So This Is What It Means To Be Kilted?

[Dreadbelly]

I have noticed lots of these little moments in my life along the way. At different times. I think I first started noticing it after I finished college, earned my Ph.D. and had Dr. put before my name. I have always been scruffy looking. Beard. Long hair. Jeans. Flannel. T-shirts. People always treated me like a scruffy person. When they found out I was a Ph.D. I believe that it made their brains implode. With the title comes a small degree of respect, but because of how I looked there was a good deal of, what's the word I am looking for, disdain. And conflict, visible conflict would happen when the two clashed together. I remember one time when I was invited as the guest speaker at a consumer watchdog group for the handicapped and mentally ill. In my mind, I was dressed up. I wore clean black denim jeans, and what I throught was a very nice black and white flannel with hints of purple and blue. I thought I looked just fine. I was told this was a casual event. I get there... And hoowee... Casual meant suits, blazers, ties, slacks, chinos, etc. A very snooty lady met me at the door and with out even asking who I was, seated me in the very back of the room in a dim corner, at a very lonesome table all by my self. When my name was called out as the guest speaker and I had to walk through the whole hall with everybody looking at me, and that poor woman realizing who I was and looking mortified, well, it was not a pleasant experience. That day I spoke on stigma and stereotypes, two problems that plague the handicapped and the mentally ill. And almost the whole time I did it, I leveled my stare on that poor woman. I never did get an apology. Nor did I ever go back to White Oak. It is fair to say most of these so called professionals are actually part of the problem and not helping things at all. And they want so badly to aid their cause.

People make all sorts of assumptions about me. And I encourage them to do so, by doing things like letting my hair dreadlock and wearing kilts. It's actually sort of facinating in a morbid sort of way to encounter people and see psychology at work. Am I baiting people? Or am I just giving them enough rope to hang themselves? Mayhap both. Since people seem to want to catagorize me, I feel I should give them a little extra to work with, and make them at least put forth some effort in their thought processes.

I am loving the kilt as a whole experience. My wife is quite taken with it as well. She is starting to enjoy observing people that are observing me.

Oh, and I had my first Marylin Monroe moment. Oh, to be free as nature intended. Lots of gasps though.

[Anthony]

It seems to me, most people place the greatest importance on that which is superficial, where you live, what you drive, where you work, how much money you make and list goes on.

From this social view "the Cloths make the man" and the car and the bank statement. And unfortunately people will deal with us differently based on how we're dressed.

There are a couple of places I've gone often wearing jeans and T-shirt and been snubbed by the waiters, gone back to the same place in my Tux after an evening out and had the same waiters bending over backwards. There are a number of reasons for this; they worry what other customers will think, if we can pay the bill and or they may be affraid of us.

Having lived a couple of years on the street I understand exactly how it feels to be unwelcome any place you go, to feel as if your invisible.

I too have seen how wearing a kilt changes the way SOME people look at me, mostly at work. Folks who've known me for ten years or more who no longer talk to me, and others I've seen around for at least as long who never spoke to me or looked at me directly who've become very friendly.

I commented to a friend the other day, it seemed folks had got use to the kilt. He said people ask him about my wearing a kilt all the time and they still talk about it, just not when I'm within ear shot. Thats okay by me, I'd rather they wonder whats up with me then the other way around. Very sad when one has so little in their own life they need to create drama concerning what someone is wearing, it's like getting free rent in their head.

I'm happy to hear you now have a kilt and that wearing it has been 90% Positive.

Any day on top of the dirt is a good day

[Anthony]

It seems to me, most people place the greatest importance on that which is superficial, where you live, what you drive, where you work, how much money you make and list goes on.

From this social view "the Cloths make the man" and the car and the bank statement. And unfortunately people will deal with us differently based on how we're dressed.

There are a couple of places I've gone often wearing jeans and T-shirt and been snubbed by the waiters, gone back to the same place in my Tux after an evening out and had the same waiters bending over backwards. There are a number of reasons for this; they worry what other customers will think, if we can pay the bill and or they may be affraid of us.

Having lived a couple of years on the street I understand exactly how it feels to be unwelcome any place you go, to feel as if your invisible.

I too have seen how wearing a kilt changes the way SOME people look at me, mostly at work. Folks who've known me for ten years or more who no longer talk to me, and others I've seen around for at least as long who never spoke to me or looked at me directly who've become very friendly.

I commented to a friend the other day, it seemed folks had got use to the kilt. He said people ask him about my wearing a kilt all the time and they still talk about it, just not when I'm within ear shot. Thats okay by me, I'd rather they wonder whats up with me then the other way around. Very sad when one has so little in their own life they need to create drama concerning what someone is wearing, it's like getting free rent in their head.

I'm happy to hear you now have a kilt and that wearing it has been 90% Positive.

Any day on top of the dirt is a good day

[Anthony]

It seems to me, most people place the greatest importance on that which is superficial, where you live, what you drive, where you work, how much money you make and list goes on.

From this social view "the Cloths make the man" and the car and the bank statement. And unfortunately people will deal with us differently based on how we're dressed.

There are a couple of places I've gone often wearing jeans and T-shirt and been snubbed by the waiters, gone back to the same place in my Tux after an evening out and had the same waiters bending over backwards. There are a number of reasons for this; they worry what other customers will think, if we can pay the bill and or they may be affraid of us.

Having lived a couple of years on the street I understand exactly how it feels to be unwelcome any place you go, to feel as if your invisible.

I too have seen how wearing a kilt changes the way SOME people look at me, mostly at work. Folks who've known me for ten years or more who no longer talk to me, and others I've seen around for at least as long who never spoke to me or looked at me directly who've become very friendly.

