Fighting objections from the wife

[ForresterModern]

My daughter's father-in-law called it a mid-life crisis as well. My wife, thank God, just said, "If so, it's cheaper and more convenient than a little red sportscar and a litte blonde mistress.

Interestingly, for the first couple years after my wife and I met I did have a little red sportscar (Miata like Zardoz) left over from the mid-life crisis of my first marriage, which had recently ended in divorce, and my (now) wife was then my (post-divorce) little blonde mistress. Little red sportscar (and another replacement convertible) now gone, and little blonde mistress is now little blonde wife and mother of my 4 yr old son. I am pretty sure I am beyond mid-life crisis and moved on to "bucket list" phase of my life, albeit probably a bit prematurely at 52. But then I have always been precocious, according to my mother. Kilts are no MLC for me. I just want to experience the fun things in life while I can still physically do so and afford it. Afterall I'll probably be working full time into at least my late 60's if not my 70's to put my boy through school, so where is my retirement phase of life supposed to fit in?

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[Nik]

So with the best advice I've heard to get into a kilt, wear it and just show it off more proudly. Should I go with a SWK standard or economy? The Misses has Irish background so I was thinking of getting the Irish National and wearing it on St. Patrick's day, in public.

-Nik

[sailortats]

I would say go with the standard I think you will be happier in the long run. And be sure to treat the wife extra special on St. Patty's day while wearing the kilt. She's going to love it then.

[Cathy McWilliams]

I have one friend who years ago said "no one is going to put me in one of those (explitive) skirts." A year later, his wife asked me to make his kilt. He realized that it was not the garment itself, but the attitude when worn: the pride in heritage, pride in ownership and well....those sexy knees.
I have another friend who finds any excuse to wear a kilt - contemporary and traditional - depending on the situation. He just doesn't care what others think. Some spouse are conciencous about what other may think and feel embarassed where, actually, there is nothing to be embarassed at all. I think that if more gents wore their kilts for the pure enjoyment of wearing it, and imagined stigma would go by the wayside. Remember, there was a time when it was taboo for a woman to go out in public wearing pants (boy, am I dating myself!). Attitudes will change; it takes gents like you of the X Marks the Scots to help us along the way.

Cheers
Cathy Mc

[Steve Barclay]

Leave the kilt on when its time for romance.

+10!!

[Alan H]

Stillwater Standard. MUCH nicer piece of kit, that actually looks like a real kilt, pleats and all. The Economy, not so much, IMHO.

The pleats will disintigrate after you wash it 4-5 times, but you should get a couple of years out of it, at the very least.

[flyingshamrock]

Stillwater Standard. MUCH nicer piece of kit, that actually looks like a real kilt, pleats and all. The Economy, not so much, IMHO.

The pleats will disintigrate after you wash it 4-5 times, but you should get a couple of years out of it, at the very least.

I agree, I have both and the standard is better.

[CelticSire]

If I may...

When I first broached the topic of buying my first kilt, my wife agreed (as she usually does) knowing that it was as a result of my 20+ year search trying to nail down my family heritage. I don't think she realized at the time the extent that this new facet of my interest was going to take. I spent many hours researching, a lot of it on this Forum, before pulling the trigger on a SWK. My newfound interest was becoming a source of friction when I first started wearing the kilt. In fact, in one discussion she used the term "obsession". I wouldn't say she was ever embarassed by my wearing a kilt, I think it was more of a concern of "Where is this going?" I sat down with her one night to discuss it (calmly). I explained to her that her family had a very well documented ancestry, knew exactly what their heritage was, and could trace their family back several generations into Sweden where her grandfather emigrated from. My side, however, only knew that we were "Irish", and that was it. That was why I had devoted so much time over the years, because I wanted to know where my family came from. I told my wife that I felt that my cultural heritage and ancestry was just as important to our daughters as her side was, and that my interest was in being able to proudly introduce them to their Scots-Irish heritage as well as their Swedish heritage. Once she understood the reasons behind my interest, she accepted it. Now, I'm not saying that it's true, but I have a suspicion that anytime a man who is in a long-term relationship suddenly develops a new interest, the partner is naturally going to wonder why, and what spurred it. And, in the case of kilts, there may be an unspoken twinge of "Is he suddenly becoming a cross-dresser?" It may seem silly to us, but it might be an underlying thought that she is uncomfortable asking, or even ackowledging. Discuss it with her, let her know that there is nothing to cause her alarm, and she may very well come around given time and patience. My wife does love the way I look when kilted, and even has purchased material in my Clan tartan to make her something to wear since she is Lamont "by the ring." Time and patience, my friend, time and patience.

[Calico]

In fact, in one discussion she used the term "obsession".

Unbelievable. Right guys? None of OUR wives would ever say (or think) anything like that, right?

[Father Bill]

It's the Posession obsession that causes much of the friction!