Just what do you want?

[David Dubh]

Hi Jock
I think that there are possibly two reasons that some people don't wish to acknowledge the advice given. Mostly age gap and location. Those of us in the "new world" don't have any experience with formal wear or appropriate dress for various occasions as has been pointed out by many here already. My parents emigrated to Canada in the late 60s. When I was growing up it was always trousers and shirts ties and jackets, dresses and skirts for the ladies. I didn't get my first pair of jeans until I was probably 10. Now I'm no snob but even today I change my clothes to go to the shops after puttering around the house. We see people out and about and I swear they are wearing there pjs
Secondly I'm 50 now and spent most of my life trying not to dress like my father. My father wears loafers so I prefer brogues, my dad always took me for haircuts we got the same haircut short back and sides, when I was old enough to go my self as a teenager I grew my hair out got a perm and a pierced ear. So when you talk traditional highland civilian dress many of us may see it as being dressed just like our father which is probably why when we read your advice we are looking for ways to embellish and personalize our kilted selves. So please understand that we want to know how the highlanders wear the kilt, and if some of us gradually dress more and more like Jock Scott and less like highland wear catalogues, then the kilted community will endure as a lifestyle or as a costume society.
Just my tuppence worth

[Jock Scot]

Everyone.

There is absolutely no reason why anyone should take any notice of what I say at anytime, if they choose not to. However if a question is asked about a subject that I happen to know about then, if I choose to, I will volunteer advice as best I can. I am not fool enough to expect anyone to take heed of what I have to say, but if they do, then I am delighted to have been able to assist.

[Jock Scot]

Steve.

I absolutely agree with you the internet pictures really do not help. Just a few weeks ago I googled on a whim "traditional kilt attire" and went to 'images" and then scrolled down the pictures and from perhaps several hundred pictures , I found two that would be described as traditional by me and many others that I know. So yes, I can see clearly where the confusion comes from.

Not so long ago, about a year I think, someone asked for advice on traditional Scottish kilt wedding attire, in the traditional kilt section, and amongst others I added my twopence worth to the thread. One of the bits of advice I gave was to ignore the picture section on the internet of Scottish traditional kilted wedding pictures. Well quite a time later as the thread had nearly run its course I had an email from a member asking if I was being serious and surely I must be joking? I was able to assure him that most definitely I was not joking. I think it was a bit of a shock to him!

I don't know what the answer is Steve, but perhaps if traditional actually meant traditional here, then that would be a good start? I really don't see why concessions should be made about that. Modern means modern, historical means historical, right means right, wrong means wrong. Green does not mean red, black does not mean yellow and traditional does not mean frozen in time, it is fairly simple really.