How to explain why you wear a kilt.

[Jimmy the Celt]

I've actually thought a lot about this question. Being a 28 yr old musician/writer stuck in corporate hell a lot of the responses here don't really apply to me. I've used many of the more glib responses but after really thinking about the question I realised I wear kilts because it's a part of my identity. While I'm not 100% scottish I can trace my family on my mother's side back to clan MacDonald so that's the tartan I wear and being a believer in celtic spirituality (I'll leave the religious debate there) I just really believe that for the most part people spend their lives looking for their place in the world. Their "tribe" if you will. Wearing kilts is my way of honoring my past and the "tribe" for lack of a better word that I belong to in the world. Of course I reserve this response for close friends and serious inquiries. Most of the time I resort to, "they're comfortable, so why not?"

Very nicely said.

[Jerry]

I explained wearing mine to a family Thanksgiving get together like this. "First of all, it is very comfortable, and secondly, if I'm going to pay between $300 and $500 for something, I should wear it more than just to Celtic events"

[michael steinrok]

"With legs like these, wouldn't you?"



"The voices in my head tell me to."

Now that is funny Lots of women tell me I have great legs, funny how they don't tell me that when I wear shorts!

[Andrew Green]

"I don't think they realize there are more than the one of us they encounter."
You know... I think you're right on about that. I think that most people in the states see a kilted guy as a sort of singularity outside of anyting other than Highland games, or perhaps a ren-faire (not opening that can of worms here).
LOL *** THE INTERNETS EXIST! Yeah, perhaps some people have never heard of message boards or something.

Why I wear the kilt:
Comfort, heritage. Simple.
If I want a convenient excuse, it's usually something silly off the top of my head. Like someone else said "It's (insert day here)"

I loved the comment about claiming to be a radically different ethnicity than you are (like a Caucasian claiming to be Vietnamese), that really would toss someone for a serious loop, as I honestly don't think that they're expecting something like that.

Of course, I hate the notion that people think you need to justify (to them) why you are doing a particular thing. You don't owe ANYONE an explanation why you are wearing a particular article of clothing (well, at least not some random stranger... I can thing of a few scenarios where one might be concerned about someone close).

There's an answer: Why do you think I owe you an explanation for why?

[thescot]

I usually say something, "Because it's November the 14th,"or maybe, "Because it's Tuesday." That often gets a strange look as they try to figure out what that date/day means, and I can leave them if I choose.

But almost always someone is really nice and just asking a polite questiion, then I say, "I like my kilts, and so do the ladies."

[Tartan Hiker]

"It's cheaper than a red convertible and twice as effective."

[Riverkilt]

I'm currently reading a book on retiring in Mexico on social security....who knows...

The lady who wrote it laments how all the colorful traditional dress of many Indian tribes in Mexico has been replaced by jeans and t-shirts.

So, from a Scottish (and all the other kilted tribes) point of view wearing a kilt today is keeping traditional dress from being smothered by jeans and t-shirts.

Ron

[Jimmy the Celt]

I'm currently reading a book on retiring in Mexico on social security....who knows...

The lady who wrote it laments how all the colorful traditional dress of many Indian tribes in Mexico has been replaced by jeans and t-shirts.

So, from a Scottish (and all the other kilted tribes) point of view wearing a kilt today is keeping traditional dress from being smothered by jeans and t-shirts.

Ron

That is how I think of it--I want to honor my ancestors, and keep the tradition alive in my family [who has largely forgotten or ignored our heritage]. Add to that comfort, beauty [tartans are beautiful] and all the other reasons we wear the kilt, and it all makes sense, even to people who don't understand at first or think it's a little odd.

[BarefootScott]

"Since most of the women around here are wearing pants, I'm wearing a kilt because I don't won't to look too effeminate."

I LOVE that response! That oughta make a few people think twice about the social norm. I'll definately use that one in the near future.

[elitekiltedcommando]

I LOVE that response! That oughta make a few people think twice about the social norm. I'll definately use that one in the near future.

Yeah, that's a good one. I hope I get to use it... hehehe...