The Accidental Kilt Wearer

[davidlpope]

... it did help form a personal conviction that people in general seem to feel the need for some official reason or outside authorization to wear a kilt or to dress in the highland manner; I further have the idea that this is perhaps mostly a Canadian phenomenon.

I don't think this aspect is uniquely Canadian. Instead, I think it's a reflection of widely-held public opinion that that the kilt is a garment (viewed by some as a "costume"?) worn exclusively for 1) formal events or 2) events which are tied to the Scottish Highlands, or 3) as part of a military uniform in the British Commonwealth, instead of "everyday clothing". I make the assumption that most of the folks you encounter have only seen a kilt worn in these environments, so it's not an unreasonable one for them to hold.

I've even experienced the same thing at Highland Games, even at the large ones like the Glengarry Games in Maxville ON.

This, though, is certainly not the case for Highland Games in NC/SC. A majority of men are kilted, although some of their "ensembles" defy imagination...

Cordially,

David