Public reactions to the kilt

[Tobus]

The wife and I drove into the city today to do some errands. I was wearing my Colquhoun Ancient 'tank', Lovat blue hose, and "Real Men Wear Kilts!" t-shirt:



First we had gone to Jo-Ann's Fabrics to pick up some yarn for another pair of custom hand-knitted hose I'm having made. When we were checking out, the cashier (an older Hispanic man) smiled and said, "I like your shirt!". I'm assuming this is in no way related to the "I like your shoes" comment I had gotten recently, and that he genuinely liked the slogan on my shirt.

When we went into Target, one of the employees (a teenage male) said in passing, "I like your kilt!". I thanked him. Then, as we were walking down the aisle a while later, I heard, "Excuse me!" from behind. It was a 17-ish Hispanic girl who was with one of her friends. She said to me, "You look pretty cool. I was wondering if I could take your picture?" So I agreed.

She was very polite about it, and I hope she was being genuine. Although I must admit, I was immediately thinking about the recent Walmart thread, with bad behavior from teenage girls. When we parted, my wife told me that those two girls had been shadowing us across the store. But at least they were polite and asked my permission instead of being rude and uncouth about it. Hopefully she meant what she said, and isn't going to be unkind to me somewhere on the interweb!

I also heard a mother explaining to her young child, "he is wearing his kilt". I'm guessing the kid asked why that man was wearing a skirt. Hey, the kid learned something today because of me!

Later on, we stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few sundries, and as soon as we walked in the door, I heard one of the young teenage girls working there exclaim to another girl, "Oh my God, he's wearing a kilt!" She sounded really excited and overjoyed at it, not insulting, so I just smiled and walked on.

I always find it interesting to see or hear the reactions of people who aren't used to seeing a kilt in public. But it does start to wear on me after a while. As we had been out all day, I was starting to get annoyed by the constant staring. I just really wanted to 'blend in' and not be the center of attention.

Do you guys get that feeling sometimes? I'm not about to stop wearing the kilt... if anything, I'm pretty much wearing a kilt all the time when I'm not working. But I do wish sometimes that Americans were a little more used to seeing kilts, so I could just go about my business without all the fuss!

[Riverkilt]

Sounds like a pretty typical excursion to me...mostly positive stuff and meeting folks you'd never meet otherwise.

Give your wife a treat. Have her walk behind you 30 paces in a mall and observe the reactions of folks after they pass you. Someone needs to video tape that.

[gordontaos]

That sounds pretty much like virtually all of my experiences. I live in a primarily Hispanic, American Indian, Cowboy, community, liberally seasoned with intelligentsia.
I wear my kilt out and about once or twice a week for the past 6 months. I have NEVER had a negative comment, and have had lots of positive ones.
Go for it!

[Nighthawk]

Yeah, that sounds pretty typical. I had a black guy in the mall the other day yell at me "Hey! Where are your bagpipes?" To which I responded "I don't play. Where's your cornbread and fried chicken?" He got a bit of a laugh out of it, and we went on our sepperate ways.

And in Tandy Leather, there is an employee who thinks I'm the best dressed customer they have. He always goes out of his way to make sure he's the one helping me. He asked me one day what I wear under my kilt. I of course gave a coy and indirect answer. Yesterday was International Make Someone Fell Uncomfortable Day, so I donned my Colorado state tartan kilt and Santa Clause boxers with jingle bells on the crotch. He did his usual helpful routine, and as I was leaving I said to him "You remember that question you asked me the other day?" He said yes, so I whipped up my kilt and jiggled so that the bells would jingle a bit. All the blood drained from his face and the other two employees busted up laughing. I wished him a happy Make Some Feel Uncomfortable day and walked out with a grin on my face.
Yeah, when you stand out in the crowd, you have to get used to it- or in my case, revel in it!

[Bill aka Mole]

I went out on Friday kilted and had a few compliments about my attire. The Midlands of South Carolina is not known for kilts except for National Tartan Day or during the highland games. I actually assume that I am going to be conspicuous while kilted until I start seeing others in kilts as well. Perhaps my going about kilted will make someone else give in to his kilt addiction! Best part has been looking people in the eye and waiting for them to check out the kilt and then give the smile!

[Howard Clark]

I had a young woman in the National Guard recruiting/PR area ask to have her picture taken with me at the Iowa State Fair this past summer. It was cool.

I get mostly positive responses. The negative ones don't much bother me any more (never did much).

Around here one is always conspicuous in a kilt.

[Bugbear]

... And in Tandy Leather, there is an employee who thinks I'm the best dressed customer they have. He always goes out of his way to make sure he's the one helping me. He asked me one day what I wear under my kilt. I of course gave a coy and indirect answer. Yesterday was International Make Someone Fell Uncomfortable Day, so I donned my Colorado state tartan kilt and Santa Clause boxers with jingle bells on the crotch. He did his usual helpful routine, and as I was leaving I said to him "You remember that question you asked me the other day?" He said yes, so I whipped up my kilt and jiggled so that the bells would jingle a bit. All the blood drained from his face and the other two employees busted up laughing. I wished him a happy Make Some Feel Uncomfortable day and walked out with a grin on my face.
Yeah, when you stand out in the crowd, you have to get used to it- or in my case, revel in it!

ah, ain't that just the cutest thing I ever heard.

[xman]

This is how it is when one is on display for whatever reason one may be 'standing out'. As a professional performer I have rarely been uncomfortable as the one being watched, but I must confess that I am a little more alert to minding my best manners while kilted. I will be remembered, but I don't wish to be remembered in a bad light.

It snowed last night. A somewhat rare and humourous event as the city all turns up late for work with 4cm of snow. Walking past a pair of derelict looking men one called out, "feeling a breeze"? so I lied, "nope". Not a total lie since I certainly wasn't feeling it where he likely meant.

[Nighthawk]

This is how it is when one is on display for whatever reason one may be 'standing out'. As a professional performer I have rarely been uncomfortable as the one being watched, but I must confess that I am a little more alert to minding my best manners while kilted. I will be remembered, but I don't wish to be remembered in a bad light.

It snowed last night. A somewhat rare and humourous event as the city all turns up late for work with 4cm of snow. Walking past a pair of derelict looking men one called out, "feeling a breeze"? so I lied, "nope". Not a total lie since I certainly wasn't feeling it where he likely meant.

I just answer that I love the Colorado breeze!

[Snowbear]

People always asks for a picture.

Once in London a couple came towards me when he said to his girlfriend: "look at that man in a skirt". She strictly replied "it's a kilt", and smacked him on the back of his head.
Best response so far.