Wolf whistled while in a kilt

[Jock Scot]

It was certainly an unsettling experience Alan, but it was an early lesson in life that people from different places do see things differently and that has helped me through life on occasion.

The not wearing the kilt outwith the Highlands thing was something that my Grand Parents, father, mother, uncles, and their peers, my peers including teachers and assorted religious representatives always drummed into me and to my certain knowledge all those of my age group in my circle. Whilst I cannot speak for the Royal Family, I cannot help but notice that we do not see them wearing the CIVILIAN kilt outwith the Highlands often and never, as far as I am aware, outwith Scotland. Perhaps they might think the same way?

Given the myriad of pages of questions here on this website asked by those outwith the Highlands who are trying so desperately wear the kilt in a proper manner and frankly not always understanding Highland attire and therefore not always succeeding in their endeavours, I am more certain than ever I was, my elders had a point.

The fairly recent proliferation of hire shops in the Lowlands is easy to explain, I think. The largest proportion of the Scottish population are in the Lowlands and they on the whole have never worn the kilt until the last few years. Are they going to spend a large part of their wages on a kilt for themselves? Not, if they are not sure about the kilt and added to that, the traditional Lowland hostility to it adds to their caution, so what do they do? They quite understandably hire the kilt and in such numbers that the enterprising hire companies have expanded to keep up with demand.

[neloon]

I'm not really thinking of hire shops, Jock, which are indeed a recent phenomenon. Most of the larger local retailers in the 40s/50s/60s in the Central Belt had Highland Dress departments and, off the top of my head, I can think of a number of specialist kiltmakers e.g. Forsyths, Andersons, Lawrie, Highland Crafts etc. The wearing of the kilt in many private schools would have been partly responsible for providing a market but I do think you are underestimating the prevalence of general kilt wearing outwith the Highlands back in those days. Maybe you tried to dash through the Lowlands on your way south as quickly as possible.

Alan

[Jock Scot]

I spent many happy weeks as a child and young man in Dumfriesshire and Lanarkshire, pursuing, trout, salmon, grouse, deer and even young ladies of my age too and many an evening was spent in various country houses at drinks does and dances and even the occasional ball and a sight of the kilt was a rare event. It was not until I could drive and able to work to my own social agenda did I occasionally wear the kilt to a ball in the lowlands. I had worked out by then, that as the only kilt on show gave me an extra edge over my more silver tongued lowland friends when it came to the fair sex! Interestingly my father seemed to turn a blind eye to the kilt being worn outwith the Highlands when I brought a pretty young lady home to visit!

[neloon]

Jock,
I think it's good that our US friends appreciate that - surprise, surprise - not all Scots are the same.
For my part, in my formative years,
"pursuing, trout, salmon, grouse, deer and even young ladies of my age too and many an evening was spent in various country houses at drinks does and dances and even the occasional ball"
was, except for the young ladies, totally outside my ken. I grew up on "Royal Deeside" where the kilt was so widely worn as to be quite unremarkable even in the city of Aberdeen. Of course, the royal connection makes that a special case but I recall that, at university in the early 60s, the kilt was much more likely to be worn by Lowland students than by Highlanders.

Alan

[Jock Scot]

It is interesting how lives develop in different ways, Alan. I went to College in deepest Southern England and there were two future Highland Clan Chiefs present when I was there and I don't recall them wearing the kilt whilst being there.

[Nomad]

Interestingly my father seemed to turn a blind eye to the kilt being worn outwith the Highlands when I brought a pretty young lady home to visit!

Like most fathers he was probably thinking " well done, not as daft as I first thought", fathers after all are the hardest people to impress.

I believe I have said it before, I agree with your recount of the average low landers view of kilts and would say that it is still regarded as for special occasions only, but that opinion has been slowly changing over the last 20-30 years.

Personally I am really glad that you continue to "preach" on what is acceptable as highland wear as I have learned a lot from you and it has given a positive slant on what I wear with a kilt (although I do sometimes add a "personal flair" that mixes "modern/slouchy with my kilt, I'm still a southerner after all so I can plead ignorance ).

[Jock Scot]

Thank you Nomad, for your kind words and you are right , I am pretty sure that my father was thinking as you say and would be exactly his style. Well, at least I would like to think he did anyway!