nervous in my kilt

**kilted_ninja** · 25th July 08, 11:37 AM

After a while one gets to feel strange without it. My work frowns on 'short skirts' for either gender so I wear trousers. It actually gets to feel unusual and I still find myself 'sweep and tuck'-ing my trousers when I sit down.

**Captain Karrot** · 25th July 08, 12:05 PM

As most here have said, there is a certain amount of nervousness that goes with doing anything considered "outside the norm" the first time. First, I would say you need to understand why you are making this choice...it would be easier to wear p@nts and conform. So - why do it? Let your strength of conviction that led you to be a non-conformist provide some reassurance, reducing your nervousness. Then, hold your head high, make excuses to no one, including yourself, and be proud. As others have said, you may here the occassional idiot making derogatory comments. But for the most part people will either admire you for your convictions, or not care what you do.

Just my $0.02

**Tetley** · 31st July 08, 11:45 AM

I remember one time sitting waiting for the gate to open at Luebeck airport in Germany when two Scottish lads walked in and bought tickets. Both wore tartan kilt and it was quite obvious that wearing a kilt was something that they did every day. Why? They had an air of total ease with themselves. When asked for passports and money both reached into their sporrans and retrieved the required items. No fussing or messing about. Total confidence. When I'm wearing a kilt, theirs is the attitude that I try to project.

There will always be a very few people that comment nastily whenever they see someone wearing something different, no matter what it is. You just ignore it in exactly the same way as you normally would.

And I guess that's the point. You act exactly the way you would normally, no more, no less.

After all, it's now normal for you to wear a kilt.

**Cat** · 2nd August 08, 08:12 PM

Don't worry too much about it...the insults and snarky comments will always be there, but you just have to rise above it. Ultimately, you own kilts and you feel comfortable in them to an extent, so why not feel comfortable in them all the time? Who cares what people think? If everyone based their lives and their personalities on what everyone else thinks about them, nobody would ever leave the house. Just keep in mind that kilts have been men's garments for hundreds of years, longer than pants. If someone gives you a snide comment, just smile and nod and know that "you're right and they're wrong..." Most people that know anything about kilts generally don't make jokes or nasty comments. I suppose I had a leg up in a way, since I used to play in goth and industrial bands about ten years ago, and it wasn't uncommon for me to be seen some sort of skirt or dress...even then, I knew how comfortable clothing like that could be. I grew out of that stuff along time ago, but always knew that I'd end up owning kilts, partly because of my heritage and partly because I know how comfortable unbifurcated garments really are. As long as you know who you are and are comfortable with that, then (and pardon my language here), but screw what other people think! I've found that almost all of the compliments I get are mostly from older people, and the nasty remarks are from ill-educated teenagers. So either use the opportunity to educate someone, or just fight right back with a smart-a-- yet intelligent comeback. Either way, as was mentioned before, the best remedy is just have confidence in who you are! There are a lot of things I don't like about myself, but I always feel proud when I wear my kilt, despite my shortcomings. I am comfortable in it, it is part of my heritage, and most importantly, I like it...I couldn't give one whit as to what anyone else thinks. I've got tattoos and a nose ring too, but I guarantee that when someone actually talks to me, they're genuinely surprised that I'm not really who they thought I might be, that just because I look a certain way doesn't mean I'm subhuman or something like that. I tend to get along more with the senior citizens that ask me about it far more than the 16 year olds who really have no idea what a kilt is. I guess my best advice is this...The only problems that come with wearing a kilt are your own. Anybody else that has a problem with it, well, that's their problem, not yours! Anyone who judges you based on what you wear and not who you are as a person is, quit frankly, an idiot. Those people don't deserve your time, so don't waste it on them.

**Nighthawk** · 2nd August 08, 08:50 PM

Last time I got the "Nice skirt" comment, I was in a bad mood and retorted with "That's 'Nice skirt, Reverend', thank you very much." I think I made the guy feel the rear end of a horse. I felt a little twinge of guilt later... but just a little one.

