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!

Scottish people don’t care who wears kilts, but if you were to put on a jimmy wig and start saying och aye the noo, you might cause offence.

Scottish and think it would be great if he wore the kilt as long as he steers away from the Braveheart stylee or the fancy dress type with too short, too lightweight material. I love the formal style with waistcoat and jacket, both daytime and evening versions, or the hunky style with rugby-style shirt, t-shirt or ordinary shirt, long socks around the ankle and chunky boots. I loathe the poofy sleeves with leather ties type of shirt.

There's a lot of nonsense talked about tartans which is primarily a result of George IV's visit to Edinburgh, Sir Walter Scott's running of that visit, and Victorian over-the-toppery. Stick to a family, general, area, regiment etc tartan depending on your connections and no one can clutch their pearls. I remember a whole load of Nigerian command level police officers all wearing the kilt or tartan sash with a dress for a dinner (and being introduced to Irn Bru as a matter of urgency the next day!).

We're very happy for all people to wear tartan and the kilt respectfully. There's a Singh tartan, a Scottish Muslim tartan, and a Scottish Jewish tartan amongst others. Humza Yousaf looked incredibly smart (and rather sexy IMO) in the kilt with a traditional Pakistani jacket at the Opening of Parliament.

@FunkyKingston. If there was no such thing as clan tartan then why was there legislation to ban the wearing of it to depict clans? Not being obtuse, I haven't read your reference so I honestly don't know!

cultural appropriation has to be one of the biggest piles of shite ever

So very true

Cultural appropriation, feh - as a Scot I’m just not wound up by people wearing tartan (unless you are russ abbot, then you can just piss off). Try walking down the Royal Mile - loads of tourists in tartan, and my friend owns a Scottish shop in England and has to employ Japanese speaking staff for the customers.

It seems to be fairly normal for emergency services in the US to have bagpipes at services and sometimes wear tartan (possibly more Irish than Scots though).

Nah, not fussed. Cultural appropriation indeed! Who is to judge? A lovely little child at DS school (very fair with huge blonde curls) used to wear traditional Chinese clothes to school on dress up day. People did wonder (and thank god no one ever muttered the words ‘cultural appropriation’) until we met his mum, who is Chinese.

clan tartan then why was there legislation to ban the wearing of it to depict clans

Highland dress (ie kilts) was banned after the Jacobite rebellion at that point 'clan tartan' as we know it did not exist.

Absolutely would not be offended, I’d think it was nice!

As long as it’s a universal, not a clan tartan, he’s fine.

Men, in general, looks fantastic in kilts. Not just Scotsmen, most men look dapper in a kilt. I think cultural appropriation is utter bollocks in any case. Anyone offended by a man in a kilt needs to give their head a wobble.

Oh yes, men in kilts, very hunky.

I'm only Scottish under the Scottish Granny Rule (much used for sports teams) but I live in a part of Scotland where wearing a kilt is perfectly normal even for everyday wear (although this isn't very common, it doesn't cause comment). I don't think I've ever heard anyone get properly offended by anyone wearing a kilt, no matter where they are from.
Many Scots have cousins south of the border, and would probably assume that the kilt-wearer was from a branch of a Scottish family that had moved South.

The event's up near the border - lots of bods from both sides, l've shown DP the thread and he's on side now, so cheers chaps! No Braveheart stuff, though - 😁 No one rates Mel post-Thunderdome in this house, anyway!

There a hipster wanker at my DD's school who wears a godawful mixture of kilt, First Nations headdress, umbrella and shitty beard. He can fuck off with his kilt. And he has skinny calves

I care far more if a kilt wearing man has a well-turned ankle and a nice calf than Scottish grandparents.

Wouldn't be offended in the slightest and can't imagine anyone else would be! We are a fairly accepting people

Jeezo MrsTP that lad has every base covered

I know MrsJ I judge hard.

Nope, I don't care a bit. I like to see people in kilts. Be sure he goes commando as it becomes a skirt if anything is worn beneath it...

Make sure his brogues are laced properly, and none of that Jacobite shirt shite. Shirt, tie, and jacket
And make sure his flashes are colour appropriate to the kilt.
And make him carry a hip flask full of Highland Park...

I used to work with international students and at the end of the year we always had a ceilidh. Honestly, there was nothing nicer than Kurdish, Chinese, Saudi, Brazilian, Iraqi and Libyan students turning up in kilts.

I was an international student in Scotland, and I remember gatherings like this. It actually gives me a bit of a lump in my throat to remember; it is emblematic of the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that many of us experienced.

Not offended at all; we're all Jock Tamson's Bairns.

I wouldn't wear black watch (as a Scot) because of what the black watch was. But most people dont really give a crap.

Havent RTFT

I have the opposite issue. DH and I are English but live in Scotland. I have live here for over 40 years and all 3 dcs were born here. DD 2 gets married next year and her DPand all of his family are English and travelling up expecting a "Scottish" wedding. they are going to be disappointed. DS refuses point blank to wear a kilt, despite being born and raised here. Despite being married in Scotland i don't think there will be a kilt in sight lol

I don’t think anyone would care but I have one Scottish parent and I would not consider myself Scottish and would be embarrassed to walk around in tartan.

I would definitely roll my eyes if he started telling me he was “entitled” to wear it because of a Scottish Great-Grandparent it started working out fractions of how Scottish he was

I love a man in a kilt, very sexy.

Very disappointed to hear i can only be Scots if i was born there and live there. My parents will be shocked when I inform them I'm English.

Abs not offended at all, good on the lad