Kilts?
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So, I'm a born and bred Scot, this thread has been quite interesting to read through. It's always interesting to see how people from other countries view your own.
Below is a pic of myself (left) and my best man on my wedding day. My tartan is a variant of my clan one, Ancient Hunting Taylor. It's quite... distinctive.
Untitled by Steve Taylor, on Flickr
Took me a long while to warm to it but I wouldn't have felt right wearing anything other than my correct clan tartan. I know that the clan association with tartan patterns is a relatively recent invention with clan tartans still being worked on today but that doesn't mean that people aren't fiercely protective of them! I could also have worn a Cameron tartan as Taylors were a sept (branch) of the Cameron clan, but there's something to be said for wearing a rare tartan, it has often been a talking point at weddings.
With regards to what a kilt is, there are many opinions on this. Some will way that any kind of skirt style garment worn by a man is automatically a kilt while some will go as far as to say that whatever you wear, it's a skirt unless you were born in Scotland!
To me, a kilt doesn't have to be tartan but it does have to look like a kilt from a construction point of view. If not then how else would you define a kilt as opposed to a skirt? Pleats at the back are a must, I believe that's stated in most dictionary definitions, it should also be one piece of fabric with buckle fastenings at both sides. Anything that you step into like trousers (pants) or has an elasticated waist isn't a kilt in my opinion. I can see the attraction with utilikilts and I certainly wouldn't look down my nose at someone wearing one but they are very much seen as an American thing, I've never seen a Scot wearing one.
I do think it's great that people throughout the Americas still celebrate their Scottish or Irish heritage. It's always important to remember where you came from, no matter how long ago. I attend the highland games in Braemar every year and would love to go to one in the US or Canada one day.
Below is a pic of myself (left) and my best man on my wedding day. My tartan is a variant of my clan one, Ancient Hunting Taylor. It's quite... distinctive.
Untitled by Steve Taylor, on FlickrTook me a long while to warm to it but I wouldn't have felt right wearing anything other than my correct clan tartan. I know that the clan association with tartan patterns is a relatively recent invention with clan tartans still being worked on today but that doesn't mean that people aren't fiercely protective of them! I could also have worn a Cameron tartan as Taylors were a sept (branch) of the Cameron clan, but there's something to be said for wearing a rare tartan, it has often been a talking point at weddings.
With regards to what a kilt is, there are many opinions on this. Some will way that any kind of skirt style garment worn by a man is automatically a kilt while some will go as far as to say that whatever you wear, it's a skirt unless you were born in Scotland!
To me, a kilt doesn't have to be tartan but it does have to look like a kilt from a construction point of view. If not then how else would you define a kilt as opposed to a skirt? Pleats at the back are a must, I believe that's stated in most dictionary definitions, it should also be one piece of fabric with buckle fastenings at both sides. Anything that you step into like trousers (pants) or has an elasticated waist isn't a kilt in my opinion. I can see the attraction with utilikilts and I certainly wouldn't look down my nose at someone wearing one but they are very much seen as an American thing, I've never seen a Scot wearing one.
I do think it's great that people throughout the Americas still celebrate their Scottish or Irish heritage. It's always important to remember where you came from, no matter how long ago. I attend the highland games in Braemar every year and would love to go to one in the US or Canada one day.
I recently read a collection of essays "Invention of Tradition". There's one called "The Highland Tradition" by historian Hugh Trevor-Roper, in which he suggests that historically the Scottish family tartan as we currently know it, didn't really exist. And that most of the modern family tartans are derived form the book Vestiarium Scoticum, published by two faux Stuart royals in mid 19th century.
Not meaning to deride anyone who likes wearing kilts, but I think it's interesting that short kilts and the family tartan tradition may actually be fairly new.
EDIT: The essay is available here, if interested: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/journalism/stille/Politics%20Fall%202007/readings%20weeks%206-7/Trevor-Roper,%20The%20Highland%20Tradition.pdf
Not meaning to deride anyone who likes wearing kilts, but I think it's interesting that short kilts and the family tartan tradition may actually be fairly new.
EDIT: The essay is available here, if interested: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/journalism/stille/Politics%20Fall%202007/readings%20weeks%206-7/Trevor-Roper,%20The%20Highland%20Tradition.pdf
Oh, aye - just because a tradition is relatively recent (historically speaking) doesn't mean it's not a tradition. The Act of Proscription was specifically intended to stamp out existing Scots traditions, so it's no wonder that a whole new set of them developed after the repeal. Don't get me started on the Acts of Union...
