Kilt wearing in Scotland

**ali8780** · 22nd March 09, 11:28 AM

Hi! I'm new (I posted in the newbie forum), and I was wondering if anyone could answer this question for me:

Are there people in Scotland that wear kilts on a daily basis as their main or only way of dressing? And would it ever be worn while doing outside work? obviously not the very formal kilts...

Thank you so much!

Sorry if this thread fits better somewhere else, I wasn't exactly sure where to put it...

(How embarrassing, I meant 'Scotland' not 'Scottland' Those double consonants get me every time)

**McMurdo** · 22nd March 09, 12:00 PM

Fixed the heading for you.

**ali8780** · 22nd March 09, 12:15 PM

Thank you!

**Niblox** · 22nd March 09, 12:29 PM

Hi

Not many men wear kilts everyday in Scotland. Those that do fall into two general categories:

(a) those working in tourist-related occupations (tour guides, pipers busking in the street, etc) - the vast majority

(b) those that wear it as a daily item of wear - the very small minority.

In general, you will find kilts being worn around Edinburgh for rugby internationals, but that is only on a few weekends each year. Weddings are the other big reason for wearing (usually hired ones).

A comment I saw once in a guide to Scotland was that the usual clothing of the Scottish male was boiler suit and cap. On going to bed, he removes his cap.

Another comment was that when the average Scot thinks culture, he reaches for his kilt.

Apart from the dedicated few like Hamish and the habitues of Ferintosh, the number of daily kilt-wearers in Scotland is miniscule.

Niblox

**Jock Scot** · 22nd March 09, 12:41 PM

Niblox is about right.I do remember a full time deer stalker who would wear his estate tweed kilt, full time, even in the roughest conditions. Mind you he had spent many years serving in the SAS beforehand and was as hard as flint. Full time ,non commercial, kilt wearers are extremely rare even in the highlands. Oh! Welcome from Inverness-shire.

**Laird O'the Cowcaddens** · 22nd March 09, 12:51 PM

Welcome to the Forum and to the Rabble. Niblox & Jock, pretty much encapsulated all that can be said on the subject,thanks guys for keeping it pithy.

**ali8780** · 22nd March 09, 01:04 PM

Thank you so much, you guys have been most helpful.

As a follow-up question: Hypothetically, if there were a Scotsman who wore a kilt on a daily basis, would it be disrespectful to wear it under working conditions (i.e. farming)?

Again, thank you!

**Bugbear** · 22nd March 09, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by ali8780

Thank you so much, you guys have been most helpful.

As a follow-up question: Hypothetically, if there were a Scotsman who wore a kilt on a daily basis, would it be disrespectful to wear it under working conditions (i.e. farming)?

Again, thank you!

First, I am not a Scot from Scotland, I have seen questions about farm work while wearing a kilt, though. I don't think respect of the kilt is an issue, but the safety around farm equipment is. There's a lot more loose fabric to get caught in woodchippers etc than with overalls. Plus, you might not want to get... farm stuff on the kilt.

Sounds like you do some farming, good for you.

**Jock Scot** · 22nd March 09, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by ali8780

Thank you so much, you guys have been most helpful.

As a follow-up question: Hypothetically, if there were a Scotsman who wore a kilt on a daily basis, would it be disrespectful to wear it under working conditions (i.e. farming)?

Again, thank you!

Oh yes,I well remember several farm workers wearing the kilt on the farms around here in the 1940/50's. The kilts were mostly Seaforth,or, Cameron Highlander tartan as those were the regiments that most of them served with, either in the First or Second World War,or, both. There is not much difference between a battle field and a farm in some circumstances! I will be rather boring now, but I have to say it, "a farm is not the place to wear the kilt, if you are working there, these days, EVER".

**ali8780** · 22nd March 09, 02:17 PM

I will be rather boring now, but I have to say it, "a farm is not the place to wear the kilt, if you are working there, these days, EVER".

Duly noted. Don't worry, I'm not planning on doing any farm work in a kilt (or advising anyone else to either), I'm actually doing some research for a book I'm writing. I was just trying to figure out how plausible it would be to have my character wear a kilt on a daily basis and while doing light farm work.