Interesting comment while kilted

[tpa]

The self consciousness of youth! Just try to get across to him that the great majority of people will not even notice what he is wearing but, even if they do, will keep their opinion to themselves. If anyone voices their disapproval, that is their problem, not his. Not everyone is sold on tatoos, earings for men, nose piercings, camo gear (except in appropriate circumstances) burqas or other ethnic clothing but you don't go around saying so to their face.

[morrison]

As aging progresses I become more & less, aware & concerned respectively to the perceptions, opinions, pressures, pretenses, objections, &/or observations of others. I have grown far less narrow minded, while conversely becoming less open to blatant ignorance. It pleases me to casually, be friendly while insulting someone’s not so challenging confrontations. It troubles me that too often folks can’t help themselves in revealing their inner turmoil without first some examination of what they’re about saying. I still insult them, but in a gentler, kinder teaching moment way.

[mikethemoose]

There is a certain amount of "Don't like it? Don't care." that goes along with wearing a kilt where it's unexpected by others so I am sympathetic to the young gentleman's social anxiety. I have a decent solution. Get a low cost good looking PV kilt. And Do...It...ONCE. Just once. Don't worry about wearing a kilt every time you are out and about. Pick ONE trip to the bar, pub, restaurant, whatever, with no pretext of coming/going to a kiltesque event and do it that ONE time just because you want to. Just cross the line once. If you really decide you can't handle it, you've got a decent festival kilt. But odds are it won't be the last time, and that won't be your last kilt.

[OC Richard]

I suppose I'm being Captain Obvious when I mention that a huge part of people's reaction to kilt-wearing is dependent on the context.

The sight of a bagpipe band marching in a parade wearing jeans and t-shirts would get the same reaction as a heavy metal band in concert being clean-shaven, short conservative haircuts, and bland business suits.

For pipers (like me) wearing a kilt is expected, garners no odd looks, and doesn't require the "I don't give a damn what people think" attitude.

There are other contexts where appearing kilted will strike people as unusual or out-of-place, where it might be taken as mere attention-seeking.

[Father Bill]

Richard, when you speak of context, I'm reminded of going into a bank and the teller being absolutely gob-smacked that I was wearing a kilt with a clerical collar shirt. At least three times she asked me "But... how can they possibly go together?"

Couldn't seem to explain to her satisfaction that there might indeed be clergy in Scotland.

[joek]

There's a couple of things constant about wearing a kilt:
1. Your comfort is all that matters. Especially when driving or hiking.
2. The best way to get an idea of what kilt wearing is like is to buy a towel wrap. Wait until dark, if you must, and go for a spin in your car.
3. Most people are indifferent to your kilt wearing. Most will not express an opinion one way or the other. See item 1.
4. In the 70% of the world that men wear something other than trousers there are few, if any, instances of prostate or testicular cancer. If you get prostate cancer, the results can be spending the rest of your life urinating in a bag and having no sex. Non of the people who dislike your kilt care about neither of these two.
Your health should be more important to you than what somebody else thinks.

[jthk]

4. In the 70% of the world that men wear something other than trousers there are few, if any, instances of prostate or testicular cancer. If you get prostate cancer, the results can be spending the rest of your life urinating in a bag and having no sex. Non of the people who dislike your kilt care about neither of these two.

While I was aware of the 70% non-trouser thing, I wasn't aware of that other detail! Wow!

[Me cousin Jack]

There's a couple of things constant about wearing a kilt:
1. Your comfort is all that matters. Especially when driving or hiking.
2. The best way to get an idea of what kilt wearing is like is to buy a towel wrap. Wait until dark, if you must, and go for a spin in your car.
3. Most people are indifferent to your kilt wearing. Most will not express an opinion one way or the other. See item 1.
4. In the 70% of the world that men wear something other than trousers there are few, if any, instances of prostate or testicular cancer. If you get prostate cancer, the results can be spending the rest of your life urinating in a bag and having no sex. Non of the people who dislike your kilt care about neither of these two.
Your health should be more important to you than what somebody else thinks.

are you suggesting wearing trousers causes cancer?

[Karl R]

In the 70% of the world that men wear something other than trousers there are few, if any, instances of prostate or testicular cancer.

Do you have a source that you could cite for this correlation?

In addition, do you happen to know what would be considered "the 70% of the world that men wear something other than trousers?" For example, how would you classify New Zealand? The traditional attire for native men appears to be a grass skirt. But the natives are a minority. So is that in the 70% where men wear trousers, or the 30% where they don't? How would China be considered? I did a little research, looking at photos from urban China and rural China. Almost all of the men were wearing pants. I also looked up some historical photos (the Boxer Rebellion), and still saw almost all men wearing pants.

I chose those two countries, because they're at nearly opposite ends of the spectrum for testicular cancer (click here).

[Bad Monkey]

well, 77% of quoted statistics are made up on the spot...