Am I losing my love affair with kilts?!

[Spc. Scott]

I feel that Finn hit the nail on the head with this:

Maybe take a break for a few days/weeks. See how you feel then.

Best of luck to you.

[Cynthia]

I don't wear anything like the kilt, so I'm unable to help you with that specifically. It honestly just sounds like you're re-evaluating your needs, not necessarily getting sick of it.

There are just some things that wearing a kilt isn't the best idea for. Sometimes dealing with the comments gets old.

I may not wear the kilt, but I have something else that's a bit out of the ordinary... my hair is just starting to reach past my knees. I rarely wear it down. I don't want to get tangled up in my hair or step on it, etc. It can be a hazard. So I put it up in a bun. Does this mean I'm sick of my long hair? No, it simply means that I had to figure out what I needed to do with it and decide what worked best for me. Even if my hair were shorter, I would still be pulling it back and out of the way. Sometimes I do get tired of this and wish I could have mid-back length hair that's layered so I can style it, but then I'd wish I had my length back and get tired of styling it anyway. Some people don't understand why I would have long hair if I never wear it down. Well, I do... I simply wear it down when I feel like it or if my husband would like to see it a little more often. It's there to enjoy it when I feel like it.

As far as comments, yeah... I even hear them too. For example, I'm sick of being asked if I'm donating my hair. Most gals and guys with long hair have heard it before and it gets old having to explain why I won't be donating (aside from the most important reason: I simply do not want to). I've even had some pretty nasty remarks and reactions to my hair, but considering the person who was saying/doing the negative crud I'm guessing they're an incredibly unhappy person to start with and would find something else about me they didn't like. I have had far more positive reactions to my hair (even people practically begging me to NEVER cut it). I don't do this to get that attention, but I do appreciate the compliments. I simply have long hair because I've almost always had long hair and I like it.

So no, I don't think you're necessarily sick of the kilt... you just have other interests and routines that don't fit well with it at times. They'll be there when you're ready for them. Comments (both good and bad) can get a little old after awhile, especially when you've been doing something for long enough. Just enjoy them when you're ready for them and when the time is right to wear them.

[Galician]

There might be a dynamic here which Zookeeper is not expressing. Since he lives in Chicago, I am assuming that he is in a similar urban environment to another resident there who posts here (Argonian?).

One price of being "different" in an area where the population has no connection, direct or otherwise, with kilts is that they seem REALLY wierd to people. Some of the people in these urban neighborhoods like to express their disapproval of difference by harassment, which can be physical. It is a fact of life I feel in mine.

If this is anything like what Z.K. feels, the cost of difference is a high one, and I understand his questioning whether it's worth the hassle. But, once you recognize the situation, you just take your chances and move on.

[Kilted Archer]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I think I'm just coming to the realization that as much as I enjoy the comfort of being kilted, it's just not the best way to go in some situations. I think what was bothering me was that I'd become so enamored of the idea of being kilted 24/7 - 365 (well, maybe not 24/7) that it was coming as somewhat of a shock to realize that being kilted just doesn't always work best for some situations/outings. When I first got up the courage to go kilted all the time I felt like I was living the slogans - "Down with trouser tyranny!" "Freedom (from bifurcated garments)!" "Look at me, I'm kilted, I'm different, I'm Scottish!" Yeah, I do get far more favorable comments, mostly from the ladies than I get derisive comments, but the derisive comments and stares and double-takes just get really old. Of course we all have to realize wearing kilts just about anywhere other than Scotland is going to seem strange to most folks. Some people appreciate it and others simply never learned from their mom and dad to keep their mouths shut if they didn't have anything nice to say. Actually I think I'm pretty well fine with the whole thing now that I've had a chance to air it out and commiserate with fellow kilt wearers. I'll continue to wear my kilts when appropriate and otherwise I'll bow to functionality when it rears it's ugly head and go bifurcated when necessary. I guess I should try to remind myself that my Brittonic Celt ancestors wore pants long before they wore kilts. In fact the Celts invented and wore pants when most of the rest of the European cultures at the time were still wearing tunics and other unbifurcated garments of one sort or another.

[JRB]

...the Celts invented and wore pants...

Actually, I believe the Scythians invented pants. But I digress, I think you will be much happier wearing kilts when you feel like it rather than trying to make the kilt your sole "garment of choice".

[Kilted Archer]

Actually, I believe the Scythians invented pants. But I digress, I think you will be much happier wearing kilts when you feel like it rather than trying to make the kilt your sole "garment of choice".

You're probably right. I imagine pants were common to many cultures at the same time. Parthians (a horse culture) probably wore pants.

[Pleater]

Perhaps what you need is a new kilt - something smart, that fits and is really the business. Maybe with a new jacket or a shirt that is just the right colour to set off the tartan?

Your old kilts are maybe looking a bit tired?

Perhaps you just need to take things up a notch, make kilting once more a bit special for yourself.

In situations where you need more protection then try shorts under the kilt. If you then get to where the kilt is no longer an advantage, you slip it off, pack it into a protective tube and go for it.

Cycling shorts, or longs, gortex or other high tech materials, garments intended for sailing or swimming can work well - and after adventuring resume your kilt and it is quite quick and easy to clean up and look smart.

I would not usually wear my shorts uncovered - I no longer have the figure for that, but I find the combination of shorts and kilt will get me most places I want to go.