My National Tartan Day Fashion Disaster

[SteveB]

ali8780,
A women looks very feminine in long hose ( knee highs or over the knee) with a skirt or dress in the cooler climes. There is no mistaking the difference between a tartan skirt and a kilt. The tartan skirt does not have anywhere near the yardage of wool that is used in a kilt, and consequently is much more subject to the weather.
I was not there to hear the inflection in your husband's voice when the "Braveheart" comment was made. I sincerely hope he was referring to the presence of tartan on both genders as was displayed in the film.

Winter in New England can get rather cold on occasion. I do get the "aren't you cold in that thing?" comment while out and about during the Christmas shopping season. This is mostly from women who are wearing dresses or skirts.

Do not give up on dresses and skirts. This sounds to me like a shopping trip is in order to acquire some long leggings, and some feminine high rise boots.

Cheers

[Bugbear]

Does this mean you've given up kilts Ted? Did I miss a thread somewhere? Just putting two and two together with your signature...

I hope not That would really be a travesty.

I have taken a step back, ali8780. Looking at your signature, right now, and your original post, it seemed like a similar turn of feelings. I don't know...

[Sionnach]

I doubt you looked like W. Wallace. Go warmly when necessary. Your opportunity will come again. Be proud of yourself for your effort.

[ali8780]

I have taken a step back, ali8780. Looking at your signature, right now, and your original post, it seemed like a similar turn of feelings. I don't know...

yeah, I definitely had a weird day today, I've really never felt like that--like the lines between masculinity and femininity were so blurry. I'm sure some of you guys have felt similarly when you were beginning to wear kilts, but I never expected I would too, in the reverse!

FWIW Ted: I think that kilts are the epitome of masculinity and I thought you looked great in your avatar pic. (did someone say something to you too?) Sorry, I hope I'm not rudely prying, just concerned

In my husband's defense, he was just teasing me, and didn't mean to insult me--it just added to the weirdness of the situation.

[Kiltman]

I agree. You won't look like Wm Wallace. So wear what keeps you warm and happy and tell your husband that you want to stay warm. My wife would tell me that later she will dress for me, but right now she want's to stay warm.

[Bugbear]

I sent you a PM, ali8780. It's just a little mixed up, and nothing to worry about.

Hope your next time out with a tartan skirt is more comfortable.

[Alan H]

ali8780 feminity, just like masculinity, has less to do with clothes and more to do with with thoughts, feelings, thinking patterns, etc.

I rather doubt that anyone would mistake your for a man, and if you want to wear tartan, including knee sox, then that is exactly what you should do..

[Pleater]

I have only one word of advice - layers.

Hopefully your skirt is nothing like those flimsy delusions of adequacy I have seen for sale, but before putting it on, adorn yourself with underwear suitable for the temperature, a long sleeved spencer and petticoat, and add outer garments perhaps a blouse and ballet top or jersey, or a shrug or shawl in some colour to tone with the tartan.

Do not neglect your legs, warm tights or leggings in one of the darker colours of your tartan, and/or knitted hose make even a chilly day perfectly bearable here, even though I usually wear sandals most of the year. Do provide yourself with the right colours.

Outside, a hat or cap, scarf and gloves will help with the heat retention.

Just as the menfolk tend to upgrade the things they wear with their kilts - the fancy jackets the colour coordinated shirts hosen jackets ties leather items etc. - to honour the tartan we should ensure we have the right colours and quality of garments to wear with it.

Hmmm - someone might come to regret that 'Braveheat' comment.

Anne the Pleater

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I decided to support National Tartan Day by wearing a tartan skirt that I've had for a couple of years, and I started the day very excited. I decided that I was going to wear my skirt all day long--something I haven't done since I was a kid--and I was looking forward to it.

My husband was excited about it, and my three year old daughter wanted to know if we were going to church... Then, we were going to make a trip to Costco and I was starting to get cold so I pulled out my tall winter UGG boots and put them on. My husband took one look at me and said it was starting to look like a scene from Braveheart around here, and it all went downhill from there. Not wanting to look like William Wallace, I changed into a more feminine pair of shoes and we went out. Due to the comment that my husband made, and the fact that over the past couple of months I've had it indoctrinated into my brain that kilts are a very very masculine thing, I started to feel a little unwomanly.

After about an hour, I started to get uncomfortable. The wind blew up, my legs froze, I thought knee length socks might make me warmer, but after being compared to William Wallace, I didn't want to go there, and I had to constantly keep my knees glued together. At 4:00, I caved and ran happily back to my jeans, and now I am as comfortable as I can possibly imagine.

I still love skirts and dresses, but I'm happy to relegate them to special occasions only, and I am now more than ever in full support of Men in Kilts.

I think that when I am not on this board, I'm going to find a board dedicated to the wonder of Jeans and become an active member there as well.

So all in all, it's been a very gender confusing day.

Ali,

First off all, your avatar pic is my favorite on the board. You are a beautiful woman whom I am sure looks lovely in whatever you wear.

That being said, my wife also has a great affinity for jeans. They make up part of her daily uniform! Lately, though, she has been getting more into skirt wearing (not necessarily tartan). She's always liked that look, just never been that comfortable in them. She is finding that some styles are more comfortable for her to wear than others. Maybe you just need to find a more comfortable style.

In your original post you describe it as a tartan skirt. You also say, "over the past couple of months I've had it indoctrinated into my brain that kilts are a very very masculine thing."

I think this is a point that needs some clarification. Kilts are masculine. But a kilt is not the same thing as a "tartan skirt." Kilts are skirted garments made from tartan (usually), yes that is true. But there are a number of differences between a gentleman's kilt and a lady's tartan skirt. We don't need to go into all of them right now, but the man's kilt is constructed differently and yes, it does look more masculine. Those who say women should not wear men's kilt because they are a masculine garment are not meaning to exclude lady's skirts.

Lady's tartan skirts are made for women, and are made to look more feminine. I don't think any woman should worry about looking like William Wallace in her tartan skirt!

Regarding knee length socks: My wife will occasionally wear men's kilt hose with her skirt to keep her legs warm. She doesn't look masculine because she is also wearing women's shoes, and a feminine looking top. No one would mistake her for a cross-dresser!

One of the great things about lady's fashion is that you can wear nearly any style skirt you are comfortable in made from tartan. It doesn't have to be straight front, pleated in the rear, knee length, etc. It can be any length from micro-mini to floor length. It can be pleated in the rear only, pleated all around, or not pleated at all.

My wife is working on a patchwork tartan tiered skirt right now for herself made using left-over scraps from various kilts I have made. It's going to be a very fun skirt for her to wear, no doubt.

Point is that the sky is the limit, and I wouldn't let one bad day get you down. You didn't post pictures so I'm not sure what style skirt you were wearing, but I'd just say that if you are not comfortable in that skirt, just give another style a try. And please, please, don't worry about being masculine looking.

[McFarkus]

One key is not just to wear knee socks, but wool hose. I was out in my kilt in 9º F weather with a brisk wind and wasn't at all uncomfortable.

And I want to add my reassurance to that of the others. Based on your avatar photo, I doubt you could EVER look like William Wallace. You're much prettier than Mel Gibson.