I commented to a friend the other day, it seemed folks had got use to the kilt. He said people ask him about my wearing a kilt all the time and they still talk about it, just not when I'm within ear shot. Thats okay by me, I'd rather they wonder whats up with me then the other way around. Very sad when one has so little in their own life they need to create drama concerning what someone is wearing, it's like getting free rent in their head.

I'm happy to hear you now have a kilt and that wearing it has been 90% Positive.

Any day on top of the dirt is a good day

[Andrew Breecher]

That's one thing I loved about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Out there, it doesn't matter who you were in "real life." You get college kids, lawyers, bankers, auto mechanics, carpenters, brilliant people, mentally handicapped people. Everyone's dressed the same, and smells just as bad after going for two weeks without a shower. A banker can't walk any faster or further because he makes more money than the short order cook. Everyone shows up at the shelter at the end of the day and takes off their smelly shoes and socks, and farts out loud, and grumbles about not having enough to eat. Everyone eyes everyone else's food like a hungry wolf, because it doesn't matter if you have more money; you can't carry more food because it's heavy. Backpacking is a great equaliser. One person might have started off with a plastic K-Mart poncho and another with a $400 Gore-Tex Patagonia jacket, but after a month the jacket's torn and stained, and you realise that Gore-Tex only works in the city, so you throw out the jacket and buy a K-Mart plastic poncho, or go without a raincoat at all because you'll get wet no matter what. It's society boiled down to its most essentials: you need to eat, sleep, and crap, and that's what people talk about. The most important things, no matter that you're dressed in sweat-stained rags that mice chew on because of the salt, that you haven't showered in a month, and your beard is longer than most women's hair.

There's probably a psychology/anthropology experiment in there somewhere.

Andrew.

[Andrew Breecher]

That's one thing I loved about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Out there, it doesn't matter who you were in "real life." You get college kids, lawyers, bankers, auto mechanics, carpenters, brilliant people, mentally handicapped people. Everyone's dressed the same, and smells just as bad after going for two weeks without a shower. A banker can't walk any faster or further because he makes more money than the short order cook. Everyone shows up at the shelter at the end of the day and takes off their smelly shoes and socks, and farts out loud, and grumbles about not having enough to eat. Everyone eyes everyone else's food like a hungry wolf, because it doesn't matter if you have more money; you can't carry more food because it's heavy. Backpacking is a great equaliser. One person might have started off with a plastic K-Mart poncho and another with a $400 Gore-Tex Patagonia jacket, but after a month the jacket's torn and stained, and you realise that Gore-Tex only works in the city, so you throw out the jacket and buy a K-Mart plastic poncho, or go without a raincoat at all because you'll get wet no matter what. It's society boiled down to its most essentials: you need to eat, sleep, and crap, and that's what people talk about. The most important things, no matter that you're dressed in sweat-stained rags that mice chew on because of the salt, that you haven't showered in a month, and your beard is longer than most women's hair.

There's probably a psychology/anthropology experiment in there somewhere.

Andrew.

[Andrew Breecher]

That's one thing I loved about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Out there, it doesn't matter who you were in "real life." You get college kids, lawyers, bankers, auto mechanics, carpenters, brilliant people, mentally handicapped people. Everyone's dressed the same, and smells just as bad after going for two weeks without a shower. A banker can't walk any faster or further because he makes more money than the short order cook. Everyone shows up at the shelter at the end of the day and takes off their smelly shoes and socks, and farts out loud, and grumbles about not having enough to eat. Everyone eyes everyone else's food like a hungry wolf, because it doesn't matter if you have more money; you can't carry more food because it's heavy. Backpacking is a great equaliser. One person might have started off with a plastic K-Mart poncho and another with a $400 Gore-Tex Patagonia jacket, but after a month the jacket's torn and stained, and you realise that Gore-Tex only works in the city, so you throw out the jacket and buy a K-Mart plastic poncho, or go without a raincoat at all because you'll get wet no matter what. It's society boiled down to its most essentials: you need to eat, sleep, and crap, and that's what people talk about. The most important things, no matter that you're dressed in sweat-stained rags that mice chew on because of the salt, that you haven't showered in a month, and your beard is longer than most women's hair.

There's probably a psychology/anthropology experiment in there somewhere.

Andrew.

[Pittsburgh Kilts]

Here's a question to consider: Besides the kilt, have you started being more concerned about the REST of your wardrobe? I know before I started wearing kilts, I owned nothing but white gym socks. What the hell did I need colored socks for? Now, when I put on the kilt, I try to wear a shirt that matches and socks that match. (Shoot, every shirt matches blue jeans). I polish my boots, for crying out loud!

If this is the same for you, them maybe part of what you are noticing is a response to your new fashion sense! Just something to think about.

[Pittsburgh Kilts]

Here's a question to consider: Besides the kilt, have you started being more concerned about the REST of your wardrobe? I know before I started wearing kilts, I owned nothing but white gym socks. What the hell did I need colored socks for? Now, when I put on the kilt, I try to wear a shirt that matches and socks that match. (Shoot, every shirt matches blue jeans). I polish my boots, for crying out loud!

If this is the same for you, them maybe part of what you are noticing is a response to your new fashion sense! Just something to think about.

[Pittsburgh Kilts]

Here's a question to consider: Besides the kilt, have you started being more concerned about the REST of your wardrobe? I know before I started wearing kilts, I owned nothing but white gym socks. What the hell did I need colored socks for? Now, when I put on the kilt, I try to wear a shirt that matches and socks that match. (Shoot, every shirt matches blue jeans). I polish my boots, for crying out loud!

If this is the same for you, them maybe part of what you are noticing is a response to your new fashion sense! Just something to think about.