ali8780,
A women looks very feminine in long hose ( knee highs or over the knee) with a skirt or dress in the cooler climes. There is no mistaking the difference between a tartan skirt and a kilt. The tartan skirt does not have anywhere near the yardage of wool that is used in a kilt, and consequently is much more subject to the weather.
I was not there to hear the inflection in your husband's voice when the "Braveheart" comment was made. I sincerely hope he was referring to the presence of tartan on both genders as was displayed in the film.

Winter in New England can get rather cold on occasion. I do get the "aren't you cold in that thing?" comment while out and about during the Christmas shopping season. This is mostly from women who are wearing dresses or skirts.

Do not give up on dresses and skirts. This sounds to me like a shopping trip is in order to acquire some long leggings, and some feminine high rise boots.

Cheers