Mall question: Are You Scottish?

[pbpersson]

Today it happened to me for the second time. This guy in the mall purposely stopped me and asked me if I was Scottish. I was wearing an olive green original Utilikilt. Does that look Scottish? So, after the fact I'm trying to figure this out:

1. I was Scottish but couldn't afford a REAL kilt so I was showing my heritage by wearing this strange-looking thing with the floppy pockets
2. It was a real tartan kilt but the tartan part is just a paste-on thing that came off at the dry cleaners and will be depositted on someone's dress shirts
3. Once a Scottish guy wears a kilt he can never go back to pants and wears whatever kilt-like thing he can find.

The whole concept that only Scottish guys can wear anything kilt-like seems so strange to me now. :confused:

Anyway, I told him I am not Scottish, this is an American kilt made by Utilikilts in Seattle and I just wear kilts because they are so comfortable.

Well.....he said "OH" but it was a long, drawn out OOOOOOHHHHHHhhhhhh.... and I knew his train had left the tracks and was now going wild through the forest of his mind, mowing down trees as it went. His face went totally blank and he looked like he had just entered the Twilight Zone so I just smiled and walked away with my pleats waving good-bye.

Now....I did this all wrong and I must change my routine for next time. When he looked totally dazed and confused, THAT is when I should have handed him one of those Utilikilts business cards. Man, I'm never going to rid of these things at the rate I'm going..... :rolleyes:

[Tattoo Bradley]

I carry a couple of SWK cards in my Nightstalker sporran. But, I don't usually get the oppurtunity to hand them out... they are there when I need to though :rolleyes:

[Robin]

and I knew his train had left the tracks and was now going wild through the forest of his mind, mowing down trees as it went. His face went totally blank and he looked like he had just entered the Twilight Zone so I just smiled and walked away with my pleats waving good-bye.

Brilliant!!!

[glengall1]

This always amazes me about the kilt. People genuinely do think that you have to be Scottish to want to wear it.

To me it is like somebody walking up to me while I am weraing my jeans and asking me if I'm am a cowboy

Kilts are a multi-cultural, multi racial wonderful piece of clothing that this forum proves should be worn by all.

[Graham]

Your answer was a good one! not a reply I can really use so well as you in Australia, even though most of my kilts are either American or Canadian!

[David Thornton]

Actually, I think most over react to these situations.

One, the guy probably never saw a non trad kilt and

Two, he didn't want to offend by saying nice skirt and

Three, he was curious enough to start a conversation

I say lighten up and politely explain how you feel. Stop being so DAMN SENSITIVE. If you like a kilt, wear one, but stop all this boo hooing about someone elses view.

I hosted 56 builders at a sporting clays shoot in a rural Kentucky town. At a club of good old boys who I have shot with or hunted with for years. I wore a camo kilt (thanks to my benefactor). Very few had seen me in a kilt as we are not in the same social circle. Non had seen a non trad as I just got it. Every one of them had questions, most were nice enough to ask me. Some thought it was a skirt, and they said that it was not recognizable as a kilt witout explanation. Some really never tought of anyone other than a Scot wearing a kilt. But, no one was derogitory.

And this whole blue jean/cowboy thing is bull. Kilts ARE Scottish, everyone wears jeans.

David

[Blu (Ontario)]

... This guy in the mall purposely stopped me and asked me if I was Scottish. I was wearing an olive green original Utilikilt... etc.

I was smiling to myself as I was reading through your post. It's clear from your previous threads that "Mall-ing" has become a mission of sorts for you. Since this endeavor is to enlighten the unwitting and kilt bereft public, a tactful and amiable approach best.

We-of-the-kilt have crossed into territory that a huge majority of men in the world would dare not venture. Twilight zone is no doubt what some would consider it.

As for utility kilts being confused for something Scottish... the only time personally I've seen them is at highland games or an organized pub gathering. So I'm not surprised others would make that connection. It's also clear that the majority of people that understand what a kilt is, connect it with Scotland and its men. No surprise there.

I'm not quite sure how you expect people to react to you on your kilted mall expeditions. But it's clear that you're having fun doing it.

[pbpersson]

As for utility kilts being confused for something Scottish... the only time personally I've seen them is at highland games or an organized pub gathering. So I'm not surprised others would make that connection. It's also clear that the majority of people that understand what a kilt is, connect it with Scotland and its men. No surprise there.

What I should get is a T-shirt to wear with my kilts:

No, I am NOT Scottish
I just enjoy wearing Utilikiklts
Because they are SO comfortable!

However, I might need to gain some weight in order to fit all that printing on my chest and back so I guess I had better go back to having cherry turnovers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I didn't really like being on a diet anyway.

[andyfg]

Today it happened to me for the second time. This guy in the mall purposely stopped me and asked me if I was Scottish.

Thinking about this, I find as many folk as me if I am Irish as Scottish when they see the kilt. I know back in the UK the association is kilts and Scots. Here in NY I do not think the connection is as strong — perhaps something vaguely Scots/Irish/Celtic.

[NewKilt]

Today it happened to me for the second time. This guy in the mall purposely stopped me and asked me if I was Scottish. I was wearing an olive green original Utilikilt. Does that look Scottish?

Well, to those of us on this board it doesn't look Scottish, but to the layperson they are recognizing it as a kilt and making the association of kilts with Scotland. I've been asked several times if I was Scottish when wearing Utilikilts, even when wearing a UK Mocker, the most skirt-like of the UK's.

Myself, I'm pleased when people make the connection between kilts and Scotland, whether I'm wearing a Utilikilt or one of my traditional wools that were made in Scotland. That's the origin, and many brave men (Scot or not) have and do wear it.

Certainly nothing wrong with a reply that you (and the kilt you are wearing) are not Scottish and you simply wear a kilt for comfort. Let folks come to their own conclusion about that.

While taking one of my daily walks in the park I got invited to a company picnic because I was wearing a Carmel Utilikilt Workman's. I no longer work, and did not even work for the company that was having the picnic. It all started because of the kilt not being a tartan, and it having pockets. Again - it was associated with Scotland. Great conversation, great food, and I could have had all the beer I wanted to drink (had to settle for iced tea - my medications and alcohol don't like each other). When I had to leave, I was sent on my way with a drink container full of iced tea, and the words "the Scots and Irish got it right" even though they knew by then that my kilt was American made - nothing wrong with that - and thank goodness for that inch or so of float in the Utilikilt waist band - I needed it.

Darrell