Fear of Impending Doom, What Was he Most Difficult Place to Wear Your Kilt?

[Howard Clark]

I never much cared what people thought of the way I am dressed before kilts, so why start now ?

I did have some trepidation about wearing it to the Iowa State Fair, but have done so many times now, and it was fine. Anywhere can be a little bit different the first time, I suppose. The whole key seems to be how one reacts to the reactions, really. Confidence cures most problems, and a sense of humor helps. Most everyone in my world has adjusted to it well enough to ask me why I am not kilted on those rare occasions when I wear trousers.

[macwilkin]

I never much cared what people thought of the way I am dressed before kilts, so why start now ?

I did have some trepidation about wearing it to the Iowa State Fair, but have done so many times now, and it was fine. Anywhere can be a little bit different the first time, I suppose. The whole key seems to be how one reacts to the reactions, really. Confidence cures most problems, and a sense of humor helps. Most everyone in my world has adjusted to it well enough to ask me why I am not kilted on those rare occasions when I wear trousers.

I would bet the Iowa Scottish Pipes & Drums play at the state fair, so no worries there.

I wore my Iowa tartan kilt in my mother's home town in North Central Iowa when we went to decorate the family graves for Memorial Day, and no one said a word. Several were intrigued that the tartan was the Iowa tartan, but Iowans are just plain friendly folks -- to quote Meredith Willson, "you really ought to give Iowa a try!" :mrgreen:

T.

[Kilted Rogue]

Funny Answer: Scuba Diving

Serious Answer: In Ireland. I didn't want to look like 'the tourist', but ended up wearing it b/c I really don't care what others think.

Ireland was the only place i got cross looks while kilted(a UK Orig). ok and a redneck party i was at with a lot firemen who had two much beer, but didnt have a pair big enough to tell me to my face what they were saying behind my back..

other than that This weekend will be my 1st Tartan kilted experience. Ill let you know how it goes. I dont foresee any problem though

[SteveB]

A long time ago (Vietnam conflict Era) I was on regular duty station in Jacksonville, Arkansas. During that tour of duty one of my cousins was to be wed in Texas. I had been invited to represent the non Hispanic side of the family. The bride (my cousin) asked me to come in the clan tartan kilt that I had inherited from her, and my mother's father. The other factor in the plan is that I would be picked up in Little Rock by our cousin Louise, whom was known in the family as "last minute Louise" as she was just barely on time to anything.
So I put on my full kit and got a ride from one of my squadron mates to a diner in Little Rock. I had this fear of the stereotype "Southern redneck" in my head, and was ready to deal with any comments, etc. that came my way. I was scheduled to meet my cousin and her family at 09:00, and share the driving to Fort Hood, Texas. The wedding was to be in the evening at 17:30. My lovely cousin showed up at 11:30. From 09:00 to 11:30, I met plenty of Southern hospitality, mostly of the pleasant variety. I also met four very unhappy with my appearance young men. Fortunately I had just returned from a rough combat assignment, and was in real alert good shape.
One of the group approached me and demanded to know if I was ready to meet my maker for wearing a skirt. cheered on by the other three, he lunged at me with a small knife. I quickly put him in a full take down. The diner staff had called the sheriff. The others in the diner advised the arriving deputy of what had happened. He asked me who I was, and I handed him my military ID. He looked at it handed it back, then cuffed the gent that was in pain due to the hold I had on him. At this point my Kentucky cousins come through the door with two of the gents in kilts in the same tartan as I am wearing. The three other gents of this group decided they just might be reinforcements, and split in a big hurry. The deputy got the info he needed so we could head to Texas. We got to the church at 17:20. The wedding went very well.
I appeared for the gents court date in Little Rock in my kilt with a base attorney. We did not need to do much. He told the judge that he went after me for being in the skirt that I was still wearing. The Judge ordered him to the jail in short order. Oh BTW the Judge was James MacNeill.
My tartan is the MacNeil of Barra Ancient, as was the Judges necktie.
I had to explain this to the JAG on the ride back to base.

[CDNSushi]

The Judge ordered him to the jail in short order. Oh BTW the Judge was James MacNeill.
My tartan is the MacNeil of Barra Ancient, as was the Judges necktie.

LOL! Would've loved to have been a fly on the wall!

"Son, this just ain't yer lucky day!"

