Theory and practice.

[cessna152towser]

Yes Jock I admire your knowledge of and respect for traditional Highland dress and I would wholeheartedly agree you are one of the best people on this forum for giving advice as to wearing the kilt and its accessories appropriately.

As a lowlander there is no tradition of kilt wearing in my family and it has been my personal choice to wear the kilt for comfort. Yes for a formal occasion I do sometimes wear an 8-yard kilt with an Argyll jacket, an evening sporran, flashes, brogue style shoes etc. but you are far more likely to find me casually clad in a Gold Brothers kilt or a Freedom Kilt or an R-Kilt or a Utilikilt or even one of those camoprint creations from England which are box-pleated all the way round and which are commonly accepted as kilts here in the south of Scotland. The kilt is not traditional here in the south of Scotland though it is becoming more common, there were quite a few kilts in evidence at the Border Clans day last Sunday though tartan trews were more abundant.

The only people who have been critical of my non-trad kilts have been clad in more traditional Highland garb while making the criticism, I respect their views but I reserve the right to wear modern spin off designs which are based loosely on the concept of the traditional kilt.

Guid oan ya Jock for valuing your Highland traditions and for sharing your knowledge here, I respect you for that.

[davedove]

I completely agree with what you've said Jock. It seems there are a lot of people, and not just on this forum, who seek out the anomolies to justify their point of view. And your point of view is greatly appreciated. It's good to know what a highland Scot thinks of highland dress.

However, I also don't necessarily want to dress like a highland Scot. I'm an old farm boy from southern Illinois who happens to have a bit of Scottish ancestry. And not even a lot of that; I'm mostly of English and German extraction.

The more formal I dress, the closer I stick to what you describe as the "Scottish way of doing things." But, as I get more casual, I tend to just use items from the traditional apparel and combine them with not so traditional items. I will do this for different reasons: climate, occasion, and yes sometimes whim.

BUT, I do recognize that this is departing from a traditional perspective. I think that is the real crux of the matter.

[caig]

I agree, Jock. I have had your view for some time now but did not have the nerve to post it here ! I have, many a time, not taken the time or trouble to reply to a thread here on the basis that it is, "here we go again", another question from an ill-informed member. I have also on several occasions not respnded because the outfit being depicted is so far off what i consider to be within the basic protocols for wearing the kilt. I haver to say that these threads come from outwith Scotland.

I take the view that the kilt should be worn within certain basic protocols, whilst at the same time being able to modernise or individualise it. I have several modern kilts, but I wouldnever wear one to a formal event where a jacket is required, except for the plain black which fits in with evening or formal wear.

Perhaps I should make a bigger effort and reply to more threads in order to keep educating people.