Quote Originally Posted by Lyle1 View Post
Sorry, Jock, but I think the young men in the photographs looked fine in their kilts, and they certainly don't look stupid! The posted photos show young men looking quite comfortable wearing kilts, and I did not see anything that I thought degraded the kilt. What I saw was another generation of men taking the kilt as part of their chosen lifestyle. They are young, and their lifestyle is very different from ours, much as mine was very different from my father's and my fathers was very different from his father's... Better that young men wear kilts in a manner that works in their style of living than that they not wear them at all.
Agreed to a certain extent. It's nice to see young lads wearing the kilt, but they should do the unique attire honor and wear it correctly. I am 28 years old, have been wearing the kilt since I was a wee boy at the age of 6. I was fortunate enough to have been taught how to wear Highland attire correctly, yet still given room to move around a bit and incorporate my own sense of style, flair, and fashion. I know my boundaries, and in my opinion, what those lads are wearing in the photos in Edinburgh, is outside of my personal boundaries, but again, that's entirely my opinion and I am by no means attempting to tell anyone how they should wear their Highland attire. Just know this, there does exist a proper manner of wearing it. There are many lads out there, both in the States and abroad, that know the proper way of wearing tradtional Highland dress. In terms of Highland attire, I respect these men and the time honored, old-world traditions that they are passing down to younger generations of kilt enthusiasts, and equally important, Scots of Highland origins. I respect them, because my grandfather and father have done the same thing for me, and I shall pass these traditions down to my wee bairns once they arrive in this beautiful world. You can't pass down a kilt worn with a football or a rugby jersey; you can't pass down a kilt worn too low with boots and grubby looking kilt hose; you can't pass down a kilt that its wearer really has no pride in wearing, which is indeed a subjective statement I realize.

My point is, Highland dress, more specifically its focal point, the kilt, is a living, breathing, tangible object that evokes such a high degree of passion, emotion, and pride. It is a very rare thing, and quite a surreal thing, to hold a kilt in your hands that is over 100 years old, and that has been passed down to you by your grandfather, and was given to him by his father. Not many chaps can speak of this, Jock most certainly can, and I know that there are others. It is a very special moment; undescribeable. Highland dress should be worn with pride and enthusiasm, but also should be worn correctly. That's my opinion with regards to the matter, take it as you will.

Slainte,