want to?

This raises the question of; do modern and traditional kilt attire mix? From what I have seen here, and only here, then in my humble opinion, my answer is, no they don't. Each to their own.

The answer to your question is, in my mind, a simple one, Jock. You are a Scot, from Scotland. I am not. You have the traditions. They are a part of your culture. They are not a part of ours culture, but in my case, a part of my legacy and history. I see myself as a modern man who is rooted in, not bound to, the traditions of my grandmothers culture. I am an American- not a Scot. I am just lucky enough to have the Scots in my geneology. This is why I wear mostly American tartans and American made kilts- I have as much patriotism as I have pride in my past. I wear a sgain dubh and other traditional trappings with my Amerikilt because that is how I see myself- as touched by tradition, but still a part of the world that I live in. Were I a native Scot, I would probably feel the same way towards trad and modern as you do- but for myself only. So there you go- this is why I would want to mix the modern with the traditional- because I am a mix of modern and tradition.

[Bugbear]

The answer to your question is, in my mind, a simple one, Jock. You are a Scot, from Scotland. I am not. You have the traditions. They are a part of your culture. They are not a part of ours culture, but in my case, a part of my legacy and history. I see myself as a modern man who is rooted in, not bound to, the traditions of my grandmothers culture. I am an American- not a Scot. I am just lucky enough to have the Scots in my geneology. This is why I wear mostly American tartans and American made kilts- I have as much patriotism as I have pride in my past. I wear a sgain dubh and other traditional trappings with my Amerikilt because that is how I see myself- as touched by tradition, but still a part of the world that I live in. Were I a native Scot, I would probably feel the same way towards trad and modern as you do- but for myself only. So there you go- this is why I would want to mix the modern with the traditional- because I am a mix of modern and tradition.

How dare you come up with a logical and well thought out explaination, Nighthawk!

Oh wait, you used the term "modern" in place of non-traditional. I guess everything is all right with you, then, in it's own twisted and broken way.

[McClef]

I wouldn't dream of not wearing a Sgian when formally dressed but when casually dressed I often don't.

I think its absence would be more noticed with formal dress but that's not the whole story as I was challenged at a petrol station in Wales as to why I wasn't wearing one (it was packed in my luggage as I was heading for the airport)!

[Nighthawk]

I wouldn't dream of not wearing a Sgian when formally dressed but when casually dressed I often don't.

I think its absence would be more noticed with formal dress but that's not the whole story as I was challenged at a petrol station in Wales as to why I wasn't wearing one (it was packed in my luggage as I was heading for the airport)!

Yeah- and? Why were not wearing one, sir?


I was actually asked the same question by a couple fire fighters at a coffee shop yesterday. I was on my way home from work. My coworkers already think I'm crazy... Crazy and armed? That would do more than raise a few eyebrows!