You talking to me?!?

**Frank McGrath** · 28th January 11, 06:28 AM

Illigitimi Non Carborundum

Don't let the Bastards wear you down.

Naysayers are all Morons.

And, as some know, I wear my grandfather's retirement badge from the MPDC. When asked the underwear question, I show them the badge and ask if they would like to spend some time as a guest of the local constabulary for sexual harassment. If it is awoman asking, I turn the question around to them and then ask how they would feel. Then my wife walks up and just says "Lipstick". God love her.

**Jack Daw** · 28th January 11, 06:29 AM

You'll find that wargamers are very accepting of the kilt.

**Cowher** · 28th January 11, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by ohiopiper

I find that it's the people who know you best that make most of the comments. Familiarity and all that. Most strangers in a crowd either won't care or are genuinely inquisitive. My wife hate it when the "inquisitive" comes from attractive young ladies.

Exactly! I'm not worried about the general public. It's the buds that are going to torture me. :-) I know I'm going to get a few negitive comments. Kilts make me feel more confident so I know I'll handle myself well. But I am the joking type and usually have a comeback ready for my buds. We always rip on eachother. I even got picked on when I started wearing ivy caps and then when I started to learn bagpipes. I think I'm nervious because there are some homophobic lads amongst the group and those will ask Why I'm wearing my wifes dress (yes dress because they don't know the difference between a dress and a skirt) or did I just come from my boyfriends house. That kind of crap. I'm going to wear it and it will all be fine. I felt nervous my first time piping in a kilt too.

**McFarkus** · 28th January 11, 08:08 AM

At least you can give a clear answer if folks ask where your bagpipes are. I wore my kilt to a Burns Supper on Tuesday and on the way there three folks either asked me where my bagpipes were or what band I was playing with.

**auld argonian** · 28th January 11, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by McFarkus

At least you can give a clear answer if folks ask where your bagpipes are. I wore my kilt to a Burns Supper on Tuesday and on the way there three folks either asked me where my bagpipes were or what band I was playing with.

Mark reminds me of the phenomena that I encounter when I go to the supermarket kilted in the middle of the day...somebody always comes up and asks, "Who died?". They assume that I was just playing the pipes at a funeral. (Bear in mind that where I live was once the outskirts of the city so there are, like, seven cemetaries nearby.)

There has to be a reason why you're wearing a kilt. This neighborhood is populated by the third and fourth and fifth generation Irish and you would never catch one of these "macho tough guys" wearing a kilt...not them. But they somehow expect a piper at their funerals and many of them are cops and firemen; both agencies have their own pipe bands that are conspicuous at any events including funerals. I've got a cop and a fire department paramedic living on my block and they both seem to think that my wearing the kilt is weird...so, guys, what do you say to your cop and fire department brothers who wear the kilt to play in your respective pipe bands?

So I could very well say, "What? Does somebody have to die before you can wear a kilt around here?"

Best

AA

**beloitpiper** · 28th January 11, 10:12 AM

Last night I went out (kilted) and a friend of a friend (whom I've never met before) made the "nice skirt" comment. I just turned to him and said "nice blouse" and continued on looking quite dashing.

**kc8ufv** · 28th January 11, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by beloitpiper

Last night I went out (kilted) and a friend of a friend (whom I've never met before) made the "nice skirt" comment. I just turned to him and said "nice blouse" and continued on looking quite dashing.

Weird thing is "blouse" is the technical term for the upper half of a set of BDUs, and I think ACUs as well...

**donlp1** · 28th January 11, 01:48 PM

These are some great answers that I have been wondering about myself. I have been leaning toward the 'clever' comeback but I think the being kind and trying to educate others is the best.

I went to my wifes graduation with my boys (most also kilted) and only recieved one very strange facial expression. The rest of the comments were positive and like the others above said mostly from the ladies. It does give you a topic to talk about.

Now if I can follow the good advice.

I do like the blouse comment.

**Jay** · 28th January 11, 01:52 PM

the option is there to reply with "thank you for the compliment" when someone remarks "nice dress/skirt"

Pretty much shuts them down.

**clanciankent** · 28th January 11, 03:03 PM

I get virtually zero negative comments that are audible,I have been told that I have a lot of `presence` and am `intimidating` even without a kilt.I don`t mean to be but I think it could be down to my Asperger`s-I am not supplying the friendly or submissive body language that most ppl do.We avoid eye contact but I forced myself to start making eye contact in order to get into the Police.The kilt gives me a lot of confidence-the anxiety in crowds/cities I get as an Aspie disappears when kilted.