The Question

[Mad Dawg]

I have been wearing my kilt occasionally for two years now. I typically wear it on date nights with Wifey. I don't do the whole highland wear thing. My look is more punk. Hiking boots, fleece, motorcycle jacket. No sporran. The only difference between that and what I normally wear is the kilt itself.

On March 16, I wore my kilt to the St. Patrick's day parade in New Dublin, Wisconsin. It was chilly out but I was fine. There was one fellow that asked what tartan I was wearing, U.S. Navy. He seemed to be the only person that noticed the kilt in the least. Which is entirely fine by me. Last year, a couple of people asked if I was cold. "Only my knees." A younger lady with a few beers in her told me "Nice skirt." "Thank you." I don't know if she had meant to say "skirt" or if she just couldn't come up with "kilt". Either way, I was rather amused by the comment. I met a couple of young fellows also wearing kilts. We had a discussion about kilts.

Anyhoo, later on I was in a pizza joint (Sal's Pizza, across from the performing arts center, it is the best pizza in Wisconsin) in the bar district of Appleton with Wifey and Brother. I had made a couple of trips to the back of the small restaurant to order and pick up the food. We were sitting at the table by the door when a young fellow stopped at the door and faced my direction. He was about 2 feet from my table. At first, I figured that he was simply waiting for his compatriots to catch up. But, he seemed to want to say something.

As his three friends caught up to him, he asked, "Are you wearing a kilt?"

"Yes."

"Are you wearing underwear?"

Matter-of-factly, without skipping a beat, "I don't answer that question."

"What?"

"I don't answer that question."

He seemed rather confused by my response. "I have been wondering about that all day," he mumbled.

"I think he is." Said his guy friend.

"I don't think so." Replied one of the two gals.

And with that, they all went out the door.

I am very much aware that kilt wearers get asked The Question. This was the first time I had been asked. While I cannot, for the life of me, imagine asking a total stranger about their underwear - or lack thereof, I will say that at least he didn't push the issue.

[Father Bill]

I think there is a lot of mystique attached to the kilt, and particularly due to the largely mythological belief that it's improper to wear underwear under a kilt. That is why 'the question' is something that is sometimes discussed.

A lot of kilt-wearers like to feed that myth, and even dress that way. There were times in the military when it was practical and required to go 'commando' (thus the term) but there has never been such a 'style' in civilian wear, and frankly, bodily juices attract moths, so an expensive garment, not issued by the government but paid for out of your own sporran, is more likely to be destroyed through such a choice. Kilt hire shops are therefore adamant that you wear underwear, after all can you imagine being the next renter after someone who did not?

Further, there was a time only a few decades back when a kilt normally came when pourchased, with briefs of the same tartan. Without those, black or colour-matched tight briefs are probably the preference. 'Tighty whiteys' if they occasionally show are really obvious.

Finally, twill is a rather rough material, particularly in kilt-weight. Having that rubbing against your most sensitive and private parts cannot be comfortable for very long.

NOW... I will probably hear soon from a few individuals who will quickly leap to tell me that I'm wrong. For that, I have little or no respect beyond the right to an opinion and free speech.

What is much more fun, is collecting humorous responses to 'the question'. "What is worn beneath the kilt?" "Nothing madam; everything is in perfect working order." Some responses are perhaps better shared more privately, but I confess to taking illicit and inappropriate delight in some of those.

Cheers!

[Mad Dawg]

I think there is a lot of mystique attached to the kilt, and particularly due to the largely mythological belief that it's improper to wear underwear under a kilt. That is why 'the question' is something that is sometimes discussed....

I am certain that every word you said is Truth. Although, this is the first I have ever heard that it may be improper to wear underwear with a kilt. I still cannot imagine asking a total stranger The Question. I can see it being asked of someone who has a T-shirt with a suggestive saying on it that invites such a question. But even then, I wouldn't ask The Question.

Young women are known to go to nightclubs sans undies so that they have no lines showing. That is not an invitation to ask that of young women. I think to ask The Question of anyone is simply pervy.

However, if someone were to ask me, "Is it true that..." I would answer the question.

[Hauge]

As others, i'we had the question. Answer is either You're sure You wanna know? Or Sure You wanna miss that spice?
If a woman asks, it could also be "Would You want to be asked?"...

But no matter what. Here in Denmark, most aren't saying nothing. At most a lil "warm" smile...

[Mad Dawg]

If a woman asks, it could also be "Would You want to be asked?"

Well put.

[SF Jeff]

I saw a video online recently where a lady asked a guy if he was wearing anything under his kilt and he said "yes, shoes and socks..."

[Jock Scot]

I really think you chaps are making far too much of “the question” phenomenon. To be honest if you chaps insist on wearing the kilt outwith it’s natural surroundings then you are almost bound to get the naturally inquisitive, mischievous and stupid enquiries. Surely you shouldn’t be surprised?

Having worn the kilt regularly for a tad more than four score years and probably most of that time in Scotland. The locals know the answer to the question, so the question is never needed to be asked. For sure, in my teenage years, there were mischievous questions asked by a young lady in certain amorous circumstances who already knew the answer! They have been brought up with brothers, cousins, school friends who wear the kilt and overtime they will have had “the question” inadvertently answered for them in the course of normal daily life.

,

[Mad Dawg]

stupid enquiries. Surely you shouldn’t be surprised?

Surprised? With what I had heard regarding people asking about that, the only surprise is that it took that long for someone to ask. That they may be curious about something doesn't make it acceptable to ask.

[Mad Dawg]

stupid enquiries. Surely you shouldn’t be surprised?

Surprised? With what I had heard regarding people asking about that, the only surprise is that it took that long for someone to ask. That they may be curious about something doesn't make it acceptable to ask.

[Jock Scot]

Surprised? With what I had heard regarding people asking about that, the only surprise is that it took that long for someone to ask. That they may be curious about something doesn't make it acceptable to ask.

Curiosity is perfectly normal thing. How one phrases a question does require thought and tact. Paticularly when the question is personal and where the kilt is worn outwith the kilts natural surroundings, particularly in this day and age where discretion is at a premium, curiosity it seems, gets the better of people.

However you are quite correct, it is not acceptable to ask personal questions---particularly to strangers----no matter how curious anyone may be. Over the years on rare occasion when pressed, my rather blunt reply of "Mind your own B..... business!", has resolved the situation, perfectly!