I've had "The Invention of Tradition" on my to-read list for a while now.
Styler you and your best man look very dashing. Congratulations on your wedding. I found myself in in full agreement with this:
Jud, do you limit yourself to traditional tartan kilts only? i found this very interesting piece on the Clan Campbell site. It goes to show that not only can we here contend fiercely over what's right and proper in these matters, but even within a clan such issues might cause some ruckus. True Campbell tartan! Therein the chief of the clan sets forth in ardent and certain terms what IS and what IS NOT a proper Campbell tartan. (Imagine his ire at my Campbell friend mentioned above!)
Jarit, that Hobsbawm article is fascinating stuff. I’m about halfway through and I’ll finish it at lunch today. Thanks for sharing it.
Phred’s point is well taken. The Irish inclination to wear a kilt is certainly relatively very recent (end of the 19th Century) and was largely taken on as a statement of nationalistic defiance to the British. That said, in those years since, it has become firmly established – with the saffron plain color having maybe the most provenance. Here’s a fairly useful article on the subject. Proliferation of the irish kilt
As it states in the conclusion, there can't be any doubt that any Hibernian tradition of kilts owes pretty nearly all to the longer and more complex Caledonian one.
(Again, there are those – even here in our happy number – who will glibly and gleefully state that anyone but Scotsman, wearing anything but a tartan, is a man in a skirt. But, although ignorance may be bliss, it is certainly, in this age of the internet, also a conscious choice.)
The black kilt I’m wearing in the top photo certainly satisfied that – as my poor bride, who irons the pleats, will attest. And you are certainly right that the casual kilt is more an American thing, albeit I have one Scottish friend who wears kilts of every sort. (He is a Campbell, so you may make of that what you will and, it appears, you may also take it up with Jud)
Jud, do you limit yourself to traditional tartan kilts only? i found this very interesting piece on the Clan Campbell site. It goes to show that not only can we here contend fiercely over what's right and proper in these matters, but even within a clan such issues might cause some ruckus. True Campbell tartan! Therein the chief of the clan sets forth in ardent and certain terms what IS and what IS NOT a proper Campbell tartan. (Imagine his ire at my Campbell friend mentioned above!)
Jarit, that Hobsbawm article is fascinating stuff. I’m about halfway through and I’ll finish it at lunch today. Thanks for sharing it.
Phred’s point is well taken. The Irish inclination to wear a kilt is certainly relatively very recent (end of the 19th Century) and was largely taken on as a statement of nationalistic defiance to the British. That said, in those years since, it has become firmly established – with the saffron plain color having maybe the most provenance. Here’s a fairly useful article on the subject. Proliferation of the irish kilt
As it states in the conclusion, there can't be any doubt that any Hibernian tradition of kilts owes pretty nearly all to the longer and more complex Caledonian one.
(Again, there are those – even here in our happy number – who will glibly and gleefully state that anyone but Scotsman, wearing anything but a tartan, is a man in a skirt. But, although ignorance may be bliss, it is certainly, in this age of the internet, also a conscious choice.)
I'm on board with the whole heritage thing but beyond that, I don't get kilts. Surely medieval Scottish people saw English people wearing pants. I guess they decided skirts were better for some reason.
Oh, forgot tell this idea of a sketch in which a raiding party of 18th century angry Scots warriors are suddenly transported (in time and space) into a present day London high street where they see their enemies everywhere - clan Burberry. Bloodbath hilarity ensues.
My ancestors have been traced back to the Gibson's of Scotland which are a sept of Clan Buchanan so my sons and I have kilts that are the Buchanan's Tartans and the Gibsons. I am also considering ordering a U.S. Coast Guard tartan that is listed in the Scottish Register of Tartans.
So went to the Highland games in Detroit this past weekend. My wife is Scots-Irish and my kids love going to see the games and listening to the music. Now I am from Polish heritage, but have always been obsessed with all things celtic. So I bought my first kilt (black and grey tartan. I have been informed that I could always wear my wifes family (Carr) or the Polish Tartan, but they didn't have either of them at the games. The Polish tartan was something from WWII. After the takeover of Poland, the army and air corp went to Great Britain to continue the fight and were awarded their own tartan for their service to the crown. Either way I love my new kilt.
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