How does what "they" think affect what you wear?

**Jock Scot** · 27th May 11, 12:08 AM

It makes me wonder how you (most of you) chaps would react if/when you live in a whole country of kilt "experts" that rarely make a comment, but see all! LOL

**Duke of Delrio** · 27th May 11, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

It makes me wonder how you most of you chaps would react if/when you live in a whole country of kilt "experts" that rarely make a comment, but see all! LOL

I think I would react the way a very circumspect, very proper friend of mine did when he came back from a kilted vacation/tour of Scotland. He had a fine time he said, except he felt like an arsonist in a country full of fire marshalls.

**Jock Scot** · 27th May 11, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by Duke of Delrio

I think I would react the way a very circumspect, very proper friend of mine did when he came back from a kilted vacation/tour of Scotland. He had a fine time he said, except he felt like an arsonist in a country full of fire marshalls.

Yes, I suppose that is inevitable.

**PEEDYC** · 27th May 11, 02:36 AM

In my opinion the kilt is an alternative to trousers (pants) and can be dressed up or down as the wearer likes. Like trousers (pants) they can be worn on formal and informal occasions the only real difference is that one tends to change ones trousers to suit the occasions whereas a good kilt can be used for either. If worn as day wear then I feel almost anything goes but when it comes to formal occasions then I would like to think that tradition comes to the fore and common sense prevails. I doubt if anyone would expect to get away with wearing trainers and jeans with a dinner jacket and bow tie to a formal occasion. (I may be wrong) I feel the same about the kilt attire and it should follow some sort of general rules for formal events.

**ohiopiper** · 27th May 11, 02:36 AM

In my area everyone seems to assume i'm a piper. Kinda convenient that I am. It just throws them when they realize that I'm not wearing "gig attire" and they ask where I'm playing. Since the answer is "nowhere, today", it usually brings the question of why the kilt. I just tell them i started wearing it when piping and enjoy it so I wear it instead of p*ants once in a while.

The first overt question I got was from a cashier who was desperately trying to be friendly and the obvious topic of conversation was my kilt. I had just come from playing at an anniversary party so was wearing a jacket and brogues. "Are you a reenactor or do you always dress like that?" was the way it came out, but she really did have innocent curiosity and just chose blunt words. Had a good conversation with her.

Most negative reaction was after a Burns Supper. Dinner had been very good, but several hours ago so about 1:00 a.m. I stopped by a waffle house to get some food before i went home and crashed for the night. I was given the hairy eyeball and snickers from three college aged guys who never said a word directly to me. The cute 20 something waitress said they'd been bugging her for hours. As i paid my bill she slipped me a note that said to the effect of "they've been asking for my number and now they think i've given it to you."

**gordontaos** · 27th May 11, 05:15 AM

Whoops!

**gordontaos** · 27th May 11, 05:20 AM

The town that I live in, Taos New Mexico, is mainly composed of folks of Spanish or American Indian descent. Anglos are a minority. However, in a county of less than 30,000 souls, there are at least 10 kilted gentlemen. I have worn a kilt out and about, day and night, formal and informal, at least 50 times in the past year. I have only had one "nice skirt" comment (from a passing woman in a bar), in all of that time. All other comments, mainly from women, have been very enthusiastic.
As has been said before, people tend to place you in a "box", and I have had my share of bagpipe and festival questions. My standard "quickie" answer as to why I'm wearing my kilt is..."because its Tuesday".
I have actually started NOT wearing a kilt to some establishments, so that they won't know what to expect when they see me walking through the door.

**Guinness>water** · 27th May 11, 06:32 AM

I live in Cowboy Capital USA. This is it, when you go to the mall you will no doubt see many men wearing knee high boots with spurs on and huge hats with turkey feathers sticking in them. Often, cow manure foot prints can be seen.
As for what they(the cowboys) think of when they see me kilted, I think they are dumbfounded. What would you think if you saw a little old lady walking a lion on a leash through the mall? Thats the comparison I make.
As far as I know, I'm the ONLY kilt wearer in 600(if not more) miles! Understanding that, if any body says anything to me its "Nice skirt". It doesnt offend me in the least because no body around here knows what a kilt is or has ever seen one. Every once in a great while somebody asks me what I'm wearing and I take the opportunity to educate them. I've only been chastized once, but it was by a drunk women so I didnt take it to heart.
I sure do get a lot of looks though. My wife and sister walk behind me and have the time of thier lives seeing peoples reaction to me. Do I care what they think, yes I do. I want them to be impressed." Wow, look at that guy, thats really neat" is what I would like to be the reaction. I try to look nice in my kilt and represent my heritage well. No chains, spikes or flammed clothing.

**RockyR** · 27th May 11, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by Guinness>water

SNIP...
As far as I know, I'm the ONLY kilt wearer in 600(if not more) miles!

As an FYI, we probably send at least a kilt a day to Texas or Oklahoma. There are a LOT of kilt wearers down there.

**CMcG** · 27th May 11, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by Alan H

<snip>
Is there a generally held notion about what a kilt-wearing man is like, in your neck of the woods?

In fact, if you were going to answer "yes" to that question and then proceed to tell us all what it is, might I ask if you are SURE of that? I mean, have you asked a couple thousand people around your town and county what they think? I guess that's another question, isn't it?

If you think there's a generally held notion, then what do you base your conviction on, and have you checked it out in any way?

If in fact you are pretty darned sure that there is a widely held opinion regarding guys who might wear a kilt of some kind in your area, does that affect your own kilt-wearing habits?

I believe that in my neck of the woods, the generally held notion about a kilt-wearing men would be that they are Scottish or Irish. I have not done any quantitative research on it, but I seem to recall learning briefly about it in public school, ergo other Canadians would know this too.

As to how this affects my kilt-wearing habits, I tend to follow the local customs regarding ethnic attire. Generally, people of any given heritage might wear their national dress for special events. It is mostly people who are "fresh off the boat" that still wear it as everyday clothing. I suppose an established Canadian who then adopts the kilt for daily wear is then "back on the boat?"

Nothing wrong with that, but it's not generally how things are done.

Case in point. I was out watching the fireworks last Canada Day, wearing a Maple Leaf tartan kilt. As I was leaving the area, I overheard a man with a strong foreign accent explaining to a child that I was wearing a kilt and that it was something Scottish people do for special occasions.

Outside of that paradigm, there are probably a range of opinions about what a kilt-wearing man might be. I don't have any reliable way of knowing what people think about the kilt as everyday attire or about obviously non-Gaels wearing one. Because I reserve the kilt for special occasions, this tends not to be an issue for me either.