Bad news

**EastCoaster** · 5th January 06, 08:36 AM

Well, I'm sorry that it didn't work out in your favour Hermann, but at least things aren't getting nasty.

I know how it is. I'm here in Germany too (down south which is a rather conservative part of the country) and a lot of people seem disgusted when they see me wearing a kilt - usually just the men, now that I think of it. Someone else mentioned it above that the insecure and uneducated are usually those who have a problem.

I'm lucky I guess at work. I wear mine whenever I want. Cus I'm not German, I just pass it off as my heritage, or that it's standard back home (Canada) for guys to wear kilts. And I'm working as a graphic designer so I guess it's okay for me to [s]stick out a bit[/s] to dress a bit differently. But when I'm out elsewhere I usually get deriding looks and comments.

Not that I let it bother me though. To heck with 'em and their insecurity.

Angus

**macwilkin** · 5th January 06, 08:39 AM

Angus,

Didn't you mention somewhere you were in Bavaria? If so,you might want to check these folks out:

http://www.the-munich-caledonians.org/

Cheers,

Todd

**Iolaus** · 5th January 06, 11:42 AM

My brother-in-law's girlfriend is a well traveled Chinese girl. The first time she saw me in a kilt, she started telling me about seeing men in Germany wearing what she called a man's skirt - a "Männerrock", I assume - so I guess it's not that uncommon.

**EastCoaster** · 9th January 06, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by cajunscot

Angus,

Didn't you mention somewhere you were in Bavaria? If so,you might want to check these folks out:

http://www.the-munich-caledonians.org/

Cheers,

Todd

Cool! Thanks Todd! Munich's a bit of a ways a way here. 4 hours with an open road (seldom) but I'll take a look. I've been keeping my eye out for highland events and such, but ...

Iolaus. The term Männerrock (Men's skirt) is used but in all my time here I've seen one guy (young goth kid) wearing one - long down to the ankles. Your brother-in-law's girlfriend probably was somewhere a little more cosmopolitan than the provinces where I live!

I've heard Männerrock used as a derogatory term ...

Cheers, Angus

**herminator** · 5th February 06, 08:35 AM

Ok, last post on this thread from me!

I had a talk with our liason and my director and they insist that I neither work nor take part in any activities on the premises in my kilt.
But they generously

allowed me to come to work in kilt and then change into trousers.

I will have to live with this outcome, but I will not continue the honorary work I have don until now.There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth, why was I so insistent upon something that is "only a clothing preference" but I was not willing to back down.

In the meantime I have discovered that the son of our senior nurse wears a "männerrock" sometimes, perhaps I can make him wear it more often?
And of course I would make him a kilt!!

**646guy** · 5th February 06, 08:43 AM

We had a similar conversation at my office when I left wearing my new Blackwatch after a day in pants with more than a few of my colleagues making jokes about which managing partner or HR representative was asking for me...

My boss came out and said, "Well, there's nothing in the dress code that says he can't wear them...." However, he and I both know there would be a huge uproar if I came into the office dressed in a kilt...

**chacbalam** · 5th February 06, 09:20 AM

This is an interesting thread. I am lucky in that my boss fully supports my coming to work kilted. He owns a franchise location and while there is a company wide dress code that every franchise owner is supposed to enforce. however he has decided not to require it.

I agree with Rigged. If my employer decided that a kilt was not propper work attire I would have to decide if it was a fight hat I wwanted take on.

That said I am not sure that your employer can legally tell you what to wear as long as you are not vilolating health or safety guidelines. Germany and all European companies are signatories of various human rights laws, while in the US there have been various non-disciminatory court cases. If a Muslim can to work dressed in traditional attire could you be told to go change? Just thought I would throw that out.

Islamic Clothing

**clancelt** · 5th February 06, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by herminator

Bad news! Today I was told I am not allowed to wear my kilt to work any more!

When we recieved our Certificate of Quality Management last month a member of our board sat next to me. HE felt uncomfortable sitting next to "a man in a skirt"

! He brought it up at the next board meeting. There it was decided that I schould not wear my kilt when working!

He has problems, I have to wear trousers! ****!!!

Go with a nice pair of trews, go with a LOUD tartan though ;)

**KiltedKnight** · 5th February 06, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Rigged

As I learned here recently, words and what they mean to people matter a lot.

The strict dictionary definition of a word isn't nearly as important as its social meaning and context.

Skirts are women's clothing.

Kilts are not skirts.

Down with skirts! Up with kilts!

I hear you. But just wait until you find out the way our wonderful government has changed the meaning of our simplest of words to trap us into something we know nothing about...LOL!

**michael steinrok** · 5th February 06, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Bob C.

We'd have to go to Germany, Dreads. Sounds like a new gathering to me!

I might remember enough German from high school to be able to translate. :grin:

Jah,Jah ser Gut. We all go to Deutschlandt. Jah?