Why you don't see Scots wearing their kilts often

[Legba]

Times and cultures change. I live out west and we use four wheelers to move cattle, and most cowboys wear ball caps.
Of course we see a few cowboy hats each day, and 90% or so wear them during rodeo times.
That gives me an idea, Kilt, Brushpopper, cowboy boots, 4wheeler and a Cowboy hat cattle drive photo coming up!

[chrisupyonder]

Times and cultures change. I live out west and we use four wheelers to move cattle, and most cowboys wear ball caps.
Of course we see a few cowboy hats each day, and 90% or so wear them during rodeo times.
That gives me an idea, Kilt, Brushpopper, cowboy boots, 4wheeler and a Cowboy hat cattle drive photo coming up!

I can hardly wait!

[okiwen]

I had occasion while in Coeur d'Alene, Id. to be in uniform (kilted and gun on hip) to have a young lady run up and ask If I was wearing it "correctly". I pleasantly answered "whenever I wear it (the uniform) I am correct". I wondered what this misplaced farm girl knew about what was or was not correct. I knew she was just being playful and meant no harm at all but I think the correctness in the Highlands or here is subject to the circumstance.

I was never "checked" while in my Utilikilt though. I used to work construction and the kilt was my most favoritest, provided the work for the day would not wrap me up in a saw or other machine.

[Orthzar]

Times and cultures change. I live out west and we use four wheelers to move cattle, and most cowboys wear ball caps.
Of course we see a few cowboy hats each day, and 90% or so wear them during rodeo times.
That gives me an idea, Kilt, Brushpopper, cowboy boots, 4wheeler and a Cowboy hat cattle drive photo coming up!

New internet etiquette rule: "if you announce an idea on a forum, you swear on your great grandmother's grave to carry out your idea."

[Gael Ridire]

Finally after ten pages and a few months late:

The native Scots have presented an excellent point of view. So have others. I loved the one Canadian who called himself a mud-blood (yea, let's see I'm Irish, Scot, Welsh, English, French, Dutch, German, Czech, and Pole). Born in the western U.S. in the Rocky Mountains, my grandfather wanted nothing more then to be a cowboy, I spent a summer working with a 100 head of horses, dressed as a cowboy, never again!

Just as the kilt began in the Highlands it evolved to be accepted in the Lowlands (sort of) and is the national dress of a nation. Then the sons & daughters of that country went abroad and the evolution of the kilt continues. Utility kilts might not be worn or even made in Scotland, but they are in America. Simply it is the kilt in evolution, for some it is good, and for some it is bad.

Some twenty years ago I met a gentleman from Cornwall who was on tour in North America expounding to all that the Cornish were not English but were Celts. He wore a kilt in the Cornish national tartan. He explained that the kilt was not native to the Cornish, but after much discussion it was decided upon that the kilt would be adopted and Cornish tartan setts designed, to tell the world that the Cornish are Celtic, because the world knows that the kilt belongs to Scotland, which is Celtic.

In the late 19th century the Gaelic League of Ireland searched the traditional clothing of Ireland to help designate for people their nationalistic leaning to the English establishment. The caubeen was worn by men, but the French adopted it into the beret. Women wore Celtic style jewelry to show nationalism. Finally it was decided that the kilt should be worn, but to differentiate from the Scots, the material used would be of a plain color and not tartan.

If I hadn't gained so much weight over the past few years, I would wear the kilt every day and probably the utility kilt. The kilt tells all what my heritage is! Next week is one of the state's Celtic festivals. I'm having my daughter make me a vest in the Black Stewart tartan for I'm not comfortable wearing a kilt until I lose weight.

A few years ago I wore my kilt to church no comments were received. The next Sunday sitting behind me was a young Tongan family, the dad wearing his lava-lava. I gave him a thumbs up.

[Dale Seago]

Just as the kilt began in the Highlands it evolved to be accepted in the Lowlands (sort of) and is the national dress of a nation. Then the sons & daughters of that country went abroad and the evolution of the kilt continues. Utility kilts might not be worn or even made in Scotland, but they are in America. Simply it is the kilt in evolution, for some it is good, and for some it is bad.

Some twenty years ago I met a gentleman from Cornwall who was on tour in North America expounding to all that the Cornish were not English but were Celts. He wore a kilt in the Cornish national tartan. He explained that the kilt was not native to the Cornish, but after much discussion it was decided upon that the kilt would be adopted and Cornish tartan setts designed, to tell the world that the Cornish are Celtic, because the world knows that the kilt belongs to Scotland, which is Celtic.

Pretty much how I see it too. Regarding the second paragraph quoted above, despite the fact that many Scots would not consider themselves Celtic it does seem that the kilt has caught on in areas which never historically wore it -- Ireland, Cornwall, Wales, etc. -- as sort of a generic expression of "Celtitude". I rather like that.