Inappropriate Wear

[plaid preacher]

What sort of sword as I don't see one in the picture?


If buildings weren't hollow they wouldn't be much use.

Look, the guy looks like a twit, he's cosplaying in a museum. It would be like showing up dressed in the uniform of your local football team complete with boots. Is he hurting anyone? No he isn't. My main concern is that the portrayal is inaccurate, his left leg should be a pegleg, it shows a lack of commitment to the character I feel.

I believe Peter meant "hallowed" building. He wasn't just in any building, he was in at the Scottish National War Memorial. As such it is considered a sacred space and therefore, arms are frowned upon. (BTW, that leather belt over his shoulder is a sword belt, so I'm assuming the sword is right by his left hand) In the same manner that a regiment on church parade will not bring swords or other weapons into the church sanctuary, a sword in this context is bad form.

[CollinMacD]

Although I do believe he is an embarrassment to the United States, Scottish Traditions, and the people of Scotland, providing he is following the rules of admittance its within his right or freedom. He certainly is disrespectful to the museum he is visiting, but you can't fix stupid, and that is just stupidity. Trust me, I just came home from the Scottish Games in Virgnia, I never saw so many swords, dirks, and daggers of every description and the costuming that was going on was even stranger. The parade of the Clans, was more like the parade of the clowns. It was not very encouraging seeing so many adaptations of Scottish dress, past and present.

I just don't understand what the fascination is with trying to impress the public with carrying edged weapons, certainly does not correspond with Modern Scotland. There are so many people, especially since you can purchase just about anything across the internet, that people love to live in fantasy land. I would believe this person is one of those who like to dress the part without learning about the history or culture, so sad. Regardless of what you feel, he really is doing nothing wrong, but he is just wrong... I am sure this is not the first nor would be the last..... I am sure my Grandfather is turning in his grave on what goes on here in the United States with Scottish Dress and the games. CHEERS...

[Tobus]

Although I do believe he is an embarrassment to the United States, Scottish Traditions, and the people of Scotland, providing he is following the rules of admittance its within his right or freedom. He certainly is disrespectful to the museum he is visiting, but you can't fix stupid, and that is just stupidity.

He might actually have been breaking the law with that sword, but I'm not knowledgeable enough on it to say for sure. That part of it is still a bit unexplainable, in terms of where he got it and how he managed to travel to the castle without issues. Even here in Texas, where it only recently became legal to carry a sword, it would raise a lot of eyebrows. It is not normal behaviour anywhere. And we no longer live in a world where a strange-looking dude carrying a weapon can just be ignored.

As for the outlandish nature of the rest of his outfit, yes, clearly he is within his rights to dress in a manner that is foolish, disrespectful, and culturally insensitive. figheadair chose the correct term here: inappropriate. His outfit is highly inappropriate outside of a child's theme party or costume event - doubly so at a war memorial - and I just have to wonder what kind of mental process is going on when people do things like this. It requires a complete lack of understanding of, or utter disregard for societal norms and etiquette.

Harmless though it may be, it's just plain bizarre to the point where I would wonder about his mental status. I don't say that to be mean-spirited, but just as a genuine concern about what drives a person to do this. Abnormal behaviour is usually a sign of of an abnormal mental state, and a common telltale sign is loss of social inhibitions. That may or may not be going on here, but his appearance is so ludicrous that I'm certain others who saw him wondered the same thing. The costume could be laughed off just as one would laugh at the crazy man swearing at the mailbox on the street corner, but the sword brings it to a level of discomfort that warrants a wide berth. There have been way too many instances lately where people say, "I should have paid attention to the signs of his mental state".

[Baeau]

I wondered if the woman in the Oscar picture had her skirt on backwards - I deal more with costumes where a bustle or similar outline would be normal than with modern garments.

Anne the Pleater

Anne....would you have an opinion on the 'harness boots' she's wearing? For years, those were my day wear norm'. Not correct for that period dress, or really proper for the Academy Awards.

[MacKenzie]

Inappropriate? Yes.

A bit weird? Yes.

However: Scottish Medieval Rock bands, Celtic battle bands (yes, that's a genre), Outlander, Braveheart, etc. and on and on. All of the things I've come to call "Scottish Medieval Pop Culture"...

Surprised? No.

[PatrickHughes123]

Inappropriate? Yes.