**Nighthawk** · 2nd August 08, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by Cat

Don't worry too much about it...the insults and snarky comments will always be there, but you just have to rise above it. Ultimately, you own kilts and you feel comfortable in them to an extent, so why not feel comfortable in them all the time? Who cares what people think? If everyone based their lives and their personalities on what everyone else thinks about them, nobody would ever leave the house. Just keep in mind that kilts have been men's garments for hundreds of years, longer than pants. If someone gives you a snide comment, just smile and nod and know that "you're right and they're wrong..." Most people that know anything about kilts generally don't make jokes or nasty comments. I suppose I had a leg up in a way, since I used to play in goth and industrial bands about ten years ago, and it wasn't uncommon for me to be seen some sort of skirt or dress...even then, I knew how comfortable clothing like that could be. I grew out of that stuff along time ago, but always knew that I'd end up owning kilts, partly because of my heritage and partly because I know how comfortable unbifurcated garments really are. As long as you know who you are and are comfortable with that, then (and pardon my language here), but screw what other people think! I've found that almost all of the compliments I get are mostly from older people, and the nasty remarks are from ill-educated teenagers. So either use the opportunity to educate someone, or just fight right back with a smart-a-- yet intelligent comeback. Either way, as was mentioned before, the best remedy is just have confidence in who you are! There are a lot of things I don't like about myself, but I always feel proud when I wear my kilt, despite my shortcomings. I am comfortable in it, it is part of my heritage, and most importantly, I like it...I couldn't give one whit as to what anyone else thinks. I've got tattoos and a nose ring too, but I guarantee that when someone actually talks to me, they're genuinely surprised that I'm not really who they thought I might be, that just because I look a certain way doesn't mean I'm subhuman or something like that. I tend to get along more with the senior citizens that ask me about it far more than the 16 year olds who really have no idea what a kilt is. I guess my best advice is this...The only problems that come with wearing a kilt are your own. Anybody else that has a problem with it, well, that's their problem, not yours! Anyone who judges you based on what you wear and not who you are as a person is, quit frankly, an idiot. Those people don't deserve your time, so don't waste it on them.

I love you. If you were a girl, I'd propose to you.

**Nighthawk** · 2nd August 08, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by kilted_ninja

After a while one gets to feel strange without it. My work frowns on 'short skirts' for either gender so I wear trousers. It actually gets to feel unusual and I still find myself 'sweep and tuck'-ing my trousers when I sit down.

I've sat on my fingers a few times doing that. My employers don't regard it as a kilt, but as an expression of cultural pride no different from what other cultures do, so it's not a problem at work, which is actually where the problem lies for me. I study Shotokan karate, and my Sensei's frown on the wearing of the kilt in class. Something about head level kicks leaving the rest of the class blind and scarred. But on a bright note, I am used as an example of why head punches are actually intended to be aimed at the throat- us hard headed, red haired devils would take a punch to the face and just angry, while we'd take that same punch to the throat and go to the hospital. Gods bless Shihan Butler...

**ender103601** · 2nd August 08, 11:35 PM

i guess i was lucky. my intro in to the kilt was with my god-brother at the highland games. after being surrounded by friends and family, all kilted, i had no problem going anywhere in a kilt.
i've only had one incident where someone has said anything really bad. (a patron at a cracker barrel when i was with a group of kilties coming back from the games.)
i go to bars in it all the time and get nothing but compliments (and maybe a few jelious looks from boyfriends)
i now own 3 and am about to get a fourth.
just be confident and have a pint.

**pdcorlis** · 2nd August 08, 11:37 PM

Sometimes I wonder of Mac ever got over being nervous in his kilt... I hope so. At the very least this has been a good conversation for the rest of the rabble!

**Frank McGrath** · 3rd August 08, 09:13 AM

We worry too much aboout what others think. Life is too short to be afraid of what someone may say about what you are wearing. I live in place where a lot of the people are not educated about otheres feelings and ideas. If you are the least bit defferent, there is a comment. I don't really care what otheres think about my wearing the kilt. I wear it for me, not them. If they don't like it fine. if they let me know, fine. I can go home and change into pants, but stupid is forever. Do whatever " blows your skirt up" Yes, bad pun, , but do your thing. be an individual. Kilt wearers are not lemmings. Stay the hell out of the sea.