Got in trouble for being kilted at work

[Failed God]

So since today is national tartan day I went to work kilted. I work at a large home improvement store. Yesterday i checked the dress code at work. Predictably it says nothing about kilts it says skirts and dresses may be worn as long as they are no shorter then 2 inches above the knee. So I asked the closest thing we have to an HR person and she said its aloud and she knows of another store who had someone work kilted before.

So I figured I was safe I wore the kilt and From 5am until 1 pm i got no negative comments. Not a single bad comment from coworkers, customers or assistant managers. At around 1pm the store manager sees me for the first time today his eyes widened and he said "come with me". Then he preceded to tell me I was unprofessional for wearing a kilt. And said " You decided to wear this on the day the district manager is here" I told him it was national tartan day and from what i see it isn't against dress code. he told me he thinks it is and he went to check. few minutes later i get paged and he tells me he will let it slide if i don't wear it again. I declined and told him i want to know for sure if i can wear it . few minutes later i get called into his office. He calls me unprofessional again says they are gonna let it slide today cause " he believes I'm right that its some sort of holiday even though it isn't on his calendar". And tells me if I wear it again he will have to go up the HR ladder to check whether i can wear it or not.

I asked why is a female allowed to wear a skirt but i cant wear a kilt and i was told " women are aloud to wear things men aren't". So being away i move a lot at work have to sit on forklifts and climb ladders i also had shorts on under the kilt just in case. I am just not sure how it is unprofessional.
Sorry just had to rant a little bit.

[glenlivet]

Wonder what his response would have been if you had instead pointed out that women are allowed to wear slacks/pants/jeans/whatever. That at least frames the argument a little more pointedly egalitarian, i.e. women already wear what was once considered a traditionally male garment. Albeit some years ago...

Anyway, good luck with this. At least it sounds like it's not as if you're seeking to wear it every day.

[Lallans]

You gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold them and put them in the closet- and retail is extra demanding for sure. Better to have a job in trousers than walk around unemployed in a kilt.

[Spartan Tartan]

I have some serious professional opinions on this matter as a guy that does HR stuff for a living...but I digress.

I'm sorry to hear that you boss was not very understanding. Bummer...like Canuck of NI said, choose your battles.

[tulloch]

How badly do you want to keep the job? If you could afford to lose it then you could press the issue. He sounds insecure in his 'manhood' and threatens to check the rules if you wear it again. Sounds like a challenge to me!

[SoSelkirk]

Sounds like you may be better off wearing a utililty kilt on all of the other days. That way you can use the hammer loops and nail bags. You will blend in with all of the other carpenters.

[Failed God]

Checking the rules is not really a threat any more because i called hr and was told I was not against the dress code.

[cavscout]

Keep the mood light and politely request that he go ahead and inquire "up the HR ladder" to find out for certain what is and is not allowed. You are not trying to stir the pot and would like to adhere to company policies and present a professional image,... as I'm sure he would like to based on the way he is interacting with you.

[Failed God]

I asked him to run it up the ladder because i would like to know and i was told " im not spending 2 hours on the phone to find out. We will have to deal with it next time you wear it."

[Spartan Tartan]

I asked him to run it up the ladder because i would like to know and i was told " im not spending 2 hours on the phone to find out. We will have to deal with it next time you wear it."

He knows that he is wrong...still, choose your battles.