Question

[Tattoo Bradley]

Well, I guess I technically started wearing kilts "after" being married. The first one I wore was at my wedding. She was completely fine with it, all the bride's maids loved it. I was the cool guy. But, then I kept buying more... and more.... and, yes... more. I wear a kilt any time I am not working (OSHA reasons I can't wear at work, otherwise I would.) She has had somewhat of a hard time accepting the kilt as a contemporary garment. She'll make a comment once in a while, but I think for the most part she just chalks it up to me being eccentric. I really think she is convinced that this will fade away as some of my other "fashion" choices have. Little does she realize... there is tartan written in our future for years to come.

[David Dalglish]

My wife & I are Scots--when I said to her that I was going to buy a kilt, all she said was " you better bloody well wear it then. " i've never looked back.

[Roan Carter]

When it got here & I tried it on she totally changed. It was a case of "OK now put it away and you can were it to ren-fairs."


... ....

... My technique has been to just not give it up.

I'm laughing hysterically because my mother did the exact same thing with me. It's funny how things turn around. She bought me a Sport Kilt for my birthday, but was somehow unhappy about my decision to wear it regularly. :rolleyes: What did she think I would do with it?

Excellent advice at the end there as well.

[KiltedKnight]

I really can't understand what the problem is. I met my wife over 20 years ago and at that time I had been wearing kilts for years. I was still in the Army at that time. It was quite a culture shock for my wife who is of Mexican descent. The only compromise that I have ever had to make was to wear a tuxedo to the wedding since many, and I mean MANY of her relatives would be coming from Mexico and all over the States to attend our wedding. I could have worn my Army Dress Whites or Army Dress Blues but I wore a tux to keep everything neutral.

Since then I have worn a kilt to any other family get together or office party and generally get a lot of attention because of the kilt. My in-laws neighborhood is all Mexican but the majority of the folks remember me arriving in uniform at one point and kilted at another so there has never been any real problems. I have to think that it's all in the way one wears the kilt, if you are uncomfortable or not confident wearing your kilt it will show, and those that are the type to start with the insults will, just to get a rise out of you. My wife says I have an aire of confidence even wearing an open backed hospital gown...lol!

Chris. :confused:

[Monkey@Arms]

The truth is, I do it to make sure everyone knows I really don't care what they think and because its the most comfortable darn thing in the world.

I'm with you on that one, Captain!

GreenDragon, if you do a search of the forum, you'll see a lot of us have gotten similar resistance from our spouses. I guess if you look at from their point of view it's probably not surprising. They married a guy in normal pants, and now he wants to wear some kind of unconventional garment, in public yet!

You didn't mention whether this is your first kid, but your wife being pregnant probably doesn't help the matter, between hormones, worries about parenting, etc. She may be concerned that you're going in some new, and separate direction, just when she needs you the most.

I don't have any surefire answers, as I am still dancing this dance with my spouse. My general advice is get a kilt that won't break the budget (its easy to get addicted, and this rabble is a bunch of enablers ), go slow and get her used to seeing you in it around the house, pick your battles, and hope to win her over in the course of time. Some articles from here or here might also help you.

Best regards,

Jake

[morrison]

I was boiling over in a few burdensome issues. Taking control of my own life had to include every aspect of my personal deportment. No one else had, has or will have any say above my sovereign will. On extremely limiting occasion I may acquiesce to a wardrobe modification for my convenience.
What I do or do not is normal for thousands, even tens of thousands of others, men and women similar to me.

[Alan H]

She hated it. Of course the first time she saw me in a kilt she ALSo saw me in a a jacobite shirt, and that was just too much. There was a period of conflict.

At one point I finally sat her down and got in her face about it. It's NOT women's clohting, I don't CARE if it's "different", and YOU and not going to tell ME how to run my life. That kind of set her back on her heels.


She won't wear the kilt skirt I got her. She hates Highland games. She refuses to go to kilts/beer nights which is just as good as she'd ruin them for me and everyone else. However, she now accepts my kilt wearing and sometimes even says I look good.

I wear pants, still now and then. If we're going out and it's "her" occaision I will often put on trousers. However, I'm kilted about 3/4 of the time, now and she's dealing with it. It took nearly 18 months to get to this point, though.

[Captain]

The thing I don't get with my wife is she loves highland games/celtic music festivals, etc... She even says I look good in my kilt at said events... but anything else and she hates it... I'm just plain confused...

[GallowHill]

I consider myself blessed with a wife who supports anything I do. She has had nothing but good things to say about my kilts. But then again, she was kind of a rebel in the fashion department when we were in high school. One of the many things I liked about her. We have tried to pass these values on to our boys, you know, not living your life worrying about what others think of you. I'm sure that is what is bothering your wives, not that they don't like it.
We must have been somewhat successful in teaching, because my 15 yo son wore his kilt on the first day school this year. It is a little on the 'goth' side, but still took some guts on his part.