A bit weird? Yes.

However: Scottish Medieval Rock bands, Celtic battle bands (yes, that's a genre), Outlander, Braveheart, etc. and on and on. All of the things I've come to call "Scottish Medieval Pop Culture"...

Surprised? No.

Let's not forget Celtic Rock/Bagpipe Rock. Although, I imagine that's what you meant by Celtic battle bands.

[Pleater]

Anne....would you have an opinion on the 'harness boots' she's wearing? For years, those were my day wear norm'. Not correct for that period dress, or really proper for the Academy Awards.

No opinion at all - they are low impact in the photo, compared with all those ruffles - and as there are occasions when men get the pleats in front.....

As for 'proper' - you are asking the wrong person. I seem to remember dancing topless at one of the Isle of Wight pop festivals back in the 70s, and the poem Warning - about wearing purple and a red hat would seem to be about me, though I don't feel old enough for a red hat I do wear purple.

Though I do behave better when wearing my jedi robe so I suppose I have some concept of correctness.

Anne the Pleater

[CollinMacD]

He might actually have been breaking the law with that sword, but I'm not knowledgeable enough on it to say for sure. That part of it is still a bit unexplainable, in terms of where he got it and how he managed to travel to the castle without issues. Even here in Texas, where it only recently became legal to carry a sword, it would raise a lot of eyebrows. It is not normal behaviour anywhere. And we no longer live in a world where a strange-looking dude carrying a weapon can just be ignored.

As for the outlandish nature of the rest of his outfit, yes, clearly he is within his rights to dress in a manner that is foolish, disrespectful, and culturally insensitive. figheadair chose the correct term here: inappropriate. His outfit is highly inappropriate outside of a child's theme party or costume event - doubly so at a war memorial - and I just have to wonder what kind of mental process is going on when people do things like this. It requires a complete lack of understanding of, or utter disregard for societal norms and etiquette.

Harmless though it may be, it's just plain bizarre to the point where I would wonder about his mental status. I don't say that to be mean-spirited, but just as a genuine concern about what drives a person to do this. Abnormal behaviour is usually a sign of of an abnormal mental state, and a common telltale sign is loss of social inhibitions. That may or may not be going on here, but his appearance is so ludicrous that I'm certain others who saw him wondered the same thing. The costume could be laughed off just as one would laugh at the crazy man swearing at the mailbox on the street corner, but the sword brings it to a level of discomfort that warrants a wide berth. There have been way too many instances lately where people say, "I should have paid attention to the signs of his mental state".

Fully agree with your assessment. You would think Security at the Museum would put a stop to any type of armament being worn or displayed visiting the museum, especially in todays world of these people who destroy exhibits and priceless items, like in the Louvre in Paris of the Vatican where these people took paint and hammers to priceless art and cause substantial damage. Please I am not saying this individual had any bad intentions, but you never know why take the chance. I do so much agree with mental state, as we live in a world that many more states of mental conditions go unnoticed or worse untreated. His appearance described by you as ludicrous is generous, he looks like he is attending Comic-com, guess that is where he should be. We live is a very strange world today, and more people like this are out there than what we really want to know about. In my line of work, I run across them more often that I wish to admit. Fully agree with you and others, but what can we do, nothing, the law protects his rights. Too bad.

[CollinMacD]

Had to tell a friend at a ren-fest that the new kilt he had just bought was on backwards. Never seen him move so fast to the restroom to fix it.

Sad part of that story is nobody but you really noticed. How long was he wearing it that way before you told him? So quick to "dress up" and role play, he had no idea what was the correct way to wear the clothing. I think its kind of sad that we have more people playing dress up than doing the serious research or even taking the time to do basic understanding of why and how they are dressing up. Everybody wants to be a Hollywood Star.....get their 15 minutes of fame during a public event....what a way to get that 15 mins, dressed up wrong....great...

[CollinMacD]

Inappropriate? Yes.

A bit weird? Yes.

However: Scottish Medieval Rock bands, Celtic battle bands (yes, that's a genre), Outlander, Braveheart, etc. and on and on. All of the things I've come to call "Scottish Medieval Pop Culture"...

Surprised? No.

ON STAGE as performers and part of an act, not in public visiting such a revered Scottish Landmark. Performers do this as part of the act, fools do the later to be noticed.