Non-kilted Salespeople?

[Mael Coluim]

Aye, Sean. My observances are the same as yours.

[ShaneRollins]

I lived in Alexandria for about four years, now I'm in Silver Spring.

[Chef]

I agree that it seems odd but we are back to the price of the product again. That and the fact that sales staff in so many shops are low paid and rather transient. If your paying someone $10 an hour you can't very well make them buy an outfit that costs a weeks pay. On the other hand if you own a shop do you want to buy a kilt for someone that the statistics say won't be there in six months? Sure they could wear off the rack kilts but that won't help you sell handmade kilts.

[TheKiltedWonder]

sorry, didn't mean to help get us so far off topic!

back to the object at hand. I can see why someone who worked in a Scottish store might not always want to wear the kilt. For one thing, I and many other kilt wearers like to switch it up. Also, if they wear the kilt for a specific reason (heritage/what have you) they might not want to wear it in such a line of work where it will probably be interpreted as a costume by many of the customers.

That said, I wish there were plenty of kilt store salesmen who wore their own stock to show it off. Preferrably in with maybe a 37 inch waist and oh say a hypothetical 41 inch hips and maybe about a 22 inch drop. Then some of us could get great used kilts on the cheap

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I once asked a tailor in a kilt shop in Edinburgh why he didn't wear a kilt at work. He had a terse, one- word, reply: "rug burn." He explained that it was because he was constantly dropping to his knee when measuring a client and suffered rug burns as a result. At that the shop boy snorted and said, "Och, dinna believe him. It's 'cause he comes in to work on the bus frae Leith!"

That said, Michael Stewart (aka "Prince Michael of Albany") was a good friend of mine and, when working at the Tartan Shop on Prince's Street, always wore a kilt to work.

I guess what it comes down to, even in Scotland, is that kilts are still regarded as "Sunday go to meeting" clothes.

[TheKiltedWonder]

I suppose if Scottish salesmen are loathe to wear the kilt to work, we shouldn't be too surprised if Canadian/US salesmen are as well. I wonder which country has the highest percentage of Scottish-store salesmen wearing kilts at work. I'd guess America. I wonder which has the highest percentage of salespeople with no idea of how to wear the kilt. Dare I guess America again?

That said, Michael Stewart (aka "Prince Michael of Albany") was a good friend of mine and, when working at the Tartan Shop on Prince's Street, always wore a kilt to work.

haha, I remember reading his book when I was in high school. It was thoroughly enjoyable, if somewhat prone to flights of fancy. If he ever succeeds in regaining "his" kingdom and needs a Minister of the Kilt in his government, I know someone who would be more than happy to oblige.

[Raphael]

So what if the sales people don't wear kilts on the floor. There are kilt makers out there who don't wear kilts when they are in their shops and you guys still order his kilts like mad! Just because they are employed in a Scottish Shop, that doesn't mean that they are crazy about the kilt. For them, it is a mean to make a living. Cut them some slacks.

[slohairt]

Tee-hee, cut them some slacks. Good pun!

Sadly the few employees are probably paid $8.00/hr, so a kilt could cost two weeks' pay, even with a discount. However, most of the people running the shops I've been in are the owner and his/her family. I just thought it was rather unusual that I've never seen a kilted proprietor!

As I stated before, it would be strange to go suit shopping and find every salesperson in jeans and a T-shirt. My wife has worked in the fashion industry for many years. You have to buy the clothes you sell regularly (with a discount, of course).

[Darkislander]

Some of the kilt shops here in Scotland have kilted employees. It's a pity that a lot of the tourist and heritage sites don't. Understandibly it would be the high cost of kitting the staff out in such admirable attire.

[Redshank]

Well I work in a Scottish Kilt shop, and it is located in Scotland, and I would not been seen dead in the shop wearing pants/trews/trousers/slacks or jeans.

Everyday I wear a handcrafted handstitched kilt, made from the finest wools available in Scotland, I am rightly proud of the kilt, rightly proud to wear it, and proud to sell a heirloom kilt to customers.

I agree customers deserve to see sales staff proudly and corrrectly wearing a kilt.

Chris