Full week kilted in Chicago!

[csbdr]

I just got to spend the entire week without pants, first time ever! I brought a pair of jeans but they never made it out of the suitcase. My wife, son and I went to attend a conference on ADHD and Bipolar Disorder in the Windy City (16oz wool, good in wind....SWK Standard, baaaaaaad!), and had a few days to visit relatives in the Springfield/lincoln/Champaign region.

Flying kilted was an eyeopener. Probably the one place where I was wishing I wore pants! The way down I wore an Apocokilt....big mistake. Too many snaps (I thought having detachable pockets was SMART...) combined with metal buttons on my sweater. Out comes the wand....the lunge...oh yeah, forgot about my medicine bag I wear (has a concho on it)....sheesh! Yup, metal money clip on my wallet (covered in leather) fooled me....On the way back, I wore a trad. kilt. 3 buckles, (this'l be a cinch)...."sir, please step over here"... out comes the wand.... Metal buttons on my denim shirt....forgot about the medicine bag (again)....3 buckles....yes, that beep by my bits is a button on my shirt tail!....yes, of course, a pat down is fine....I have to get smarter about this (first time flying kilted....)

Once there, things were great! Family didn't quite know what to make of the camo Apocokilt, but ooohed and ahhhhed over the tartan kilts, so stuck with them for the duration. Visited my wife's grandmother in the nursing home and found out she has McRea in her family! Anna didn't know at all. What a pleasant suprise! Her grandmother was so pleased to hear that I had a McRea kilt at home. I was sorry I hadn't put it in (almost had). Really made her day. She probably asked 6 times where I had gotten my kilt....course it was teh first time she had asked each time.

I met more Scots wearing the kilt this trip. In the Lincoln Presidential Library, I had been there all of 5 minutes when a woman came up to me and said how much she enjoyed seeing the kilt, and they were Scottish. One docent talked with me a while, also Scottish ancestry and a St Andrews Society member...fellow in the airport ID'd himself as a Gordon and was thrilled to see the kilt. The best was TWICE out of nowhere in Chicago, I got complimented by Scottish nationals on the street. One fellow, walked over and shook my hand. He told me he was from Edinborough and really loved seeing someone wearing a kilt over here!

I swear, too, that I got better service from people everywhere I went. At the hotel, the bellman and doormen seemed to really go out of their way. They really loved the kilt, and were extra attentive the whole time. My wife said they were friendly and courteous to EVERYONE, but she didn't see them going as far out of their way as they did for us. She noticed this effect else where as well, and tells me that I don't see even HALF the smiles, waves and good comments that the kilt brings out. 'Course, she misses the "nice legs" comments and probably best to keep it that way! I think she enjoys watching others reactions and telling me about it later.

anywho, great week! Not looking forward to going back to work and having to don pants again....I gotta work on this

[bricelythgoe]

I enjoyed your story. Makes me want to do it as well! Darn work...

[The Barry]

I've heard a fair amount of stories about how kilt-friendly Chicago is. If I ever have reason to go there, I'll go kilted for sure!

[BEEDEE]

Yep, Chicago is a really kilt friendly town. I've been kilted there three times in the past two years and nothing but good experiences. Glad yours was the same.

Brian

[GMan]

That sounds great.

[McFarkus]

Chris, I'm glad you found Chicago a kilt-friendly city. The one experience I get here that you didn't was people asking if you're Irish because of the kilt. Next time you're going to be in town, let us know and we'll try to turn out the rabble for a kilt night.

[csbdr]

You know, I did get that. I remember some kids selling stuff on the Field museum steps and heard one saying to the other "Hey he's dressed Irish!" I'll make my presence known next time! I wasn't in town but a couple days of the week trip, the rest being in central Illinois (hmmm...thread title a bit misleading). I'll be back in the fall for my Brother-in laws wedding. Kilt night would be fun!

[rodandy]

We go to Chicago for a trade show in January of odd numbered years. I can't comment about whether Chicago is kilt friendly or not, but the weather this past year certainly wasn't encouraging for kilt wearing.

Living in the San Diego area as I have for most of the last 20 years the blood has really thinned. I'm not very interested in wearing the kilt in single digit temperatures. (Of course, I'm not really interested in BEING ANYWHERE in single digit temperatures).

[McFarkus]

I'll be back in the fall for my Brother-in laws wedding. Kilt night would be fun!

We should definitely celebrate then. We had a delightful party with MacTavishofJapan and his new bride last year. They were in Chicago for the wedding and then moving to Scotland.

[McFarkus]

We go to Chicago for a trade show in January of odd numbered years. I can't comment about whether Chicago is kilt friendly or not, but the weather this past year certainly wasn't encouraging for kilt wearing.

Living in the San Diego area as I have for most of the last 20 years the blood has really thinned. I'm not very interested in wearing the kilt in single digit temperatures. (Of course, I'm not really interested in BEING ANYWHERE in single digit temperatures).

It was 9º F with a brisk wind the night I attended a Robby Burns celebration. I guess you just get used to it. Plus, an 8 yard 22 oz wool kilt helps a lot. Seriously, I wore kilts all winter - just takes wool hose and a wool kilt. With the exception of my kneecaps, I was warmer than when I was wearing p@nts.