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

[Alan H]

It seems to me that a lot of the heat that gets generated on the forum is from the fundamental assumption that goes...."If you're wearing a kilt, then you're either Scottish or trying to look like you're Scottish". ... "trying to look like" at least to some of us implies a deception, as in someone is trying to look like something that they are not...

It seems to me that there are a number of reasons, and combinations of reasons to wear a pleated, unbifurcated garment.

1. You want to look like you're actually someone who lives in Scotland. --- in which case, judging from my 2014 visit to Scotland, we all should be wearing trousers, wellies and a warm shirt, except for Jock Scot..

2. You want to look like what you THINK people in Scotland actually look like.

3. You want to look like what your grandfather might have looked like, on a dressed-up-day if he'd lived in the Highlands 70 years ago.

3. You want to look like the other guys at the Highland Games or Burns Night.

4. You have some ancestral connection to Scotland and want to express an appreciation for that.

5. You tried one on and thought it was comfortable.

6. You wore one, got lots of compliments and attention and enjoyed it.

7. You tried one on, looked in the mirror and thought you looked great.

8. You wear one as part of a uniform for an activity you like to do...piping, or playing a part in the Ren Faire group "Highlander Warriors" or something.

IMHO, all of these are perfectly valid reasons for wearing a kilt. Some of us probably wear a kilt for a combination of those reasons. For me, for example, I happen to like the positive female attention I get from wearing a kilt. I admit it.

I suspect that some of the heat on the forum comes from many of us assuming that since we wear a kilt for our own reasons, that everybody else wears a kilt for the same reasons. THIS IS A MISTAKE.

For example... people often get rather hot with Jock Scot when he points out certain things about how a kilt is worn by people in the north of Scotland these days or in the past 20-30-40 years.. In answer to this, I have to ask..."Well, are you wearing a kilt because you want to look like an older gentleman who is living in the Highlands of Scotland?". For me, the answer to that question is NO...and so I never get mad at Jock for telling us about his experiences or viewpoints.

When I rant on and on about ... "wear what you like"... it would make sense to be annoyed with me if I was at the same time clear that I wanted to comply with "blue group reasons 1, 2 and 3" above. If I'm clear that I'm more interested in "brown group reasons" - well, then, that makes more sense.

I think if we all eased up and let folks wear what they want to wear, for the reasons that they have and didn't assume that we all had the same reasons, we might have more light and less heat here on XMTS.

cheers...