Do most people whom you meet ask about your kilt?

[Mychael Sporrano]

I always find interesting the differences folks exhibit in regard to acknowledging unusual things about others. Of course I am relating this directly to kilt wearing.

When I meet someone new, a few will ask after, or at least mention my kilt; not many, really, but a few. Others say nothing despite the fact I caught them doing a double take or quick once-over and I know they are curious; there are those who will glance down if I turn my head the other way intentionally just to afford them a polite gander, and who still will not say a word about it; and there are those who never seem to notice at all.

I have only seen one other kilt in this area during my last 15 years in Pittsburgh, and that was on a boy at prom time who looked quite nice. This isn't Seattle, so a kilt tends to stand out. I am told the British are quite proper and as a custom do not pry or ask much about one another. However, as Americans we are typically curious, often to the point of being rude.

Yesterday morning, the door rang. Thinking it was DHL with my expected kilt outfit from the U.K., I ran to the door and opened it to find a gentleman who introduced himself with a Scottish burr.

"Wow! NOW THIS IS SOME SERVICE!" I thought to myself. Unfortunately, he announced that he was from the gas company and only wanted to perform some routine line checks.

I asked him in, and during the course of traipsing through the house he heard Morse code playing in the back ground and shared that he was also a ham from the U.K. That in itself is pretty remarkable since ham radio is not the hobby it once was. It is rare for me to run into another radio amateur, nonetheless have one come directly to my door. Anyway, I showed him my station and we chatted briefly before he went on his way to the next house.

Now, I had answered the door wearing a kilt and nothing else. It was warm so I wasn't even wearing a shirt. Good or bad, I must have been a sight! He was obviously a friendly sort with whom I had at least a hobby in common. He obviously knows what a kilt is, and I suspect he doesn't run into them often while in the course of his duties. That he never mentioned my kilt really struck me as humorous.


Mychael

[Graham]

When I meet someone new, a few will ask after, or at least mention my kilt; not many, really, but a few. Others say nothing despite the fact I caught them doing a double take or quick once-over and I know they are curious;

That is my experience also. I find it more so in shops when i am the customer, they don't want to offend a customer and try to act really calm and normal.

I guess it comes down to personalities as to whether someone will comment or not.

I used to try to break the ice by some comment, but my wife kept complaining that I was "trying to draw attention to myself" so i stopped doing it.

As I've said before, kilting is a lesson in human behaviour!

[Mychael Sporrano]

Yeah, I can see how shop keepers wouldn't want to offend anyone. That said, I do receive comments from them on occasion. Now that I think about it, most of the comments that I do get (in a face-to-face manner) have come from those tending a store or stocking shelves, etc.

It is too bad that your wife isn't more comfortable with the kilt in regard to your wearing it, Graham. It never helps having a spouse who affects your behaviour in a way that you have to censor your ordinary reactions to things.

My wife is perfectly comfortable with my kilted activities. No problems there. One difference we have is that she is not so social as me. My first instinct when a new neighbor arrives is to take over a pie or a nut roll, etc. as a little welcome. For some reason she is very uncomfortable with this to the point of discouraging it.

A number of years ago I took her cue and did not do my customary meet-and-greet for a Japanese couple who had arrived a few streets over and who I was told about through a mutual aquaintance. Long story made short, when I did meet them a few years later I found out how lonely they were and I felt bad about having failed to stop by when instinct had told me it would be the right thing to do. I took them a pie and since that time we have all been exceptionally good friends despite their having moved to another area last year.

Married life is, of course, a compromise. But there are times that you have to be true to yourself. Hopefully, as time passes, your wife will become more comfortable with your kilt wearing. Hopefully mine will become a little more outgoing!

Mychael

[bubba]

I'm pretty fortunate. My wife absolutely loves my wearing kilts.She talks to people about it more than I do. She couldn't possibly be more supportive.

[GMan]

Mychael,

Most of my responses are usually pretty positive, with a lot of nice kilt, wolf whistles, etc. On the rare, and they are getting rarer, occasion that the comment is shall we say rather not polite, like a drunk asking where my pipes are, what's underneath etc. if they are not looking at me face to face I just walk on. If not my pipes are in my house, what's underneath, gentlemen never tell.

