kilts discussed on another forum

[Bugbear]

I've seen that forum before, but I'm not a member. XMTS is actually the only forum to which I belong... :ootd:

[Flag Folder]

Two good ideas for smilies. I'd vote for both of them.

Bruce

[Rex_Tremende]

There's quite a combative atmosphere to the back and forth, and the zero tolerance for Utilikilts, Tartans other than one's own family's, and Kilts worn anywhere outside Scotland reminded me of why I like XMTS so much!

If you thought the Kilt Police were a myth~ they're right here

XMTS is a well-run forum. "Ask Andy" may be as well - don't know, since I only read through the one thread - but to be honest, I didn't see any sentiment posted there that I haven't seen here at some point. I suppose the difference is that since our focus here is so narrowly drawn (on kilts) opinion tends to occupy a wider range of attitudes on that one subject.

I can't recall what its name is, but if you're surfing for kilt stuff, you're bound to run into a forum that is strictly for the review of traditional tartan hand-sewn kilts - probably spawned from one of the earlier forums on MUGs, if I had to guess. It has a much more conservative POV and narrowly drawn range of acceptable attire, in my opinion. I would feel way out of place there.

Regards,
Rex.

[Carolina Kiltman]

I stick around X-Marks :ootd: for the reason that we have excellent moderators who keep close tabs on the civility of the discussion

As far as wearing a kilt, it is part of my heritage, and I do so quite frequently, but not always. It is always one of my family's tartans. I would not feel comfortable wearing one that I had no "right" to. But I speak only for myself.

Seems we have been having a plague of "zombies" here lately. Is it related to the H1N1 flu virus?

[O'Callaghan]

I thought that most in that thread were remarkably well informed.

I have to say that I still don't feel comfortable with the idea of wearing someone else's tartan even though I know very well that nearly all the clan tartans were either (a) invented by the Sobieski Stuart brothers in their faux 17th century book that they 'translated', i.e. wrote, and who of course weren't really related to the Stuarts and whose real last name was Allen, or (b) assigned by the Wilson's of Bannockburn woollen mill on the basis of the surnames of previous customers who had bought that particular sett, their setts having previously been identified by numbers, or (c) actually more recent than even the Victorian period, and designed by someone who designs corporate tartans and the like.

There are exceptions to the above, but they are few in number. Those that existed by the time of Culloden can be counted on your fingers, or maybe with the help of a toe or two. Most clans didn't have their own tartan back then, and there are even a few Scottish clans whose existence can't even be traced back that far, except as a sept of some other clan, if that.

OTOH, I would no more wear the tartan of any other non-clan group that I didn't belong to, even if they only designed it last week, and that is really the point. By the same token, if I wear an Irish tartan that wasn't designed in Ireland and isn't in the least old, it represents whatever we agree it does. It's about belonging, not about how old the tartan is.

On the other, other hand (!), those who just wear any tartan they like can't be faulted for historical accuracy, so good luck to them!

[Roderick]

"My name is Kerr, and I wear the Kerr tartan out of pride and tradition, but I am no more "entitled" to wear it than anyone else. If I see you wearing a Kerr kilt or pair of trewes, you can bet I'll come over and say hello, but I won't be the least put out if I find out your last name is Sobieski."

Some of the folks there are clearly less douche-y than others. But yeah, as it's been pointed out, it's a pretty old thread. Maybe folks have grown up a little in the past two-and-a-half years?

[Dan R Porter]

If it was not for threads like this what would we have to complain about?

[Roderick]

I would rather wear a tartan to which I am connected (Davidson, Maple Leaf) than one to which I was not, but I certainly wouldn't crap on anyone who simply wore a tartan that they liked because they enjoyed the sett and wanted to wear a kilt.

[OCSman]

I sure hope folks aren't that rude here. I mean it just seems wrong to put someone down just because their opinion is different than yours.

[Nighthawk]

I sure hope folks aren't that rude here. I mean it just seems wrong to put someone down just because their opinion is different than yours.

Well, hello, sir! We are a much more tolerant lot here. I personally wear whatever style of kilt I darned well please, from a traditional hand sewn to a modern Amerikilt. So have no fear of the dreaded Kilt Police here. We have them but keep them in check.