What standard kilt item to you just hate?

[The Barry]

You mean you DON"T keep the New Era shiny silver sticker on your crooked balmorals while you're wearing them??

That's awesome! I really want to put one of those stickers on a balmoral or a glengarry now!

[chasem]

In the nicest possible way, your answer does not surprise me. Perhaps you can help me? What is a New Era silver sticker?

In the states, it's a great trend with the urban style to keep the stickers that come on new baseball caps, instead of removiing them. They're big obnoxious stickers, and it looks horrible.

[Jock Scot]

In the states, it's a great trend with the urban style to keep the stickers that come on new baseball caps, instead of removiing them. They're big obnoxious stickers, and it looks horrible.

Thank you for that.

[siva011]

In the nicest possible way, your answer does not surprise me. Perhaps you can help me? What is a New Era silver sticker?

Honestly, I'm not surprised that your not, well, surprised. Even though I have Scottish heritage, no one in my family prior to me cared even a little about any of that. Most of my family didn't even know their name was Scottish in origin. My family was totally infused in American urban culture. We had no traditions and nothing to identify with our heritage. I'm the first to explore any of this, and I am surprised at how much of a disconnect that can exist between us here, and a land where so much of our history comes from. For the most part I don't mind, as I like to think I'm brining some of this tradition back to my family, and hope to pass that along to my kids when I have them. Where this does get frustrating is when I'm passed off as the "ignorant American". I try, and if only those detractors would walk a mile in my shoes....

As for the New Era, that's a bit of a joke. New Era is a brand name of baseball-style caps. They have a sticker that they use to label their products as one of theirs, since their hats aren't sold in boxes and they don't attatch a tag. Naturally, this sticker should be removed when you buy the hat and wear it, but it has become a trend here to leave this sticker on. Maybe this is a "badge" of wearing a brand name, I don't know. But most of these stickers are either silver or gold in color, and are and inch and one half in diameter. Honestly, it is hideous, but it seems to have caught on strong, you can't go 5 minutes through a city without seing one of these.

http://www.cnvender.com/uploads/NY/new-era-caps-330.jpg


But back to topic, I know what I like and what I don't like, and I know I don't really like the traditional headwear even if it is worn regularly in Scotland, but I'm not so sure why I don't like it. Maybe it's just unfamiliar and will grow on me, maybe it's asthetics and I just don't like the way it looks. I'd love to make it to Scotland one day, maybe seeing what you mean and not just seeing them at the faire will change my opinion some.

[Good Egg]

Honestly, I'm not surprised that your not, well, surprised. Even though I have Scottish heritage, no one in my family prior to me cared even a little about any of that. Most of my family didn't even know their name was Scottish in origin. My family was totally infused in American urban culture. We had no traditions and nothing to identify with our heritage. I'm the first to explore any of this, and I am surprised at how much of a disconnect that can exist between us here, and a land where so much of our history comes from. For the most part I don't mind, as I like to think I'm brining some of this tradition back to my family, and hope to pass that along to my kids when I have them. Where this does get frustrating is when I'm passed off as the "ignorant American". I try, and if only those detractors would walk a mile in my shoes....

As for the New Era, that's a bit of a joke. New Era is a brand name of baseball-style caps. They have a sticker that they use to label their products as one of theirs, since their hats aren't sold in boxes and they don't attatch a tag. Naturally, this sticker should be removed when you buy the hat and wear it, but it has become a trend here to leave this sticker on. Maybe this is a "badge" of wearing a brand name, I don't know. But most of these stickers are either silver or gold in color, and are and inch and one half in diameter. Honestly, it is hideous, but it seems to have caught on strong, you can't go 5 minutes through a city without seing one of these.

http://www.cnvender.com/uploads/NY/new-era-caps-330.jpg


But back to topic, I know what I like and what I don't like, and I know I don't really like the traditional headwear even if it is worn regularly in Scotland, but I'm not so sure why I don't like it. Maybe it's just unfamiliar and will grow on me, maybe it's asthetics and I just don't like the way it looks. I'd love to make it to Scotland one day, maybe seeing what you mean and not just seeing them at the faire will change my opinion some.

2 things.

1. I have used the word 'ignorant' (or its derivative) 'ignorance' in threads. I use it to mean when some one does not not know something. To me say that some one is doing something in ignorance is not an insult its a stament of fact. How can you know something unless you've been told? We are all ignorant in some (many) fields.

