Wearing a kilt but not being Scottish

[CameronTaylor]

My friend noted an Asian guy (pierced, blonde mohawk, tank top, Doc Martens) wearing a black leather kilt friday night in Long Beach, CA.
She's fairly certain he wasn't Scottish either but he pulled it off well.

Wear what you want, look good doing it.

CT - that makes at least 4 black leather kilts in this area that I know of

[Makeitstop]

On a side note.... the science reason you can wear a kilt - genetic differences with the human population are very, very small. We are a young species from a small founding population. Therefore, we are all related to each other. (ps I have used this one on someone who said that I did not have a Scottish accent and thus should not be wearing a kilt - they walked away in a state of confusion - I called checkmate on that one)

As to being Scottish. Fact - there are way more people in the US than in Scotland who claim to be Scots. My guess is Canada has a similar demography.

Many "true" Scots have deep Norse, Celt, Gaol and other roots. If someone could actually describe what is pure "Scottish" blood, my guess is that there are very, very few in the world who have it. Not too many with pure blood, but most with pure hearts.

Well, when you look at the big picture, none of us are Scottish, German or Japanese. We are all African, by way of Scotland, Germany or Japan. And if we had perfect records of our ancestors going back to the beginning (or at least to before the dawn of civilization) most of us would probably find connections to places all over the globe. And that includes Scotland.

Ok, one more thought - random perhaps...

I can remember meeting in Texas, I met a chap once who put his arm around me and said "Son, do you feel like a Texan"

My response, ...timid... well yes sir, today I feel like a Texan.

His answer "If you feel like a Texan, then you are a Texan"

I would apply that logic to kilts and being "Scottish".

Fiddler Doyle

I like that. And choosing to be a part of a culture/identity/whatever is so much more meaningful than being born into it by chance.


Just remember, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So anyone who claims to be Scottish and gives you crap about it is lacking perspective, and anyone who isn't Scottish has no more "authority" on these matters than you do.

[Woodsheal]

[kiltiejimbob]

I am only marginally Scottish but have now found that being the only one to wear the kilt round this town on a semi regular basis, and not being one of the townies to engage in Scottish Country Dancing, I am looked upon as fringe by the nicest people and just this side of a cross dresser by the others. Rather frustrating as I just had a wonderful Cameron Hunting Weathered 16-17oz kilt made in February. Now that September is here and weather will soon get cooler, the tourists will flee and I may resume my early morning dog walking while kilted. I LOVE wearing my kilts. For a while all my neighbours just kind of ignored the fact, which was great. Then in the last year they have all begun asking rather pointed questions about my attire. The questions end up making me feel a bit of a standout and somewhat uncomfortable. One ex NHL hockey player who lives down the street actually said at a neighbour's gathering, "What's the deal with the kilt!?" Simple enough question when read in hindsight, but at the time he uttered those words it was difficult to side step the implication of something unsavoury in his tone. I think we should have a Niagara-on-the-Lake kilt walk this Autumn. Any takers?? I am now way off topic....

KJB

[highlander_Daz]

And of course, lets not forget that the Kilt is Highlandwear not Scottish wear, does that exclude everyone whos not a highlander from wearing the Kilt, is only Christopher Lambert allowed to wear it? anyone who suggests that only Scots wear the Kilt is showing a lack of insight to the extereme, it would have never occured to lowland Scots like Robert burns to don the kilt, anymore than a non Aboriginal australian would wander around in Aboriginal robes and head gear, its only thanks to the Victorians and Sir Walter Scott that Tartan has been percived a representing the Whole of Scotland.
(sorry if I keep labouring this point)

[kiltiejimbob]

Hmmmm, I wonder if the kilt was a Celtic garment found wherever Celts were found but died out in all but the Scottish Highlands hence making it seems as though it were only a Highland garment. Seems to me I have heard of kilts being found in Spain and France. Certainly bagpipes are found and played in Spain to this day.

KJB

[Woodsheal]

Hmmmm, I wonder if the kilt was a Celtic garment found wherever Celts were found but died out in all but the Scottish Highlands hence making it seems as though it were only a Highland garment. Seems to me I have heard of kilts being found in Spain and France. Certainly bagpipes are found and played in Spain to this day.

KJB

Actually, the true pan-Celtic garment was - dare I say it?! - trousers! The bare-legged, tunic-wearing Greeks and Romans mocked the Keltoi for their "barbaric" practice of trouser wearing. Roman soldiers serving later on the empire's northern frontiers adopted trousers as sensible cold-weather garments.
No, there's no getting around the fact that the kilt evolved in one small corner of Celtdom - the Scottish Highlands, due to the unique terrain and climate factors there....

[Jock Scot]

It would be a real shame if things got out of hand here, but we Highland Scots often have a quiet smile at the lowlanders who are wearing the kilt and are loudly claiming the kilt as Stottish attire. Oh, it is all good fun!

[Carolina Kiltman]

It would be a real shame if things got out of hand here, but we Highland Scots often have a quiet smile at the lowlanders who are wearing the kilt and are loudly claiming the kilt as Stottish attire. Oh, it is all good fun!

Of course, the roman soldiers wore a longish shirt under their armor, and the effect was similar to the kilt. Then there is the Greek Evizone(sp?) Point I am trying to make here that yes, the kilt is a uniquely highland garment a short "skirt" was the norm for men in many regions over time. The fact that my Mother was from Mull, doesn't stop me from wearing the kilt with pride. I agree, Jock, that we need to keep all in the spirit of good fun.

[highlander_Daz]

I was talking to an Australian Gentleman yesterday and he confessed Hed love to wear the kIlt but he felt his status as an Australian prevented him from doing so, which is sad really, he was amazed when I explaned that not so many years ago the penalty for repeat offenders wearing Tartan was a (free!!) trip to Australia (his Majesty's plantations beyond the seas,) which he found frustrating given the price of air travel thsese days!!

I suggested he looked at some of Australias bank notes to see Scots faces staring back at him and that Scots had played a huge part in shaping Modern Australia.
and of course suggested he check out Xmarks