@Jennifer1984 Said
I had coffee with a friend this morning and she showed me her sister's wedding photos. The groom wore a kilt even though, my friend told me, he isn't Scottish. His father and brother (best man) also wore kilts.
I asked her why he did this and she said they all thought it would look good in the photos.
I told her I thought that was.... fake... fraudulent. She agreed with me although she'd said nothing to her sister.
The wearing of kilts at such formal occasions seems to be becoming more commonplace. I can understand - sort of - English families who might have a distant Scottish connection wearing them but only if they're made in a tartan that is appropriate to the clan connection being claimed.
But to me, doing it as a fashion statement is not only faux, it's disrespectful.
I'm aware that there are many of Scottish descent now in their fourth or fifth (or more) generation living in the US. Is the wearing of tartan or kilts as commonplace over there as it appears to be becoming here..?
What do TFS'ers feel about that..? Should a kilt, in any tartan, be exclusive to the relevant clan or is the kilt fair game for anybody who considers them fashionable..?
Being from Scotland Kilts are really just ceremonial attire normally for weddings. It's very rare to actually see anyone wearing kilt as actual clothes. If so they are usually elderly and what one might class as upper class.
I remember about 10 years one of the designers did a whole range of fashion kilts in black which were popular. I think it was the designer who killed himself but can't quite remember his name (Alexander McQueen?)
As a Scot I would take at umbrage at someone wearing a clan tartan when they had no affiliation to that particular clan, just because it's cool or would look nice in a photo. But i suppose in many places people have appropriated other culture's fashions. We see this often with perhaps people wearing items that come from African cultures when they have no familial connection to Africa.
I do believe kilts/tartan are popular in Canada? However lots of Canadians can trace their roots back to Scotland