[Malcolm MacWilliam]

As an 18th century Highland reenactor, for many years I only wore 18th century kit to functions (Jacobite, F and I War, etc.) or modified, almost exclusively with a great kilt. One of the first times I ever wore my great kilt "out" was to one of my teachers' retirement parties at a country club (I was an elem. principal for 21 years). The school Supt. (my "boss"!!) was new that year and he had not seen me in kilt before that time, had only heard stories. So, when he arrived at the retirement party he walked up to me (he never did like me....go figure!!) and asked, "What are you wearing THAT for?" I replied quite smugly, "Because I want to!" Relationships never got any better! Probably the most trepiditious (is that a word?) times that I have worn a kilt (again 18th century with dirk, side knife) is coming back from a reenactment and we stop at a truck stop for refreshment and men's room. Safety in numbers; several of us lads together! Although I never felt threatened, the truckers' eyes were riveted on us as we walked through, ordered what we needed, hit the head and went out, kilts aswayin'. It has always amazed me, how I can walk into a restaurant, fast food, etc. as we are traveling to and from events, and the public looks at us askance. As soon as we look at them looking, they avert their eyes. We're always happy to answer the questions of "Why are you wearing that?" "Do you belong to a pipe band?" (Nooo, we fight the enemies of the King!), etc., etc. When I first started wearing a kilt 15 years ago, my wife would often try to talk me out of wearing it in public......NOW, "why don't you wear a kilt?" Malcolm

[thescot]

I cant say that I've ever really feared going somewhere kilted--not that there aren't any of those places, just that I don't frequent them--but I did feel some trepidation the first time I entered a local red neck bar where I liked to hangout on occassion. It was a local hangout for construction guys, and I had become a regular and accepted by them as one of the team, but . . . well, you know construction guys.

So, I put my head high and walked in, determined that Scotty Thompson's adage that "if there is anywhere one won't go kilted, one should not go kilted anywhere" applied, and I walked in. I was ready for all the harrassment.

It was kind of like having a 300 lb gorilla in the room and no one mentioning the fact for a bit. Everyone gave me a look , but no one said anything at first until the bar maid said, "Why are you in a skirt?" (She was of Mexican decent and genuinely didn't know what a kilt was.)

One guy jumped right in to explain the natinoal dress of Scotland (not his exact term of usage since he is mostly mono-sylabic), and the spell was broken. All these rough guys started in asking questions and were really interested in the history, the style, etc. Being quite the erudite and well-read and well-studied fellow that I am, I began a rather long dissertation about all things Scottish, the regiments, etc. (I am truly a legend in my own mind.)

But the fact is, I really had become the resident know-it-all since most of the guys had barely finished high school. Some of them had come to like and respect a guy who was not only well-educated, but--and this may be the real key--was also able to pour concrete, explain electrical and plumbing mysteries (I had owned a company in both), knew about and ran manufacturing concerns, and had been a Marine.

When I mentioned that I had expected to be the target of no small amount of disdain there, one guy popped up immediately and said, "I ain't messing with anybody who has the b@11$ to wear something like that in public. Those Highlanders were bad-@$$3$!"

The whole place broke out laughing and the topic of conversation quickly devolved to more vulgar subjects.

I decided from that moment--about 10 years ago--that nothing much bothered me, especally other people's opinions. As I told a student (high school) one time when my kilt was quite a surprise, "There is a point in life where being cool is no longer important to a self-confidant, mature man. . . . (I looked him dead in the eye, pointed for effect, and said,) "and that is the ultimate cool."

He flashed a big smile and said, "Yeah!"

[thescot]

. . .. The Judge ordered him to the jail in short order. Oh BTW the Judge was James MacNeill.
My tartan is the MacNeil of Barra Ancient, as was the Judges necktie.
I had to explain this to the JAG on the ride back to base.

Now that's hillarious! It's also one of the best exaples of true poetic justice I have heard lately.

Being a native of North Little Rick, I can fully appreciate the story all the more. I've enver been anywhere that didn't have its share o knuckleheads and jerks, and Arkansas is not different. (For the uninitiated, both NLR and Jacksonville are on the north side of the Arkansas river, across from Little Rock, and they're about 5 miles apart!)

[mouse 1]

When My famly goes on vacation to St. Maartin. I wear my kilt.(on my profile I placed some photos in an album) All kinds of stories when I have time I will post, one of the interesting things that happen, is the Islanders want to take photos of the tourist in the skirt! Then comes the fun part an interesting exchange of comments like the famous or infamous "I need more room than most!" My mother in law almost lost her lunch over that one! The woman who asked that time brought me to her grill, and stood tall for a picture.More about that trip later.

[chasem]

. . . Oh BTW the Judge was James MacNeill.
My tartan is the MacNeil of Barra Ancient, as was the Judges necktie.
I had to explain this to the JAG on the ride back to base.

That's amazing! Would've been great to be around for that