It's that time of year again... the time of year when I get people asking me to sell or rent them a kilt outfit for them to wear to a Halloween party. Usually they balk at the price. "I'm not paying that much for a costume!" they say. No. No, you are not. Because the kilt is not a costume.
This time of year I always have to remind people of that. Kilts -- real kilts, anyway -- are not meant to be worn as costumes. You can wear them as part of your regular wardrobe, day in and day out, as some do. Or you can reserve them for special occasions such as weddings, Burns Dinners, Highland Games, or some other event where you want to honor your Scottish heritage. But whatever the case, the kilt should be treated as a respected peice of heritage clothing and not some party gag.
If you must dress up for Halloween, then, please avoid the temptation to dress as "a Scotsman." You will only perpetuate the tired stereotype that many have of the kilt to begin with. Those of us who endeavor to treat our culture with respect will thank you for it.
Oh, and if you thought that this post was going to be about the ancient Celtic origins of Halloween, I'll direct you here:
http://www.turrisfortis.com/halloween.html
Pick up a bag of candy for me!
