First time stopped by a kilt kop

[derosa]

I was walking through the mall today wearing my Muir kilt when a nice looking lady came up to me, and with a noticeable Scottish accent said "I hope you're Scottish wearing that". I just replied that it was a family tartan, I also had a clergy tartan kilt as a Presbyterian minister and that I just love wearing them. She just smiled wide and said " that's good to know" then walked away.
First time having anyone question the right to wear it and apparently I pass muster.

[Jock Scot]

Well alright, you think that was a kilt cop episode. To a Scot that is a perfectly normal, tongue in cheek opening to a conversation with someone wearing the kilt in an out of the ordinary situation(which you would have been to a Scot)and no harm is meant by it and as you say smiles occurred. This style of comment comes in a variety of forms. So no big deal really to us in Scotland, although perhaps a tad disconcerting to you.

[Taskr]

Had a similar encounter back a couple of years ago from a group of ladies, accents thick as porridge. All light hearted and they seemed pleased to see the kilt being worn so far from home.

[OC Richard]

As I've mentioned before, I was confronted once in Glasgow. It was not tongue-in-cheek.

[McMurdo]

As Jock said that is the norm and not to be worried about, in fact, to me, that seems rather pleasant. I've had so much worse over the years from someone asking if I had the right to wear the kilt, to a drunk guy doing a kilt check infront of 20 or 30 people at a pub, he did so by lifting the aprons up over my head.

[derosa]

Jock, thanks for that info, she came across as very serious on approach, more so then I would have been with a stranger though left with a smile making it hard to read. I kept things lighter on my part and I don't offend easily by direct questions though I could see some taking it worse.

Overall it wasn't an unpleasant occurrence just completely unexpected.
McMurdo, I'd have taken that one badly, hope you managed to teach him a lesson in manners.

[Geoff Withnell]

Some time back, a lady approached me in a very unfriendly manner. "I hope you're qualified to wear that tartan!" I have no problem with friendly enquiries, but she was decidedly NOT friendly. So being the wiseacre I am, I reared back, looked down my nose, and said: " I am Geoffrey Leigh Withnell, member of Davidson Clan by descent and the agreement of my chief, head of the Withnell family by inheritance from my father and the acknowledgement of the family, U.S. Marine by proven military prowess, and US citizen by birth and the grace of God. May I have the privilege of knowing who is questioning my qualifications?" She didn't reply, just sputtered and walked away.

[Sparky McFizzlenuts]

As Jock said that is the norm and not to be worried about, in fact, to me, that seems rather pleasant. I've had so much worse over the years from someone asking if I had the right to wear the kilt, to a drunk guy doing a kilt check infront of 20 or 30 people at a pub, he did so by lifting the aprons up over my head.

He would have been doing a jaw check at the local hospital had that been me. Then again, I don't play well with others.

[Michael A]

I am often asked, as an opening question, "What tartan is that?" to then be asked about my genealogy. I respond that although I wear tartans connected with names in my family, they are all in my father's mother's side and that I am for the most part a Sassenach, 6th generations Australian of mostly Anglo-Saxon heritage, with about a quarter Scots and Irish apiece. I then gently inform them as to the relatively recent Provence of family/clan tartans in general.

As others have said, of those who are Scottish, they are to a person happy that I wear it and happier still that I now make them. The only people who get huffy in what a millennial would call "cultural appropriation" are other Australians several generations removed from Scottish ancestors. So when they hear about my heritage and commitment to continuing a rare art, they seem culturally validated. For so many of us here in this tyranny of fashionable ideas, it is nice to see validation of the fact that we have our own constituent British cultures and that the majority culture in Australia is in fact *a culutre* and not just a bank easel on which to paint other cultures, in the double standard of our multiculti paradise.

As an internet meme maker might put it, "If they want tribalism, imma give 'em tribalism."

[Dollander]

I am often asked, as an opening question, "What tartan is that?" to then be asked about my genealogy.

That only happened to me once. Someone gestured to my kilt asked “Which clan?”, and I just happened to wearing my Murray of Atholl PV so I simply replied “Murray.” But there was nothing accusatory in her tone, so I’d’ve gladly explained the significance had I been wearing something else.

I’ve never encountered a full-on kilt kop, though. I’m curious if they’d be too busy grilling me on my “right” to wear a certain tartan or kilts in general to even notice that what I’m wearing is essentially a pocketless utility kilt rendered in tartan rather than a traditional Scottish garment. Which, again, I’m happy to explain to those who actually ask questions as opposed to simply offering a quick compliment.