confronted by a Scot

[Magnus Sporrano]

So today I was at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia for lunch. If you have seen the recent Nicholas Cage movie National Treasure you saw RTM in a foot chase scene when the characters were in Philadelphia. It's basically a very busy market with all types of international foods, and really brings out the international flavor of Philadelphia.

Anyways I am walking along and a woman comes running up to me asking me to stop.

She asks me "Where in Scotland are ye from?" She just assumed I was from Scotland.

I was wearing a USA Kilts Philabeg in Royal Stewart with green kilt hose, no flashes, black shoes, a black Buzz Kidder day sporran and an oatmeal colored sweater. Very casual look.

I told her no I'm not from Scotland I was born and raised right here in Philadelphia and she was really surprised by this. I told her about a little underground of men who have found the kilt to be a wonderful thing to wear for casual use and she was initially dumbfounded by the thought and then I think a little tickled by it. She said in Scotland you only see the kilt anymore at weddings and other formal events. She told me she couldn't wait to call back home and tell her family that the yanks are wearing the kilt more than the scots.

[Dreadbelly]

I have had a similar experience here where I live with a group of tourists. They thought I was a tourist too, from Scotland. And didn't speak enough English for me to defend or explain my self.

Never ever let your self get mobbed by Japanese women with cameras.

[Magnus Sporrano]

I probably should have explained a little better, though, that she seemed disappointed that her countrymen have largely abandoned the kilt except as formalwear. I was getting the impression from her that they look upon it as a quaint reminder of the past and not appropriate for the modern age.

She seemed to be really touched to see a man out and about in Philadelphia in a kilt, and absolutely taken by surprise to find out that I was not a fellow Scot but in fact a local.

[richardljohnson]

I have also had an incident like this a few months ago but it was from a woman born in Scotland and left many years ago after getting married to an american. She told me she grew up in Scotland in the early 40's and most men where she grew up only wore kilts. When she saw me she was so stunned but happy to see someone in a kilt.

It's always nice to make someone's day...

Richard-

[mcnice]

a month ago a scot stopped me at university, asking me also if i were scot. i sad i just wanted to get rid of trousers and that, as he would know, the kilt is much more comfortable. he agreed, but then where is his kilt ;)

[Tim Walker]

Did you tell her about the new, updated kilt variants?

[Magnus Sporrano]

Tim,

It was just a very brief dialogue. I had a big group of people with me and she was holding someone up as well. I did point out that I knew of at least two contemporary kilt makers in Philadelphia alone. She didn't seem to want to talk about the details of the garment, just how I came about wearing one.

[bear]

I have that same conversation almost on a daily basis here in Vancouver.
I've not heard of a better city to be kilted.

[Magnus Sporrano]

I have that same conversation almost on a daily basis here in Vancouver.
I've not heard of a better city to be kilted.

I look forward to visiting your fine city, bear. I'm hoping to make the trek from Philadelphia for the August gathering.

[Kilted Kit]

I had a similar experience in an Off-Licence staffed by a young Scot.
I was casually dressed [in kilt of course] so I was obviously not going to a weddding.
My Australian accent told him I wasn't a Scot. The pub was a frequent haunt of the expat Irish community so he came up with the on plausible explanation for this Australian in a kilt : off to a ceilidh are we? No, I replied I just like wearing a a kilt.
Probably trying to establish his credentials as a true Scot he said "I've got one of those". I replied "then you should wear it ".
I left leaving him rather puzzled looking.