"Viking Style" Brouge lacing?

[Tobus]

Having said all that, many of our best-dressed kilties will sometimes veer ever slightly off course as a matter of personal preference.

Oh yes, absolutely. Knowing the traditions and then occasionally breaking them on purpose can be a personal style decision. Everyone is allowed a wee bit of individualism or (gasp!) eccentricity, even in traditional circles. But knowing that you're doing it, choosing an appropriate context in which to do it, and doing it in a unique personal manner, is wholly different than following the trends of an entire group (like some hire outfitters and poorly-educated reenactors) who somehow manage to turn the entire outfit into a lampoon. It's fairly easy to identify those who are making a personal style statement versus those who just don't understand how to wear their clothes properly.

I, for one, don't care to dressed exactly the same as everyone else around me so that we all look like we're wearing a uniform. That's the danger (if one could call it that) of adhering too strictly to a narrow tradition. Some do find comfort in uniformity, though, and there's nothing wrong with that. The key is first to know where the boundaries lie between tradition, personal touches, and lampoonery. They are not clear boundaries, and it can be very confusing to a new kilt-wearer, so it's often best to adopt the traditional approach first and expand from there rather than starting off way outside the boundaries. I'll be the first to admit that I have veered off course on occasion, sometimes intentionally and sometimes out of ignorace.

As has been said, it would be pretty rare to encounter outright ridicule and derision when kilt attire is worn improperly (although it does happen in the wild). But if we're being honest, there is a lot of silent or discreet judgment. That may or may not matter to each person, but it's there.