Wearing a kilt. Wearing kilts. Wearing my kilt. Wearing THE kilt

[BCAC]

I'm with the Scots' explanation. As for the amateur grammarians...words at last fail me.

Which Scots' explanation? P.S. I'm Scottish, in case you didn't know.

[sailortats]

I think the two posts above, #8 Calgacus and #9 BCAC explains the origin of the term "the kilt" quite nicely. As I have come to understand, a scotsman probably only has one kilt. Hence he might say, "I am going to wear the kilt today," kilt being singular. Those of us outwith Scotland tend to have more than one kilt, it seems, and we would be inclined to say "a kilt" indicating that we have a selection of kilts to choose from.
That being said, and I do own more than one kilt, I have always used the term "the kilt" as that is the way I remember my grandmother referring to the kilt.

[Grouse Claw]

Which Scots' explanation? P.S. I'm Scottish, in case you didn't know.

There is more than one Scot on this board. Hence the explanation belonging to the Scots, i.e., the Scots' explanation. The apostrophe says it all. I'm Scottish too, or Scots. But that is off the topic!

[Calgacus]

I think the two posts above, #8 Calgacus and #9 BCAC explains the origin of the term "the kilt" quite nicely. As I have come to understand, a scotsman probably only has one kilt. Hence he might say, "I am going to wear the kilt today," kilt being singular. Those of us outwith Scotland tend to have more than one kilt, it seems, and we would be inclined to say "a kilt" indicating that we have a selection of kilts to choose from.
That being said, and I do own more than one kilt, I have always used the term "the kilt" as that is the way I remember my grandmother referring to the kilt.

I don't think it has anything to do with Scots only owning one kilt, I think it's a grammatical idiom, possibly deriving from Gaelic, though that's just a gut feeling.

We would generally say 'I'm taking the bus' rather than 'I'm taking a bus', or 'I'm in the office' rather than 'I'm in my office', and so on.

It is true to say however that we would say 'I'm wearing my suit' rather than 'I'm wearing the suit'.

[BCAC]

There is more than one Scot on this board. Hence the explanation belonging to the Scots, i.e., the Scots' explanation. The apostrophe says it all. I'm Scottish too, or Scots. But that is off the topic!

Well, thanks for that explanation. I may just add that I already understood all that because they taught me when I was in school. Admittedly that was a while ago now, but I haven't yet forgotten. What I was alluding to was that there have been several different viewpoints coming from Scots and you just said that you agreed with the Scots' viewpoint. Therefore you were agreeing to several different viewpoints.

I don't think it has anything to do with Scots only owning one kilt, I think it's a grammatical idiom, possibly deriving from Gaelic, though that's just a gut feeling.

We would generally say 'I'm taking the bus' rather than 'I'm taking a bus', or 'I'm in the office' rather than 'I'm in my office', and so on.

It is true to say however that we would say 'I'm wearing my suit' rather than 'I'm wearing the suit'.

In fact it is using the "the" with regards to clothing that I find strange. Taking the bus, yes. Playing the guitar, yes. Wearing the suit, no. Wearing the trousers, no and no also to wearing the polo shirt.

[Ron Abbott]

Another born and bred Scot here.

Wearing the kilt...is what I'd consider normal; it's certainly what I would say and indeed have said in the past.
I've never actually thought about it being an issue before.....but on reflection, I've certainly heard many others use the expression as well.

[Singlemalt]

It could be a generational thing as well. My mother always used The Kilt to my ear now it sounds a little formal but it also conveys a little more respect for the garment than is accorded to most articles of clothing. I find I use the term most but not all the time.

[Father Bill]

I still think that "The Kilt" refers mostly to a type of clothing, whereas "A Kilt" or "My kilt" may refer to a specific garment or set of garments.

[BCAC]

I still think that "The Kilt" refers mostly to a type of clothing, whereas "A Kilt" or "My kilt" may refer to a specific garment or set of garments.

Perhaps, but why not to other types of clothing in that case? You never hear "the" being used for other types of clothing. You wouldn't say, for example, "I decided to wear the jacket today".

[Father Bill]

You're absolutely correct, BCAC, but then I wasn't referring to a general grammatical construction, merely the inference made in the case of this particular garment.