2. I've got a silver 'ML' label on the peak of the rather dashing 'ARMY' baseball cap. The other side of the peak has an eagle on it. I bought it in the PX in Camp Rapid SD. I have not worn it yet but are you saying the label needs to go before I do?

[Jock Scot]

Honestly, I'm not surprised that your not, well, surprised. Even though I have Scottish heritage, no one in my family prior to me cared even a little about any of that. Most of my family didn't even know their name was Scottish in origin. My family was totally infused in American urban culture. We had no traditions and nothing to identify with our heritage. I'm the first to explore any of this, and I am surprised at how much of a disconnect that can exist between us here, and a land where so much of our history comes from. For the most part I don't mind, as I like to think I'm brining some of this tradition back to my family, and hope to pass that along to my kids when I have them. Where this does get frustrating is when I'm passed off as the "ignorant American". I try, and if only those detractors would walk a mile in my shoes....

As for the New Era, that's a bit of a joke. New Era is a brand name of baseball-style caps. They have a sticker that they use to label their products as one of theirs, since their hats aren't sold in boxes and they don't attatch a tag. Naturally, this sticker should be removed when you buy the hat and wear it, but it has become a trend here to leave this sticker on. Maybe this is a "badge" of wearing a brand name, I don't know. But most of these stickers are either silver or gold in color, and are and inch and one half in diameter. Honestly, it is hideous, but it seems to have caught on strong, you can't go 5 minutes through a city without seing one of these.

http://www.cnvender.com/uploads/NY/new-era-caps-330.jpg


But back to topic, I know what I like and what I don't like, and I know I don't really like the traditional headwear even if it is worn regularly in Scotland, but I'm not so sure why I don't like it. Maybe it's just unfamiliar and will grow on me, maybe it's asthetics and I just don't like the way it looks. I'd love to make it to Scotland one day, maybe seeing what you mean and not just seeing them at the faire will change my opinion some.

I quite understand where you are coming from and I can only wish you all the best in the hunt for your Scots roots. Frankly, I despair at what I see on the pictures of ren fairs(we don't have them)and what some of your countrymen think is Scottish attire---oh well! However rest assured that balmorals,tweed argylls, buckled shoes,etc.,etc., are worn as a matter of course here, when the occasion arises. As to you getting used to our Scots styles of attire, worry not, I have had nearly 70 years to get used to them and I love them!

All the very best,
Jock.

[pastorsteve]

I've got a silver 'ML' label on the peak of the rather dashing 'ARMY' baseball cap. The other side of the peak has an eagle on it. I bought it in the PX in Camp Rapid SD. I have not worn it yet but are you saying the label needs to go before I do?

Only if you would remove the hang tags from a new kilt or jumper. So, yes.

[Good Egg]

Only if you would remove the hang tags from a new kilt or jumper. So, yes.

I'm not sure that I would buy a kilt with a Tag on it but I take your point, although a metallic silver holographic label is not quite the same but its coming off.

I used to have a silent chuckle in China back in the early 90's. It was the fashion companies making suits to leave a label on the sleeve of the jackets. Chinese gentlemen tended to leave these labels in place. Amusing enough when they were wearing over priced and generally hideous Georgio Arguici & Gabana designer items but even worse when wearing locally produces 'Feng Shu Cothing Manufactory Co Ltd' labels.

Snob, me?....

[pastorsteve]

I'm not sure that I would buy a kilt with a Tag on it but I take your point, although a metallic silver holographic label is not quite the same but its coming off.

True with the kilt hang tag (but you get the jest). The hollographic tags are a "proof of purchase" type of tag harder to fake for higher-priced or "official" head-wear.

[Hamish]

.................................................. .

Frankly, I despair at what I see on the pictures of ren fairs(we don't have them)and what some of your countrymen think is Scottish attire---oh well! However rest assured that balmorals,tweed argylls, buckled shoes,etc.,etc., are worn as a matter of course here, when the occasion arises. As to you getting used to our Scots styles of attire, worry not, I have had nearly 70 years to get used to them and I love them!

All the very best,
Jock.

I am so with you here Jock, other than that I have had more than 70 years to get used to them .....!

Take care,
Ham.