The way kilts are perceived

[Brasilikilt]

I already know that MY response to¨some negative reactions will be simple:

You must first learn to ride a Honda before you ride a Harley.....

That wouldn't be my reaction. Mine would be more along the lines of "I'm not trying to ride a Harley, I'm trying to drive to work." By this I mean that a traditional kilt is for one set of circumstances, a non-traditional kilt is for another. I could ride a Harley to work, but for me it's not the best thing for getting to work every single day. It's uncomfortable in cold or rain, and I like to listen to the radio or a CD on the way to work. I could wear an 8-yard wool tartan kilt to work or the grocery store, but for me it's not the best thing for the job.

Personally though, I've never had a negative reaction from someone else wearing a kilt. At least, not to my face.

Okay...you have made good points in which I agree. I think once again maybe I didn't explain myself well enough. I'm not talking about day-to-day kilt wearing.....I'm talking about a St Patrick's day celebration where there's almost certainly going to be some hard-core traditional kilted gents walking around who might not like my "new fangled" kilt because they might assume that I was somehow making fun, or somehow doing traditional kilts an injustice.

I'm thinking this because I remember Native Americans consider it disrespectful to their traditions for (white?) people to be messing with items somehow linked to their heritage and ancestors.....
I have a strong celtic background, tartan or not kilts are certainly linked to my heritage and ancestors as I'm sure is the same case for many of you.
I wear my black kilt because I thought it would be a looooooong time before I would be able to work my way up the ladder to afford a traditional tartan kilt.
Now I know differently, but it will still be a little while before I can shell out $100++ for one.

My wife wants to spend $400 for a japanese hair-straightening treatment. I think that will be the right time to put in my order for a kilt, who needs car insurance.....right :-)

Allright.....that's enough writing for now
Brasilikilt

[highlandtide]

$400 to straighten hair? I think it is time to pull out the iron! Isnt that what they used in the 70's?


jk

...

[Brasilikilt]

$400 to straighten hair? I think it is time to pull out the iron! Isnt that what they used in the 70's?


jk

...

Well.....An old iron is only good until your hair gets wet, which can be very frustration if you're in Oregon in the winter.
$400 is a good price for months of straight hair, which means that I don't have to listen to her whine and complain every couple hours about how she hates her hair and wants to chop it off.
It's worth even more if I can use the "You payed $400 for your straight hair, so I'm getting a kilt!" argument to my advantage

[highlandtide]

I see your point!

[al' Sporrano]

Living where I do in the North East of England, most folk know what a kilt is and have seen one before.

At least that's a start!!!


No one in my area would bat an eyelid if:-

1. You get married in a kilt, or are part of the wedding party.

2. You attend a Scottish function in a kilt ie Burns Night.

3. You play in a pipe band. We have several local ones.

4. You wear one on New Years Eve

5. You are performing at a local theatre or do Scottish Country Dancing.



Folks will start to raise an eyebrow if :-

1. You start wearing your kilt to go supermarket shopping.

2. Walking down the street. The rednecks in my area wouldn't (rather couldn't) understand this. They are basically thick.



Folks have accepted my kilt wearing:-

1. Out and about in rural areas.

2. In the pub next to my holiday caravan.

3. In my own home and garden.

4. At other peoples homes for social functions.

5. In Scotland. No problem what so ever.

Most of my male colleagues and friends think they would look great in a kilt. Most haven't the balls to wear one even though they would really like to. Most accept that the kilt is a chick magnet, but still they haven't the balls to wear one.

Some know I have a kilt and wear it. Some have expressed some surprise, but no negative comments. Some think I look good in a kilt. Most think I'm a bit odd, but like me for it. My mam loves me in a kilt. My wife's uncle thinks I'm crackers but doesn't say anything because we're very good to him. His sister when she visited demanded to see the kilt and couldn't wait to get her camera out.
My brother thinks I'm very very odd! But then he is older than me and has no style whatsoever.


In a nutshell.

Al'

[Kiltedmusiclover]

[b]

Well.....An old iron is only good until your hair gets wet, which can be very frustration if you're in Oregon in the winter.
$400 is a good price for months of straight hair, which means that I don't have to listen to her whine and complain every couple hours about how she hates her hair and wants to chop it off.
It's worth even more if I can use the "You payed $400 for your straight hair, so I'm getting a kilt!" argument to my advantage

My wife will absolutely have a COW when she hears this.
Her hair is straight as an arrow. She can’t stand it! She spends
30 minutes a day with a curling iron and that’s not counting her
time with a blow dryer.

Nelson

[aikinut]

My wife will absolutely have a COW when she hears this.
Her hair is straight as an arrow. She can’t stand it!

Well, you know what they say, "the grass is always greener until someone loses and eye." Uh, or something...

[Dakotan]

Well, as a disabled kiltie, I may be in a rather unique position as far as reactions from others are concerned.
As a general rule, no one but an absolute cretin would "mess" with a person in my physical condition, so in theory I shouldn’t have much to worry about, even in a kilt.
Since I’m partially paralyzed I walk with the assistance of a cane. But a standard cane looks downright ridiculous with a kilt. So whenever I’m “in the tartan” I walk with the assistance of a good sized Sassafras Root shaleighly that I stumbled onto at a local sporting goods store!
I’m told that it really completes the outfit, and have found it’s very functional as a cane.
It could also induce one devil of a headache (for OPENERS) if need be!
I still firmly believe that the adage “If you can't wear a kilt with confidence DON'T wear one!” is dead on when kilted in public. If in doubt, don’t walk in like you own the place, walk in like you own the world!
This may sound a bit "extreme" to some here, but I live in SOUTH DAKOTA... Practically “redneck” central! I don’t by any means go looking for trouble (it usually seems to know right where I am ), but at the same time I’m quite prepared for it.
It’s just “defensive driving”, kilt-style! (defensive kilting?)
I’m still fairly picky about where I go in a kilt, but so far any trepidation on my part has been completely unfounded. All reaction has been quite positive!
I'm just saying it's not a bad idea to watch your back when kilted... and hope the lasses are "watching" it as well!

-Dakotan

[Andrew]

I tend to wear my Kilt on many occations, formal and also just out and about. When I am out at a formal event people react the same as if I wear just wearing my Kilt on a daily basis. I always get the smarta$$ guy who thinks he more man than you by trying his best to come up with a comment or two. I usually shoot them down pretty quickly by asking him to please stop his girl friend or wife from trying to look up my Kilt, or comments like that. After everyone is done being strange they all really warm up to the Kilt and want one themselves. This is after they all see the attention I get from the ladies! I admit I am a big attention lover and there is nothing wrong with that
As far as public and me wearing my Kilt I usually get looked at anyway because I am 6 foot 7 inches tall and I stick out in a crowd, I might as well look good while they good in my Kilt while that happens

[Graham]

Al, that's a very interesting 'breakdown' of situations you are faced with and the resulting reactions to your kilting.
You've obviously given a lot of thought to it

Dakotan thanks for sharing so honestly your story, the shaleighly you mention, is that straight, like a staff?

Also, your avatar bears the symbol for the Isle of Man (manx), is that your heritage?