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

[Liam]

Well Jock, I'm not sure where you're going with your road analogy, but if I've correctly read your posts over the years, then I believe that you find it amazing that anyone outside of the Highlands would wear a kilt, and puzzling that they do. Your preference, I think, is that we didn't. Your amazement and puzzlement are feelings that result from that preference and understanding.

My understanding of the kilt is different from yours, and I agree that I'm no Highlander. My sense is that your puzzlement comes from an utter incomprehension of the feelings outlanders have for the kilt or for heritage in general, and how we choose to express those feelings as they are, particularly here in Canada, and specifically by me personally.

I hope I'm coming close so far.

Having said that, the frequent subtle inferences by yourself and others that I shouldn't wear a kilt because I'm not sufficiently Scottish does sting. I say that only so that you and others will know the emotional response that arises from such comments. As I said, I'd be a poor friend were I not to tell you and others how it felt.

Finally, feelings in my opinion (and I've done a lot of professional study, training, and thought on this over almost as many years as you have under your belt) are the most genuine, unfiltered, and honest expression there is of who anyone is. To have them dismissed lightly by anyone is always a sad injustice. Thus, when people express them, wise and compassionate people tread lightly and thoughfully about them because feelings just are what they are. We don't decide to feel that way, we just do.

I understand where our Padre is coming from. I can also appreciate Jock's position as he was born and raised in the Highlands and has never left. The question to Jock is : "If you were to emigrate to another country, let's say Canada which has more citizens of Scottish ancestry than Scotland has citizens, would you leave your kilt and your heritage behind?". Do you think that you some how you would go through a cleansing process to remove your ancestry? - no our ancestry is what it is and we cannot change it.
I am asking these questions, I hope politely and in and attempt to further understanding.
Slainte

[Jock Scot]

I understand where our Padre is coming from. I can also appreciate Jock's position as he was born and raised in the Highlands and has never left. The question to Jock is : "If you were to emigrate to another country, let's say Canada which has more citizens of Scottish ancestry than Scotland has citizens, would you leave your kilt and your heritage behind?". Do you think that you some how you would go through a cleansing process to remove your ancestry? - no our ancestry is what it is and we cannot change it.
I am asking these questions, I hope politely and in and attempt to further understanding.
Slainte

I have travelled quite a bit in my time but never to North America. Of course I would leave the kilt behind, I am outwith the Highlands, my roots will go with me wherever I go, but the trappings will obviously stay behind where they belong. I am starting a new life in another country in this example, Canada----the fishing will be good, but I will be a Canadian not a Scot.

[The Wizard of BC]

If I may ask Jock. Did you wear a kilt, and what were your thoughts on kilt wearing, during all those years you were a dairy farmer in Yorkshire?

[Jock Scot]

If I may ask Jock. Did you wear a kilt, and what were your thoughts on kilt wearing, during all those years you were a dairy farmer in Yorkshire?

Of course you can Steve, but I never was a dairy farmer in Yorkshire. I operated much further South and West and I still have farming interests outwith Scotland and because of that I still venture South often, but I take your point.

I do not as a general rule wear the kilt outwith Scotland. Its one of those perfectly natural British "its just not done" things . On very rare occasion I have, by request by very, very special people, so about once every ten years or so. In truth it never occurs to me that I would want to.

[davidlpope]

I have travelled quite a bit in my time but never to North America. Of course I would leave the kilt behind, I am outwith the Highlands, my roots will go with me wherever I go, but the trappings will obviously stay behind where they belong. I am starting a new life in another country in this example, Canada----the fishing will be good, but I will be a Canadian not a Scot.

Jock,

I think this is the bit that is the hardest to get my head around. If I moved to the Highlands and became a subject of the Crown I would feel odd about wearing the kilt. In that context I would feel like an American "playing at being a Scot". It would seem like I was trying too hard to fit in to my new country. A bit like the Yankees who move here to the South and go overboard trying to adopt Southern ways. I would likely not even bring my kilt with me were I to visit Scotland on vacation.

On the other hand, I don't feel uncomfortable at all wearing a kilt in the context of Scottish heritage events here. It's taken as a given that we're all Americans. The purpose of wearing the kilt is to mark oneself out as an American of Scottish descent.

In terms of better understanding your view- Would your preference be that only native Highlanders wear the kilt while in the Highlands?

[Jock Scot]

Jock,

I think this is the bit that is the hardest to get my head around. If I moved to the Highlands and became a subject of the Crown I would feel odd about wearing the kilt. In that context I would feel like an American "playing at being a Scot". It would seem like I was trying too hard to fit in to my new country. A bit like the Yankees who move here to the South and go overboard trying to adopt Southern ways. I would likely not even bring my kilt with me were I to visit Scotland on vacation.

On the other hand, I don't feel uncomfortable at all wearing a kilt in the context of Scottish heritage events here. It's taken as a given that we're all Americans. The purpose of wearing the kilt is to mark oneself out as an American of Scottish descent.

In terms of better understanding your view- Would your preference be that only native Highlanders wear the kilt while in the Highlands?

You are quite right if you came to live in Scotland it would raise a few eyebrows if you started to wear the kilt right off. Like any newcomer in any part of the world time needs to pass to let the locals get to know you and you to get to know them and overtime, a lot of time sometimes----decades even, a mutual understanding grows and that could be good or bad!

In fact we have a couple of Poles, who have been here in our locality for probably over twenty, possibly thirty years who do wear the kilt on occasion. Not every day, not even every month, but when they think an appropriate occasion arrises out comes the kilt and no one bats an eye.

As to your last question the short answer is, "yes".