Is it possible to wear a kilt and not look like you're from Scotland?

[Alan H]

Or this guy, doing a Gourocks course.



Or this guy. pushing a prowler sled.

[Alan H]

And yet this guy is dress very appropriately (and correctly) for the activity in which he is engaged.

Seems like he does! LOL.... Whatever the case, he sure is sweaty and stinky.

However, before I made the digital camouflage kilt in polyester-cotton, I backpacked in a Ramsay, blue tartan USA Kilts casual model.

[Sir Didymous]

Interesting aside, Blanket coats/Capote's are perceived as being something "Canadian", yet in the not so distant past (To Me) they were just as prevalent in Pittsburgh or Louisiana on the backs of French, English, African and Native American peoples. Another tidbit lost to the sands of time, they were not always made from Blankets, various broadcloths, kerseys and strouds were used, as well as blankets.

There have also been some in the reenactment community that suggest that Highland Scots that came to the Americas early on used belted plaid's to fashion these coats. Coats are more suited to the terrain they were met with than the great kilt was. Some of my friends have made theirs of tartan wool.

[Alan H]

How about this guy?

He's a Pakistani government official, representing Pakistan in Scotland. I doubt that he's trying to fool people into thinking that he's from Scotland. BTW, I freaking love his jacket.



Look up Highland Games competitor, Kengo Kubota. He's a very highly ranked Japanese athlete, in the over 40 Masters classes. Kengo is very clearly from JAPAN, but he wears a tartan and black kilt to compete in. He's engaging in a "Scottish" activity, but is very clearly NOT from Scotland.

Here's Kengo, representing for Japan at the World Amateur Highland Games championships in HUNGARY.



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In conclusion, it appears that most of us on the forum believe that it is possible to wear a kilt...both "contemporary, non-tartan" kilts and more "tartan, traditional" kilts and NOT be trying to appear like we're from Scotland. Some folks like that they're comfortable. Some folks like Sportkilts. Some folks like to honor their heritage but wish to be quite clear that they're from the USA or Canada or Australia or New Zealand...or Japan. Some people wear kilts as part of required gear for an activity that they participate in, but have no wish to pass themselves off as being from Scotland.

Though nobody has said so outright, it's likely there are at least a few people not from Scotland on the forum who DO wish to be mistaken for a Scot and enjoy being asked questions along those lines. They haven't spoken up, though.

A few people don't believe that it is possible to wear a kilt without at least unconsciously imitating or possibly complimenting, possibly parodying people from Scotland , which of course is their right.

[The Wizard of BC]

There have also been some in the reenactment community that suggest that Highland Scots that came to the Americas early on used belted plaid's to fashion these coats. Coats are more suited to the terrain they were met with than the great kilt was. Some of my friends have made theirs of tartan wool.

I am a firm believer that what is called the great kilt is actually the Brat or similar heavy blanket with the belt for the Leine on the outside. This today would be called a "Matchcoat".

While there is no historical documentation before the Highland Renaissance period of what a Belted Plaid actually was or how it was worn, there is plenty of documentation for the matchcoat.

All you have to imagine is the N. American 'Indians' wrapped in their trade blanket.

A Leine and Brat


Trade Blankets


A matchcoat

[Angela Kaye Bodine]

I wear my kilts because my husband wanted me to wear more skirts, but I didn't like the styles etc, nothing that screamed ME until one day I saw a beautiful woman wearing her kilt that her grandmother sent her from Scotland. .She was my muse still is. From then on I knew what I wanted. So now I wear wool kilts 99% of the time.. I think I look cute in them, so does my husband. I got rid of all my pants to. I like the fact I can dress up or down wear my Doc Martens boots, Uggs, clogs, and crocks..anything I want..And to some I nor any other woman should not wear a kilt. Well I ran into a Scottish woman visiting America and she wanted my picture and I asked her if I wore it well she said yes..Then at a July 4th (party was on July 2nd) I had my MacLaren Reproduction w red sporran THIS year a nice man that was born in Scotland said I wore it well ( I asked him) and now his wife wants one...Lol.. So that is why I like to wear kilts... I will be wearing them til I die...If anyone ask "are you Scottish " ...Nope I'm German and French .I wear my kilts with pride and love......Angie

[John_Carrick]

[QUOTE=Alan H;1322967]How about this guy?

He's a Pakistani government official, representing Pakistan in Scotland. I doubt that he's trying to fool people into thinking that he's from Scotland. BTW, I freaking love his jacket.




Humza Yousef is a Scot and a member of the Scottish Parliament.

[Alan H]

[QUOTE=John_Carrick;1322987]

How about this guy?

He's a Pakistani government official, representing Pakistan in Scotland. I doubt that he's trying to fool people into thinking that he's from Scotland. BTW, I freaking love his jacket.




Humza Yousef is a Scot and a member of the Scottish Parliament.

Hmm...that's not what it said in the text at the site where I grabbed the photo. Let me check again.

--->>> EDIT... You are entirely correct. Son of a gun!

http://arynews.tv/en/pakistan-origin...sh-parliament/

[The Wizard of BC]

I wonder Alan if, instead of the title you chose, you had titled this thread something like -

"What is the reason you choose to wear a kilt?"

If your thread would have garnered the same feelings. Even if you had included the exact same options and/or choices.

[Alan H]

I wonder Alan if, instead of the title you chose, you had titled this thread something like -

"What is the reason you choose to wear a kilt?"

If your thread would have garnered the same feelings. Even if you had included the exact same options and/or choices.

Very possibly, except that I didn't want another thread with a laundry list of "why I wear a kilt". What we get then is another 20 posts where people outline their ancestry where g-g-g grandfather Angus emigrated from ------- and so on. We get "because they're comfortable".... and we get the other usual suspects for reasons. We all know what they are.

That's a different thread from what I was going for. I was specifically aiming to hear a response to the assertion that "Nobody can wear a kilt without coming off as if you're pretending to be Scottish, whether you are, or not".

In general, with a couple of exceptions, I think the thread has gone really well...never mind my most recent oops with the member of the Scottish Parliament. It seems that most of the respondants believe that it's entirely possible to wear a kilt with no intention of "pretending to be Scottish". Of course, a few forumites don't agree, but as long as everybody is polite and sticks to the subject, it seems to me that there's room for multiple opinions here. We don't all have to agree.