kilts in Edinburgh

[Phil]

I remember a visit back home to Edinburgh in the 70s and my grandfather, from Kirkaldy, commented that the only kilts you see on High street (meaning Main St., meaning Princes St) were Texans. Go Texas.

A quick correction - the High street in Edinburgh is the street known as the Royal Mile and is the street between the castle and Holyrood palace.

[Archangel]

A quick correction - the High street in Edinburgh is the street known as the Royal Mile and is the street between the castle and Holyrood palace.

I left there when I was nine and returned for a summer job when I was seventeen. My grandad took me around, I remember his comment but I also remember some reference to Princes.
I'm assuming he was being colloquial not specific, referring to the touristy areas in general.

Does that work?

[McClef]

It might work in many towns where the "High St" is a general reference, but Edinburgh has the old and new towns and I have never heard of Princes St, as the main thoroughfare of the new town called that.

The High St is the main thoroughfare of the old town.

[ozone]

Gman,

if you are interested in Scottish Country Dancing, there is a GREAT group in Denver. My friend and his wife are very involved and I plan on doing some dancing when we get to Denver.

Here's a link: http://home.comcast.net/~scdcolorado/

[Archangel]

My friend from Glasgow would never wear a kilt for no reason. But he made it sound typical to throw one on to go to a Friday night dance. He made them sound like full metal Caelidh stomps: reels, twist, mosh, whatever.

[ozone]

Are some of the inexpensive kilts discussed in other threads here available in Edinburgh? When my wife and i visited 3 years ago, I don't recall seeing discount kilts per se. Most were still well over $150 at best. I have to admit that I wasn't really looking closely at the time.

Another idea: perhaps kilt manufacturers may want to consider using lightweight wool and other lightweight materials more frequently. I plan on using my 5 yard 13oz kilt this weekend in Aspen, and it'll be about 84 (28 celsius). Now, it's VERY dry up here, but i expect that the wool will work better than canvas pants. Anyway, perhaps lighter weight (and cheaper) kilts would encourage more people to wear them in their country of origin.

All that being said, didn't the clearances in the 1700's and 1800's send most kilt-wearing types to the USA and other places? From what little history i know, I thought that the point of the clearances was to rid the countryside of highlanders and other rabble rousers (which, IMHO, was a benefit to the USA and a loss for GB). Perhaps we "tourists" are the more authentic kilt wearers in that regard :-)

[Phil]

[QUOTE=ozone;385271]Are some of the inexpensive kilts discussed in other threads here available in Edinburgh? When my wife and i visited 3 years ago, I don't recall seeing discount kilts per se. Most were still well over $150 at best. I have to admit that I wasn't really looking closely at the time./[QUOTE]

There are plenty of cheap kilts available in Edinburgh. Princes St. & the Royal Mile in particular have loads of "tartan tat" shops selling them. Scots people regard the ownership of a kilt as something very special and, as a rule, keep it to mark special occasions when its significance will be properly appreciated. This can, of course, include rugby & football matches but these, especially against the "auld enemy" are significant and special occasions. Because of this Scots in general would not be seen dead in one of these cheapo kilts and prefer to hire an outfit if they can't afford or justify buying one. I believe Kinloch Anderson for one does sell a cheaper kilt (think they call it a breacan) which has less and lighter weight cloth and is machine sewn but is otherwise what you would call a proper kilt and is probably a good "fa'in doon kilt" for apres drinkies. The tartan tat is mainly for the tourists most of whom wouldn't know a proper kilt if they fell over it. All they want is something to take to show the folks back home and not pay much for it. The number of times I have seen Japanese tourists here walking about with a cheap kilt over their jeans really makes me cringe.
The whole premise of this thread seems to be that Edinburgh folk should parade about the streets in kilts to please the tourists as if the place was one big theme park. What it is is the second largest financial centre in Britain, the capital city and the seat of Scotland's elected government. We don't see women in funny hats and shawls parading around Cardiff or dressed up as leprechauns in Dublin. When did you last see crowds of Yankee Doodle Dandies in New York. Sorry for the rant but a modicum of common sense is needed here.

