Small Kilt Collection

[dea3369]

I think we may again have a cultural difference here. For many of us born and bred in Scotland I'd suggest that having more then one kilt and often, in more then one tartan might be comparable to having more than one identity, more than one home town, or, perhaps easier, supporting more than one football team.
Is it possible to support both the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears? Or the Washington Redskins' and the Dallas Cowboys?
That's why I asked about Utilikilts, Sport Kilts, etc, being an American everyday alternative to trousers, because, as far as I know, there's no inherent symbolism there. They might just be for people who either want to seek attention or don't like wearing trousers. I don't know, so that's why I asked.

Personally, I wear my contemporary kilt as an alternative to trousers or shorts. As with the discussion about the plastic octopus kilt pin, context is everything. So, sometimes even the Black Watch PV kilt is too dressed up for the ocassion. A recent example is work in a Habitat for Humanity construction site. I wore my heavy, duck cloth kilt for that event. I'll admit that I sometimes wear a kilt for attention because I want to be different. As Andy above writes, life is indeed short not to have fun and be fun. It's not that I don't like trousers, but that I prefer to go kilted at times for comfort, freedom, fun, function, attention, individualism, etc. To me, deciding to go kiltee is now no different than deciding whether to wear long- vs. short-sleeved shirt, dress vs. polo vs. T-shirt, slacks vs. denim jeans, etc. Perhaps one of these days, I'll be like some here who no longer have to decide on trousers or kilt, but simply select which kilt to wear.

[SlackerDrummer]

I think we may again have a cultural difference here. For many of us born and bred in Scotland I'd suggest that having more then one kilt and often, in more then one tartan might be comparable to having more than one identity, more than one home town, or, perhaps easier, supporting more than one football team.
Is it possible to support both the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears? Or the Washington Redskins' and the Dallas Cowboys?

That may say more than many pages of posts and threads that I've read since joining this forum. 10 points for MacSpadger.

[MacSpadger]

Thanks to all for their replies. I can understand the wearing of a contemporary kilt as an alternative to trousers or shorts, no problem at all, so cheers for clearing that up.

Just because I find it difficult to get my napper round the concept of people owning many kilts, in different affiliations, it doesn't mean I frown upon it, BTW. As I've said before, you just do things very differently over there. I have to accept that I will probably never understand why, and that's that.
Some one has to keep the kiltmakers in employ, and that's a good thing. I have only ever bought one kilt in my life, and that was well over 25 years ago. It's still in great condition, apart from the leather straps which are showing their age. Other kilts I worn have been issued, apart from one I made myself. One kilt in 25 years is not going to support an industry.

[David Thorpe]

Is it possible to support both... ...the Washington Redskins' and the Dallas Cowboys?

Not at the same time. However, after the regular yearly occurance of the Cowboys blowing their chances to make the playoffs, if the Redskins are still in it (and especially if they can knock the New Jersey Giants out of it), why not?

Seriously, I think at least part of the cultural differences between the sides of the pond are attributable to the greater diversity of genealogical heritage on the west bank. (No, I am not insinuating anything having to do with "inbreeding"!)
America is indeed a melting pot. Scotland, not so much. It is therefore more likely that an American would possibly have connections to more than one clan?
Another possible factor is the lesser perceived importance of the distinction between paternal and maternal lines here on the left bank. While my direct male line is MacTavish, my two grandmothers were Dunlop and Lindsay. Add my wife's MacNaughten, and there are at least four potential perceived affiliations, at least strong enough to help me rationalize my admitted indulgence toward my tartan addiction.

I fully respect the "one kilt for life" concept, but am not a participant.