Kilted US expat in Scotland needing advice

[Troglodyte]

For those from Scotland, though, what are your thoughts if you were to encounter someone in Scotland wearing a kilt and then hear them speak in the unmistakeable American accent? I tend to assume there would be some shaking of the head — just as in Nashville with cowboy hats — but maybe that isn’t typically the case. My experience is that the Scots really seem to be much better at avoiding judging people than many US Southerners I’ve known. ;)

I think I qualify to answer this...

During the season, I meet a good many Americans (as well as other nationalities) who wear the kilt and Highland dress impeccably. They generally have stricter attitudes to what is, or is not, 'done' and so appear close to the ideal as it is shown in cataloges and the like. They are a pleasure to see.

We Scots at home are much less strictly concerned with appearing to know the form, and no doubt much of what we do would raise eyebrows amongst the purists.

Here, few are concerned about wearing the outfit that is the 'approved' style - Tattersall shirt with striped tie, bold check tweeds and reproduction tartans make a wonderfu combination for the classic look, but the number who dress with such care and effort here in Scotland might surprise most foreign visitors - it is not many!

In my experience, few men in Scotland own a kilt, and those who do usually have just the one which gets worn to weddings, ceilidhs, gatherings and games - or the footie - and what gets worn with it, such as open-neck shirt, tweeds or evening doublet, depends on the occasion.

Foreigners wearing Highland dress appropriately cannot fail to please native Scots, in the same way that treating it as if indulging in some kind of Brigadoon/Braveheart fantasy, with banners and weaponry, is seen to be silly and irritating.

Americans do themselves a disservice in thinking they are the only ones who get it wrong - there are probably many more who get it 'right' that go unnoticed for that reason. Having an accent, being loud and attracting attention is a bit of a cliche for Americans, and is unjust. Americans are frequent visitors to the museum where I work, and are withoout exception quiet and courteous - often noticably so - and their genuine enthusiasm for the heritage and history we have on display is hugely gratifying.