Apprpriate dress for ceremonial occasion

[BCAC]

I intended to read and learn in this, but you are mistaken Phil. Farmer Jones never said that. The person who said that was theOfficialbren. I understand your concerns however they are misdirected.

Nope, it WAS Farmer Jones:-

You did momentarily have me questioning something I have seen done for many years, so I phoned the Legion headquarters and asked. You have to remember, this is Canada, not Australia. Your ways may not be our ways. The kilt may have started as a Scottish national dress, and been exported by the diaspora, but it is not longer just a Scottish national dress, as it has been adopted as a method of showing honour in many other places.

[Phil]

I intended to read and learn in this, but you are mistaken Phil. Farmer Jones never said that. The person who said that was theOfficialbren. I understand your concerns however they are misdirected.

Can I suggest reading post #8 on page 1 of this thread?

[Liam]

Thanks! This is definitely a touchy subject from a variety of perspectives... Farmer Jones inadvertently kicked a hornets nest and I wanted to offer a bit of informational salve to all who got stung

I also add a big plus 1 to this. (And I also apologize to anyone who I have "stung" with my remarks). I believe it is through threads like this that we gain an understanding of our cultural differences and it is only with such understanding that we can respect these differences)

[Phil]

Phil... I doubt anyone here would ever suggest that the kilt is not a Scottish symbol. Why people of non-Scottish heritage choose to wear it has always been a mystery to me. But please get over the issue of the kilt being unique to Scotland. That may have been true 2 - 300 years ago, before amongst other things the highland clearances exported Scots to other parts of the world. This forum is living evidence.

I have no issues with anyone wearing a kilt. After all it is not something that can be jealously guarded and protected. When you have been perusing this site for as long as I have, however, (even longer than Jock Scot) this is a suggestion that rears its ugly head from time to time and in various forms. Just exactly why probably varies from envy at not having such an icon themselves to resentment at being unable to justify wearing a kilt. I have not met many Scots who are resentful that anyone should wear a kilt although I have met a few who would never wear one themselves. Most share my view that anyone wishing to wear a kilt is a compliment to our culture and heritage and provided they do so in recognition of that culture and heritage then why not? I am, of course, talking here of traditional tartan kilts and any other manifestation of unbifurcated garment has no relevance to Scottish culture.

[Jock Scot]

Liam.

As Phil has "seniority" I thought it best if he answer first! I personally have found it very hard to accept that anyone other than a Highland Scot should wear the kilt and threads like this one do not help. My first reaction to threads like this one is to retrench back to my long held beliefs, however common sense does prevail and I relax a wee tad and resort back to my new found acceptence that the civilian kilt is worn by those from around the world. Frankly it is a bitter pill to swallow , but swallow it I must, but I never escape the feeling that the kilt has been usurped by those that wish to take more and more. I quite accept that there is also an element of a Scottish "own goal" here, nevertheless, the "give an inch and they take a mile",or ten, is never far from my mind. That is why I am particularly keen on "steering" some of you with kilt advice to stop you straying too far from the path!

But, I and I venture to suggest mosts Scots, will never accept anyone else from outwith Scotland, taking ownership of the kilt as their national attire. Perhaps when the dust has settled and in a quiet moment you may see that it is unreasonable to expect a nation to surrender their national icon-------yes I see it as that------to non-Scots. That will be one pill too many for this Scot and I suspect for most Scots.

[BCAC]

Liam.

As Phil has "seniority" I thought it best if he answer first! I personally have found it very hard to accept that anyone other than a Highland Scot should wear the kilt and threads like this one do not help. My first reaction to threads like this one is to retrench back to my long held beliefs, however common sense does prevail and I relax a wee tad and resort back to my new found acceptence that the kilt is worn by those from around the world. Frankly it is a bitter pill to swallow , but swallow it I must, but I never escape the feeling that the kilt has been usurped by those that wish to take more and more. I quite accept that there is also an element of a Scottish "own goal" here, nevertheless, the "give an inch and they take a mile",or ten, is never far from my mind. That is why I am particularly keen on "steering" some of you with kilt advice to stop you straying too far from the path!

But, I and I venture to suggest mosts Scots, will never accept anyone else from outwith Scotland, taking ownership of the kilt as their national attire. Perhaps when the dust has settled and in a quiet moment you may see that it is unreasonable to expect a nation to surrender their national icon. That will be one pill too many for this Scot and I suspect for most Scots.

Hear, hear, Jock. I agree 1000%. The problem is, if it weren't for non Scots buying kilts, there would probably be no kilt making industry anymore!

[Jock Scot]

Hear, hear, Jock. I agree 1000%. The problem is, if it weren't for non Scots buying kilts, there would probably be no kilt making industry anymore!

I am not saying,these days, that people around the world cannot wear the kilt. So the tartan kilt trade is as safe as it can be. I am saying that the kilt is Scottish national attire and no one else's.

[Liam]

I have no issues with anyone wearing a kilt. After all it is not something that can be jealously guarded and protected. When you have been perusing this site for as long as I have, however, (even longer than Jock Scot) this is a suggestion that rears its ugly head from time to time and in various forms. Just exactly why probably varies from envy at not having such an icon themselves to resentment at being unable to justify wearing a kilt. I have not met many Scots who are resentful that anyone should wear a kilt although I have met a few who would never wear one themselves. Most share my view that anyone wishing to wear a kilt is a compliment to our culture and heritage and provided they do so in recognition of that culture and heritage then why not? I am, of course, talking here of traditional tartan kilts and any other manifestation of unbifurcated garment has no relevance to Scottish culture.

Thank you Phil for your excellent, well written and expressed response.

Slainte...Bill

[Liam]

Liam.

As Phil has "seniority" I thought it best if he answer first! I personally have found it very hard to accept that anyone other than a Highland Scot should wear the kilt and threads like this one do not help. My first reaction to threads like this one is to retrench back to my long held beliefs, however common sense does prevail and I relax a wee tad and resort back to my new found acceptence that the civilian kilt is worn by those from around the world. Frankly it is a bitter pill to swallow , but swallow it I must, but I never escape the feeling that the kilt has been usurped by those that wish to take more and more. I quite accept that there is also an element of a Scottish "own goal" here, nevertheless, the "give an inch and they take a mile",or ten, is never far from my mind. That is why I am particularly keen on "steering" some of you with kilt advice to stop you straying too far from the path!

But, I and I venture to suggest mosts Scots, will never accept anyone else from outwith Scotland, taking ownership of the kilt as their national attire. Perhaps when the dust has settled and in a quiet moment you may see that it is unreasonable to expect a nation to surrender their national icon-------yes I see it as that------to poachers. That will be one pill too many for this Scot and I suspect for most Scots.

Jock... I do understand your opinion on this (although I don't agree) and feel somewhat the same when I see a non-Canadian wearing the Maple Leaf tartan. My first instinct is to question why he thinks he has the right, but then upon more sober thought as Phil so well put it, take the attitude that it "is a compliment to our culture and heritage".

Cheers...Bill

[Glen]

Even fumes can be tricky!

if it ever contained any...