Awful to Awesome but Always(?) Smart

[Andrewson]

On Thursdays I often lead a Health Walk (a UK scheme to encourage more people to walk for exercise) round our town and am always kilted for this. Quite apart from the comfort I thus enjoy it makes the Walk more noticeable to those we pass and may help to recruit new members.

So this morning I am striding down to town to start the walk when I meet a bunch of builders. One of them is clearly poised to make some devastatingly funny comment on how I'm dressed for the amusement of the others. But all he can come up with is "Hi mate! Have you dropped a chicken? Oh no, it's your wee baggie!" (My sporran I presume.) I am so disappointed with the banality of this that I can't be bothered to reply so I give him an ironical "Ha, Ha" and an ironical thank you.

As usual, round and about in the town I get a few complimentary remarks starting with a Scottish couple I'd never met before who tell me that "it fair cheers them up to see the kilt being worn" and several "You look very smart. What's the special occasion?"

When I first got the "smart" remark (it happens regularly) I was puzzled since I was in casual mode (as I was today): open necked short-sleeved shirt, kilt, black belt with very plain brass "horse bridle" buckle, plain black day sporran, hose flashes and black casual shoes. So I wasn't even trying to look formal or smart. It is mainly (but not always) women who make the "smart" remark and I reckon this is just because I have taken the trouble to match the colour of my shirt (solid colour not striped or checked) and hose to one of the colours of the tartan I'm wearing to create a much more co-ordinated appearance than your average male. And that surprises them. They reach for a word, and "smart" is the first one that strikes them. When I look at some of the guys in scruffy shorts or those terrible calf-length pants or jeans or normal trousers I can see that there is usually no sense of colour co-ordination (or any other sort, usually). So us kilties automatically stand out.

Well that's my explanation. Maybe you think it all down to the allure of the kilt itself. I was wearing a 5yd wool Hunting Stuart casual kilt today, the cheapest kilt I have ever bought but looking fairly good, even if I say so myself. But I still think maybe other factors are involved in people's reactions.

Walking home after my morning's exertions I meet a trio of youngsters (late teens or very early twenties), one girl, two boys. It is obvious that one of the boys wants to comment so I prepare for the worst. "I like your kilt," he says, "That's just awesome!"

It really made my day.

[KiltedKop45]

I seem to get more positive coments from the young generation than I do from the "grown ups". They seem to enjoy seeing someone other than themselvs willing to go out on the limb and wear something different, though the Kilt is more like wearing an historical document , it is still a statement. One that I am very proud to wear whenever I get the chance.

[Nerts]

I was standing outside of Chapters sometime in May (kilted) having a smoke with my Girl and some friends when one of the employee's comes over, knocks on the glass, points at my kilt and, while smiling wide, gives me two thumbs up.

It was one of the best experiences I've had kilted thus far.

It's nice to get comments from the 'younger' crowd.

E.

[Robert Lamb]

Especially when you girl, wife or other are there to see what seeing a kilt can bring out in others.
Robert "the kilted" Lamb

[David Dalglish]

The power of the kilt, its Awesome

[porrick]

Walking home after my morning's exertions I meet a trio of youngsters (late teens or very early twenties), one girl, two boys. It is obvious that one of the boys wants to comment so I prepare for the worst. "I like your kilt," he says, "That's just awesome!"

Always nice with positive comments (which are the vast majority).
It seems the young identify with someone standing up and daring to be different. The two groups of youngsters I get the most thumbs-up from are heavy/black metal and goths.

[Cavebear58]

Walking through Arras (Fr) the other day, the very first comment I got was from a distinctly drunk Frenchman - it was very cold and I suspect he'd been on the brandy for a few hours. All he could manage was "Eh! Écossaise!" followed by a thumbs up and a backwards stagger to a bit of scaffolding that he could grab on to.

A thumbs up in reply was all that was needed.

All the best
Graham.

[Standard]

Walking home after my morning's exertions I meet a trio of youngsters (late teens or very early twenties), one girl, two boys. It is obvious that one of the boys wants to comment so I prepare for the worst. "I like your kilt," he says, "That's just awesome!"
It really made my day.

Something similar happened to me two weekends ago (homecoming for the local university). I'd been out kayaking in the afternoon and my wife and I decided to head up to The Wine Sellers after a quick supper so I strapped on my kilt. Knowing that we'd be walking past a couple of bars that are college hangouts I was prepared for some drunken shenanigans, but had a nice quite walk up. On the way home after a pleasant evening I heard behind us after we had passed a group of college students standing outside a bar, "Dude I so want a kilt." Just goes to show not to judge a book by its cover.
After the great comments and questions from an old friend and her brother whom I had not seen in a long time at The Wine Sellers it made my night.

[McFarkus]

Kilt on!!

[BroosterB1]

I shall see what the younger generation (sans my son) actually think. This Friday the church youth group is doing a dance and all hallows ball, to which I am going kilted. They don't know that yet ;o} We shall see, we shall see!