[ozone]

Phil, good point about the yankee doodle dandies. But, you have to admit: New York is full of New Yorkers....who are an interesting stereotype all by themselves. So, in a way, we do have people parading around in some of our big cities on this side of the pond who very well fit the stereotypes that Europeans have of Americans. OK, let the flaming begin on that comment :-)

Perhaps we Americans just long for Disneyland-type places wherever we go and that's why you are seeing messages posted that are pining for more people in kilts. Well, we tourists will just have to visit Edinburgh in kilts more often to create our own self-fulfilling prophecy.

[McClef]

The whole premise of this thread seems to be that Edinburgh folk should parade about the streets in kilts to please the tourists as if the place was one big theme park. What it is is the second largest financial centre in Britain, the capital city and the seat of Scotland's elected government. We don't see women in funny hats and shawls parading around Cardiff or dressed up as leprechauns in Dublin. When did you last see crowds of Yankee Doodle Dandies in New York. Sorry for the rant but a modicum of common sense is needed here.

It's a bit of a reductio ad absurdam summary of the discussions Phil.

Edinburgh isn't "Scotlandland" and it is all of what you say above.

But is does sell itself as several things, one of which is things tartan and it does have the highest concentration of shops selling things tartan that I know. I haven't seen anyone suggest some form of enforced kilt wearing on the populace but I have pointed out the deficit between expectation and reality and I was also careful to point out that the problem is not limited merely to Edinburgh.

Of course common sense is needed, nobody has implied otherwise, but those of us who regularly visit in our kilts and who keep on getting asked for our photos cannot but wonder if it is being applied.

When I visited Philadelphia for example, I saw many people dressed in 18th century costume which was not only interesting but brought back the history of that period, it does not turn Philly into a theme park but it certainly adds to the visiting experience. Is it too much to expect that the appropriate authorities in Auld Reekie could organise something similar?

There are large differences between Edinburgh, Cardiff and Dublin. Cardiff was a village until the middle of the 19th century and the little old ladies with their shawls and pointed hats were to be found in Welsh-speaking areas of the North and West. It has only been the Capital of Wales for 100 years. Leprechauns are mythical, but Dublin was the English stronghold in Ireland for centuries, surrounded by a small area known as The Pale. Edinburgh on the other hand has been the Capital of Scotland for centuries.

Perhaps we Americans just long for Disneyland-type places wherever we go and that's why you are seeing messages posted that are pining for more people in kilts. Well, we tourists will just have to visit Edinburgh in kilts more often to create our own self-fulfilling prophecy.

It's not just Americans, I have posed for pictures with many people from Eastern Europe, the Far East and Japan. I have met kilted people from several countries such as France, Switzerland and Germany. In fact when I see someone in a kilt in Edinburgh I tend to assume that they are visiting.

Yes, there has to be a common sense solution somwhere.

[Phil]

I will make an effort to wear a kilt whenever I can but I know the majority of fellow Edinburghers (if that's what you call them) will continue as they are, wearing trousers/pants(pardon the offensive language here) if for no other reason than their place of work will require them to. They all have dress codes and while it may feel good to rebel it doesn't usually enhance your promotion prospects. Yes there is prejudice against kilts in many workplaces even here in Scotland in the same way there is against jeans and trainers too. We live in a society where one is very much judged on appearances still. I have now reached an age where I can proffer two fingers to such constraints whether that is fortunate or not I don't know but I do know there are many reasons preventing younger people wearing kilts on a day to day basis from peer pressure through to financial and career pressures.
Remember too that kilt-wearing was never the norm in Edinburgh or other large towns and at one time kilt wearing highlanders (teuchters) were regarded as country bumpkins and not to be emulated by polite society. Glasgow was more exposed to highlanders migrating to the city but even they quickly lost the kilt habit once there. Nowadays it has become popular and regarded as a symbol of national patriotism.