Question in mind

[gilmore]

Hello from up north. I would have a small dilemma at hand and I would like to find out the answer to it. I am not orginally born in Scotland neither in Ireland.I am not anyhow related to any Clans nor to any scot/irishman.

But does this mean that I cannot wear a kilt? Stupid question indeed but still I just want to make sure that I am not stepping on anyones toes. I am thinking of making one because we are basicly going to start to practice somekind of a live-roleplaying game and are planning to follow the traditional way of scottish in 14th century. Is it ok to wear kilt even without anykind of blood relationship?

Thank you for your time.

If you want to follow the traditional Scottish ways of the 14th century, you would not wear a kilt at all, as I recall, certainly not the short kilts we think of as kilts today, nor, I believe, the great kilts either. I think they also came along a few centuries later.

[Blu (Ontario)]

... But does this mean that I cannot wear a kilt?

It means you may be wearing a kilt for diffferent reasons than somebody else.

we are basicly going to start to practice somekind of a live-roleplaying game and are planning to follow the traditional way of scottish in 14th century.

This has me a bit puzzled..... Kilts, at least as what I think you have in mind, didn't exist in the 14th century.

Have you done any research on this??

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Have you ever worn shorts? Did you ask if you were allowed? Concerned about the pattern in the shorts? Wondered if you needed approval? If not, then wear the kilt you want, with or without respect (although I would prefer with), and enjoy the freedom of the kilt. No mysticism, nobody to grant your right to wear it, just do it.

[Caradoc]

If you want to follow the traditional Scottish ways of the 14th century, you would not wear a kilt at all, as I recall, certainly not the short kilts we think of as kilts today, nor, I believe, the great kilts either. I think they also came along a few centuries later.

True. 1545 at a "best guess," and 1590ish as "supported by documentation" as I recall.

Mr. Newsome?

[MacTavishOfJapan]

If you want to wear a kilt feel free to wear it, fine by me. But as mentioned above kilts are a recent invention, I don't know my history but you may want to wear a belted plaid or the like. Once you see a kilt you'll understand that there was no way the highlanders of the 14th century were running around in them, way too intricate and 'fancy' for that time or circumstances.

Good luck in your RPG and welcome to the forum, there are several re-enactors around and they should be good sources of info for traditional garb.

[David Dalglish]

If you wish to wear a kilt, by all means do so, but always respect any tartan you wear, & wear it with pride.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I always tell people, you don't have to have Scottish blood to wear a kilt, just a Scottish heart. :-)

About the 14th century, those who have commented are correct -- this is a couple of hundred years before the kilt. The earliest documentation we have of any form of the kilt is from 1594. See:
http://albanach.org/kilt.html

And for a brief outline of the history of the development of the kilt:
http://albanach.org/generations.html

[PiobBear]

"I am not orginally born in Scotland neither in Ireland.I am not anyhow related to any Clans nor to any scot/irishman. But does this mean that I cannot wear a kilt?"

Absolutely not; if you want to wear a kilt, wear a kilt. Besides clan, district and corporate tartans, there are several free setts which aren't associated with any of the above, and self colored kilts with no tartan at all.

"I am thinking of making one because we are basicly going to start to practice somekind of a live-roleplaying game and are planning to follow the traditional way of scottish in 14th century."

Then you won't need a kilt; they didn't appear until 200 years later. In the 14th century Scots wore a long shirt and cloak, essentially like the Irish léine and brat, usually with a belt.

"They wear no clothes except their dyed shirts and a sort of light woollen rug of several colours."
Jean de Beaugué, L'histoire de la guerre dEcosse, describing Highlanders who were present at the siege of Haddington by the French in 1549.

[jiminak]

For whatever reason you choose, you can wear a kilt and tartan as you see fit. There of course norms within the kilt wearing fraternity, however, a quick browse around here should tell you that this covers a lot of ground.

Regards what tartan you should use, again any you like. There are regional tartans not attached to any clan name you can use without any hesitation, but these days even clan tartans are perfectly acceptable. As noted earlier in the thread, be sure you know the name of your tartan; that is the second most common question you will be asked.

If I had a caveat to express, and this is only my own opinion which you may safely ignore, you might avoid personal tartans not your own. In real life this is not likely to be an issue as those tartans are not generally available retail, but I think I’d be miffed to find my personal tartan on a stranger (if I had one).

The most important thing is to GO FOR IT, and enjoy.

Jim

[Tattoo Bradley]