Out and About

**Will** · 12th December 04, 01:34 PM

I had some holiday shopping to do today. I put on my Black Stewart Kilt (thought it had good colors for the holidays) and headed out the door.

The store is about an hour away. Had I known it was going to snow there, I would have worn longer socks; otherwise, I was fine.

The entire time I was shopping, no one made a comment. In fact, the clerks seemed eager to come over and help me. Maybe a lot of people didn't notice the kilt because of the 6-Gauge (4.166mm) earrings I was wearing.

You never know what people will notice. A teen-aged lad working at another store was only interested in the cap I was wearing. He wanted one. No interest in the earrings. No mention of the kilt.

The only thing I heard all day was from a PA system in one of the stores while walking back to my car. A woman said "Looks like a cold way to travel"

So, I think this will be the last post about wearing the kilt outside of the house. the posts are mostly, no one said a thing or "Aren't you cold?" Of course, if something exciting happens, I will let you know.

**Graham** · 12th December 04, 03:27 PM

Will, it is strange what people will notice, but then, some will say "nice hat" or "nice dog" or whatever because they can't bring themselves to comment directly about the kilt.

Wearing a kilt makes one keenly aware of what is going on in peoples' minds, and a lesson in human behaviour, it's educational!

I get a lot of comments like "aren't you cold?"
Thankfully, it's summer here, I get a break from that for a while

**GMan** · 12th December 04, 03:46 PM

Will,

Now that you have overcome the nervousness of kilt outings, things like nice hat are pretty common. Self consciousness has gone out the window (isn't it nice?), and normal living goes on. As Graham has said you find human behavior very educational.

When it gets warmer, you will notice more "I bet you are the most comfortable guy here" comments than ever before.

**Will** · 12th December 04, 05:51 PM

Graham,
You are right about the lesson in human behaviour. There was another young man that I couldn't quite read. Not sure if he wanted to ask a question, say nice kilt, or whatever. I went about my business. I was shopping in a near-by section of the store. He could have come over if he wanted. But it seemed wiser not to approach him.

GMan,
I can't say I have overcome the nervousness of kilt outings. There still is a little. But mostly, I just find I am in a different frame of mind when I am out in a kilt. Its just a different level of a awareness.

Looking to the future. I have a retreat coming up this summer. You arrive on Monday, with activities starting in the evening. Departure is about Sat. Noon. I intend to spend the entire time at the retreat kilted. I should have enough kilts by then.

**GMan** · 12th December 04, 09:52 PM

Will,

I am scheduled to go to a very intense business workshop the second weekend in February, when the registrar found out I like kilts, I was informed that I have to wear a kilt the entire weekend. No complaints from my part, but yes many people will not know how to handle a guy in a kilt. That really does not bother me, for when I am kilted, my confidence level soars, my respectability is at its highest, and I am very happy just being myself.

**Riverkilt** · 13th December 04, 12:13 AM

Not just funny what folks notice, also funny how folks in some pretty wild looks of their own can remark about kilts.

We have a new young doctor in our remote town. He came from Cleveland, probably to work off his student loan.

At the clinic he's dressed like a doctor. Lately he's been caring for my elderly mother so I see him a lot.

Today in Safeway he was punked out...very cultivated look right down to the funky buttons on his leather jacket and a bare midriff. He was yacking away on his cell phone but stopped cold when he saw me in my UK blue denim, black Zcoil boots, and black leather jacket.

He exclaimed how wonderful Utilikilts were. I'm suddenly amazed that someone else in town knows them by name. He complimented me on how good the kilt looked on me. Thinking I had a convert, another kilted brother in town, I pitched him. But standing there all punked out he just said he could never wear a kilt....go figure.

Nice to have the name recognition and appreciation though.

Ron