The people I know well may at times give me a good natured ribbing, but are very supportive, in fact they are great to stand up and say many positive comments when they over hear negative comments.

I do get more stares than I did before kilted days, but I really can walk taller and prouder when kilted.

It is becoming a big non-event in my life and I am grateful for that, makes me go on with my day like it is an every day occurance for me to be kilted, and it is.

[Mychael Sporrano]

I'm pretty fortunate. My wife absolutely loves my wearing kilts.She talks to people about it more than I do. She couldn't possibly be more supportive.

When my first traditional kilt arrived last Friday, I called Karen to tell her and she was more excited than I- seriously. I had been of the mind that while she liked kilts and was sort of into my wearing them, I was also being indulged to some extent. Not so! [OK, I *am* being indulged since at no time in our past has anyone in this household dropped a few thousand dollars so quickly on anything, but I don't feel as though I am being 'tolerated'.]

...if they are not looking at me face to face I just walk on.

That is my present technique. Good humored stuff is one thing, but when someone intends to insult me, it gets my blood stirred. We had a discussion about this recently, as in how to acknowledge folks who shout things in your wake. Karen told me to ignore them. Ok, sounds good, but wouldn't you know that a few days later while we were strolling along a sidewalk outside a plaza, someone said something behind us. I ignored it , but the wife immediately gave them a not-so-nice gesture in retaliation. I started laughing. She never fails to surprise me.

Mychael

[Hamish]

Mychael,

I believe you have a point about the British (especially the English) not making comments. We have a natural reserve, tend to keep ourselves to ourselves and most of us are not prone to starting conversations with total strangers. Although I have gained a massive increase in confidence since switching exclusively to kilts getting on for six years ago, I still have great difficulty in looking people in the eye, and as for starting a conversation: forget it - unless I am forced!

Maybe it is because of this that I very seldom indeed receive any comments about my kilts when out and about. Strangers probably are more inclined to speak to each other if eye contact is made. Just recently, however, there has been a marked increase in the number of occasions when strangers do speak to me - but that is as a result of my kilts having been featured in a double-page spread of photos in a newspaper just a few weeks ago! Those comments are much more likely to be of the rather inane, "I saw you in the paper last week!" followed by a nervous giggle, rather than anything directly to do with my kilts! Oh, one woman did mutter, "You look much better in the flesh", as she rushed past me in the supermarket! But, no, no comments, complimentary or otherwise, about what I am wearing. Also, as far as I can tell, there are few double-takes or turnings around for a better look.

You Americans are far more outspoken than most of us, so I imagine that has a lot to do with it.

By the way, you say you met a ham from the UK. Huh! I thought I was THE Ham. from the UK!

Take care,
Ham. (from the UK)

PS: I started replying to your E-mails yesterday when the sad news of Tom's passing hit me and knocked me off my perch. I am pretty much occupied for a couple of days, but I WILL be in touch very soon - promise.

[richardljohnson]

For the past week I'm been painting my house after work. It takes longer but you do what you have to. After I showered up I wanted to go back out and look for the 'missed' spots. I threw on my 'midnight commander' camo kilt and went out front. My new neighbor (whom I had not met because they just moved in) was out front watering. He looked at me and I could tell he was wanting to ask but was restraining himself. I figure as much as I wear the kilt out and around he'll ask eventually.

I think in the US you find some that 'just accept' and some that are courious...

RLJ-

[Vince]

I have only seen one other kilt in this area during my last 15 years in Pittsburgh, and that was on a boy at prom time who looked quite nice. This isn't Seattle, so a kilt tends to stand out. I am told the British are quite proper and as a custom do not pry or ask much about one another. However, as Americans we are typically curious, often to the point of being rude.

Mychael

Well Mychael, this isn't Pittsburg but other than a couple of planned kilted meetings, I have yet to see a kilt of any kind out on the street. When I am out and about, I definately stand out. Most of the reaction around here varies between people pretending that they are not really looking at my kilt to wild approval (WOW, you're wearing a kilt! That's fantastic!).

[bubba]

Vince, I pretty much get the same reactions. The few who actually strike up a conversation are astounded that I made my own kilts. The reactions generally run from puzzlement to outright approval.