Kilts in the office

**GMan** · 5th October 05, 09:41 PM

Well done!

**A Dhuglas** · 6th October 05, 12:09 PM

Took a while to revisit the thread and was delighted to read that: (1) you went for it, (2) you went for it in a big way and (3) all is going well. Bully for you!

Was impressed to hear that HR circled the wagons strongly in your corner. That would indicate both an open corporate mind (not uncommon for HR types in my experience) and some intelligence in the HR leadership. Perhaps they realized supporting you was the better path since to do otherwise carries the scent of discrimination.

**Andrew Breecher** · 6th October 05, 09:55 PM

Congratulations on your success.

When I interviewed for my current job (waiter at a restaurant) I wore a kilt. It was never an issue from the get-go. Although I interviewed in a tartan kilt, I was told the uniform was khaki. So I wear a khaki UK. Whenever I go in on my days off, the rest of the staff love to see my other kilts. They tell me which are their favourites. They've never seen me in trousers.

If I ever went for another office job (I just don't want to do that right now), I'd wear a kilt to the interview. Number one, I just wouldn't want to work somewhere I couldn't wear the kilt. Number two, it would make me stick out in their minds, and that can never hurt when they're interviewing several people for the same job.

Andrew.

**KiltedCodeWarrior** · 7th October 05, 07:02 AM

A Dhuglas, I agree that usually the HR folks have to be a little more open minded, if just becasue of the potential for discrimination suits, etc.. Just reviewed my last post on this and realized that I did not mention exactly how far on my side HR ended up. Besides agreement that the kilt was appropriate attire and allowed by company policy, my HR contact also told me to let HR know if I got any bad reactions by anybody else in the office! Now I know that I could do that anyway, hostile workplace, harassment, etc., but to have them explicitly state their support and willingness to address any issues with others in the office was awesome.

**KiltedCodeWarrior** · 7th October 05, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by Andrew Breecher

Congratulations on your success.

When I interviewed for my current job (waiter at a restaurant) I wore a kilt. It was never an issue from the get-go. Although I interviewed in a tartan kilt, I was told the uniform was khaki. So I wear a khaki UK. Whenever I go in on my days off, the rest of the staff love to see my other kilts. They tell me which are their favourites. They've never seen me in trousers.

If I ever went for another office job (I just don't want to do that right now), I'd wear a kilt to the interview. Number one, I just wouldn't want to work somewhere I couldn't wear the kilt. Number two, it would make me stick out in their minds, and that can never hurt when they're interviewing several people for the same job.

Andrew.

Andrew, that brings up something that the 2 women who are my peers brought up yesterday. They said that it has made the atmosphere more fun in the office since I started the kilts, and that they look forward to seeing which kilt I am wearing (alas, I onlt have 2 right now), and what I wear with them. As has been stated, kilts are a very versatile garment, and while Hamish has mucho fashion sense, I am just stumbling along. Luckily, nobody else here knows what correct kilt fashion is either (if there really is a "correct" fashion!). So far, I have been going pretty basic with button down shirts, or polo type pullovers, black hose and shoes, and a kilt pin. Ordered an AK in tan yesterday, so I will have something else to wear soon, which will also open up some color options that I don't have with the Nightstalker and shadow tartans.

**Riverkilt** · 7th October 05, 07:28 AM

Ya know Warrior,

If you think about it an HR manager's job is pretty much the same old daily grind. Highly administrative...policy work...recruiting...checking...et.al.

Having a good, sound, productive, mentally stable employee show up in a kilt is probably and exciting thing for them too. They also get a chance to be proactive about policy and protect you from harrassment. They get a chance to show off the company diversity.

As far as fashion advice: galleries galleries galleries. The answers are in individual galleries and kiltmaker galleries. You'll know what works when you see it. Of course Ham's gallery is the place to start.

This kilt boom is an economic engine too. Most of us wind up buying shoes, kilt hose, kilt pins, belts, sporrans, shirts, vests, jackets, caps to go with our kilts. I've found that not too much of what I had on hand already to wear with pants goes well with my kilts. Some, but not most.

For example...I own about 40 aloha shirts and seven pair of Z Coil shoes. They sorta work, but its a bit much to demand that the public take in stride an elderly beer-bellied guy in Z Coils, kilt, and Hawaiian shirt. Sure is comfortable though.

Ron

**skyeboat** · 7th October 05, 08:57 AM

Well done all who are promoting the wearing of the kilt. Its really easy for me as live in scotland. Again well done.

**A Dhuglas** · 7th October 05, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Ya know Warrior,

For example...I own about 40 aloha shirts and seven pair of Z Coil shoes. They sorta work, but its a bit much to demand that the public take in stride an elderly beer-bellied guy in Z Coils, kilt, and Hawaiian shirt. Sure is comfortable though.

Ron

Now THAT would be one heck of a picture for the galleries. Probably would look like a paint store exploded!

**Alan H** · 7th October 05, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by KiltedCodeWarrior

Hurray!

Well I can finely consider this a successful endeavor! I just got off the phone with HR and was told that there was no problem with my wearing the kilt to the office.

I could not have had a better day!

Thanks again for all the support and encouragement from those on this forum!

Finally checking back in with this thread, and this is just EXCELLENT!

Fantastic news, and good on ya!

**KiltedCodeWarrior** · 7th October 05, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Ya know Warrior,

If you think about it an HR manager's job is pretty much the same old daily grind. Highly administrative...policy work...recruiting...checking...et.al.

Having a good, sound, productive, mentally stable employee show up in a kilt is probably and exciting thing for them too. They also get a chance to be proactive about policy and protect you from harrassment. They get a chance to show off the company diversity.

...For example...I own about 40 aloha shirts and seven pair of Z Coil shoes. They sorta work, but its a bit much to demand that the public take in stride an elderly beer-bellied guy in Z Coils, kilt, and Hawaiian shirt. Sure is comfortable though.

Ron

Ron, I had not thought about it from that angle, but as I review the times I was in an HR role, the ones that were the most fun were when dealing with the "issues". Whether it was an employee grabbing a "quickie" at the client site (yes, truth is much stranger than fiction, and some people are stupid beyond belief!), counseling somebody through a performance problem, or the fun things like employee recognition events.

And there better not be anything wrong with kilts and hawaiian shirts! Going to be in Orlando at Disney, Epcot, etc. all next weekend and definitely going to wear mine with a kilt.