American tourists in Scotland

[KiltedKnome]

When Steve and I visited Scotland last year from Canada, he wore the kilt 100%. He was definitely noticed (but then, isn't this the goal of all kilt wearers?), but was never treated as an odd ball. Quite a few older women came up to him and complimented him on how he looked, and remarked that they would like to see more men in kilts. Remarkably, most of the people who did approach him were surprised that he was not Scottish. Now, he wore only tartan kilts with knife pleats, so I am not sure what the reaction would have been if he wore a less traditional looking kilt. Also, we did not manage to get to the more northern regions of Scotland, so perhaps the reaction would have been different there.

[Jock Scot]

When Steve and I visited Scotland last year from Canada, he wore the kilt 100%. He was definitely noticed (but then, isn't this the goal of all kilt wearers?), but was never treated as an odd ball. Quite a few older women came up to him and complimented him on how he looked, and remarked that they would like to see more men in kilts. Remarkably, most of the people who did approach him were surprised that he was not Scottish. Now, he wore only tartan kilts with knife pleats, so I am not sure what the reaction would have been if he wore a less traditional looking kilt. Also, we did not manage to get to the more northern regions of Scotland, so perhaps the reaction would have been different there.

I think on the mainland of northern Scotland the reaction will be exactly the same, apart from the midgie season, where wearing the kilt outdoors would be regarded as decidedly foolhardy, nothing would be said as you would find out why, in a very short time! On the Western and Northern Isles the wind is often a problem for kilt wearers of any nation.