To ask Scots if this would offend them ...

[UsedtobeFeckless]

Basically DS, who has a Scottish great grandmother but is 7/8ths non-scot, wants to wear a blackwatch tartan kilt to a formal event. He's googled which tartans it's ok to wear if you're not entitled to a clan one but DP is a bit worried it might look like cultural appropriation ... Any thoughts would be welcome!

My English DP has worn a kilt to several family
weddings and only ever had cheers and claps on the back. In my experience, us Scots are extremely welcoming of anyone who wants to wear a kilt to an event, regardless of where they are from!

I include anyone permanently resident in Scotland as my definition of a Scot btw

Also I think it depends on the event - Scottish wedding with other people in kilts, fine. Leavers ball at English high school with everyone else in suits - a bit weird.

My 2p: It depends on the occasion / reason for wanting to wear it. I attended a wedding a few years ago where 1/2 the guests were American and many had hired kilts. I think all the Scots enjoyed the fact the Americans had made an effort to fit in with the local culture, and it was seen as symbolic of the coming together of 2 cultures (bride was American, groom was Scottish). If your DH simply wants to wear it because he thinks it looks good / because he is 1/8 Scottish, I don't think anyone would be offended, but they might be amused/bemused by his choice.

Emerge.... *wear!

Same as &Maintain I’d see it as a compliment that he’s proud of having a bit of Scottish heritage and wants to wear it. Even if he didn’t have any Scottish heritage, it’s nice to see someone wearing a kilt and he’d be very welcome to wear it.

Wouldn't bother me.

I just love Scotland
and Scottish people

As someone Scottish I can tell you that no one will care

Is the event in Scotland? The only thing is that I'd think people might find it a bit odd if he's wearing a kilt to a non-Scottish event and doesn't appear to really be Scottish.

I kind of look at it like:

Event in Scotland, everyone can wear a kilt regardless of whether they are Scottish or not.

Event outwith Scotland or with no Scottish links, generally only Scots would wear a kilt.

But that's not any kind of rule, just what I find the norm.

Toominty

I wouldn't be offended as long as he votes for Independence at the next referendum 😜

I would not be offended I think it's lovely he's celebrating his history

"Cultural appropriation" 🙄

Nobody cares that much about particulars, we just like to see the boys in kilts I think it is nice for us Scots to feel some kind of clan affiliation when choosing tartans, but that’s not the same as being offended by others wearing it. It’s not like we ask for ten generations of the family tree up front to check these things out!

If he wears it with a hat like that emoji there might be a problem!!

A great grandmother you say? He'd qualify for the national team at that rate! Is he any good at football?

PS There are also regional tartans and company/football team/charity tartans eg. Isle of Skye Tartan.

It’s fine as long as he’s not wearing a ‘see you jimmy hat’ and screeching ‘ouch aye the noo!’ To take the piss. Anyone actually know where ‘och aye the noo’ came from as it means ‘oh yes the now’ which is nonsense?

Another Scot here who thinks it’s a nice thing to do. I’m all for anyone who feels a connection with Scotland to wear the tartan. I was recently at a wedding where my friend married a Frenchman, and he, and a lot of his friends/family wore the kilt. We all thought it was a lovely way to show him joining our friend’s family. We made all of the French feel welcome, including helping with the ceilidh dances, etc. They all said how much they enjoyed it.
My brother has worn his kilt around the world - to weddings, events, and rugby matches. He’s had nothing but positive responses.
I’d say that your son should wear the Black Watch if he’d like to - and we’d be pleased that he is showing his love and respect of his heritage.

Not offended in the slightest. And Black Watch is a lovely tartan.

Nobody bothers honestly it's fine he can wear any tartan he wants ;

I agree with redred. I would have loved it if my DS had worn the kilt to his wedding and even though he's half Scottish (I'm 100% Scottish) it gets completely forgotten as we live in England and apart from me my kids have no connection to Scotland or Scottishness which i think is sad.

Your husband is being ridiculous. I've been to loads of weddings in Scotland, where non-Scots wear kilts. So what?

I've never even heard of cultural appropriation. Sounds like more bullshit from the "professionally offended" brigade.

After independence he’ll be wanting a Scottish passport too

We Scots are happy for anyone to wear a kilt. The more the merrier. I love a man in a kilt!

Ooooooo, when are you entitled to wear a Clan kilt? My FIL is a Scots, my husband was born in Scotland, but spent most of his life in England. He wore a Clan kilt at our wedding and my sister had a lovely little kilt made from the off cuts of my husband's wedding kilt for our 6 month old son. I am not Scottish myself.