Another interesting conversation

[Derek]

As I was out the front yesterday chatting to my neighbour a woman in her late 30’s I guess passed by and noticed me in my kilt. She came over and said thats a fabulous kilt, plus the fact it was a welsh kilt made her even more complimentary. She then went on to explain how complicated it is for a kilt to be made etc etc .. She was obviously very knowledgeable about it so I let her carry on even though I knew much of what she was telling me. However, she then went on to say that a kilt looks even better with wear n' tear and age and that is when it actually becomes a part of the character of the wearer … she then said you can you can tell that with your kilt, it looks a part of you. I was quite taken back briefly. We were talking for about 10 mins before she went on her way … you just make sure you keep wearing that kilt was her last words before saying cherio ... my neighbour found the whole conversation very interesting too.
Derek

[M. A. C. Newsome]

The fact that you are used to wearing your kilt and are comfortable in it makes a world of difference, as well.

I remember from our wedding, it was myself and five groomsmen in kilts. We were all wearing different tartans, and I, as the groom, had on a fancier sporran. But other than that, we were wearing the exact same outfit . Same shirt, tie, jacket, hose, etc.

My brother-in-law approached me and said, "You know, Matt, we all look like we are wearing costumes, but you just look like you are wearing your clothes." The only difference was that I was used to wearing the kilt nearly every day, and my groomsmen were all wearing their kilts for the first time. Not that they looked bad in them, or didn't want to wear them. They just were not used to them -- it was a "novel" thing.

You just carry yourself differently when you are comfortable.

Aye,
Matt

[Yaish]

Thats exactly right. I've noticed it with my own kilt experience, and you can even notice it if you look at other people in different types of clothes.

For example, next time you are somewhere teens hang out notice the goth kids. Sure they look stupid, but for some what they are wearing just seems natural. For others you can tell its a costume, a personna they are adopting for the moment.

For me, when I meet another kilt wearer at a festival or fair I can usually tell if they are daily wearers or just for special occasions. The daily wear guys just have their kilt on. The ones who just break them out for special occassions HAVE THEIR KILT ON! Even if they arent worried about being made fun of, they still arent entirely comfortable and you can tell the garment is foremost on their mind at all moments.

[Alan H]

You know, when I wear a kilt I find that I carry myself a little bit straighter and look people in the eye a little bit more directly. I'm not obnoxious, I'm not a stuffed shirt, and I don't get in peoples faces. I'm just a little bit more...Hmmm...

"Definite".

And yet at the same time, sometimes I'm temporarily unaware I'm wearing anything different. That's both good and bad, for me at least. So the thing is, I don't think I ever want to FORGET that I'm wearing a kilt........but I want to be at ease in it.

Which now, after five months, I am.

[GMan]

Kilt wearing is part of who we all are. Confident, taller, and a lot more comfortable.

I too had an interesting story while talking to a neighbor, two ladies walked up and said to each other see we do have a guy in the neighborhood who looks so natural while kilted.

Derek, your story seems like a natural to me, Thank You.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

What's funny is that when people see me in my kilt and ask what tartan I am wearing, I usually have to look down and check to see which one I put on that morning. :-)

Sometimes at the check-out line in the grocery the clerk will not even notice I'm in a kilt until I have to dig in my sporran for my wallet.

Aye,
Matt

[Hamish]

You know, when I wear a kilt I find that I carry myself a little bit straighter and look people in the eye a little bit more directly. .................................................. .................................................. ..........................................

That is interesting, Alan. I have never been good at eye contact with strangers and, since turning to exclusive kilt wearing six years ago, I find I am even worse at it, if that is possible. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I actually make a point of avoiding eye contact nowadays!

That does not mean that I shuffle along with my head down, far from it. I stride along with head held high - but I definitely, and quite naturally, do not look into other people's faces when out and about.

[Lee]

I would agree . . . more comfortable/confident in a kilt.
Now at the point, after a full 10 weeks full-time kilted at work, when I wore trousers one day, I had to explain why. Didn't have a good answer.
Not sure there is one.

Lee