My first 'casual' kilted outing, and my first 'question'

[sjrapid]

Just thought I'd report back on my first 'casual' outing whilst kilted.

I've had my trad 9-yard tank (16-oz Gunn Modern, by Alex Scott of Aberdeen) since late last year, and I've worn it when attending formal dinners with my wife. In this situation, I wear it with a black Prince Charlie, dress sprorran, the full works, to nothing but good comments. I've also worn it less formally to a couple of ceilidhs, again with nothing but good results.

This week, feeling rather down, I thought I'd cheer myself up by wearing the kilt 'casually' whilst shopping. So I drove myself to our local Sainsburys (Greenwich - the one they keep using in the TV adverts) clad in the kilt, a black button-down shirt and a black day sporran, hiking boots and black hose in the 'scrunched doon' position.

First reaction, 5 yards inside the door was from one of the shelf-stackers, a guy called Dean, who literally exploded: 'Wow man! Wicked!' - I had a good conversation with him for a few minutes - Yes, it's a scottish kilt. Where did it come from? Scotland! Was it expensive? Well, kind of! And so on. The best bit was 'I wish I had my phone with me so I could get a picture with you...'

I really enjoyed the double-takes, mostly from women on the way round the store. Just smile and keep on walking - most people will smile back at you.

I had two other conversations as I shopped. one was from a girl behand the deli counter who asked 'if the thing about underwear was true...' while her supervisor went nearly puce with embarassment.

The other conversation was with the checkout operator, who commented 'Nice kilt - but isn't it cold?' so we had a conversation about how warm nine yards of wool wrapped round your torso can be. She said that she'd seen kilts on TV, but never seen one worn in real life, and was amazed at the complexity and the detail of the pleatwork.

Also, I can vouch for how practical and comfortable shopping in a kilt is. I'm 6ft tall, so I squat down to get items from the lower shelves *n* times as I'm going round. You don't notice how awkward this is in trousers until they're not there! Also, I found it much easier to keep my billfold and change handy in the sporran than to have it banging against my thigh and be digging for it in deep trouser pockets.

So why am I telling you all this? To report that I've broken my 'casual' duck, and to encourage any other X-Markers out there who haven't broken out of the 'formal/ceilidh/highland games' position yet to do so. Most people are positive, and you'll have conversations with people you'd never otherwise speak to, so go for it.

Here's to the power of the kilt!

Best regards

[Skweres]

yeah, some of the looks aint good though, i really dont care, i laugh about them, but there are alot of them when you go to downtown Chicago in a kilt...unless you stay on the north side, then you got a good amount of Irish relief

[auld argonian]

yeah, some of the looks aint good though, i really dont care, i laugh about them, but there are alot of them when you go to downtown Chicago in a kilt...unless you stay on the north side, then you got a good amount of Irish relief

Be off wit' ya! I wear a kilt in Downtown Chicago a lot and on the South Side as well! I get the ocaissional horse-laugh from the usual dim-wits but nothing I can't handle. I especially love getting a haircut when I'm kilted...my barber is this nice Polish guy who could care less but the Italian barber who has the chair next to him is just dying to make a smart-*** comment and just can't bring himself to do it while I'm sitting there...I gahr-on-tee that he does say somthing after I leave but that's his problem.


Best

AA

[cessna152towser]

Yes, wearing a kilt as ordinary wear proves not to be the problem you imagine, beats trousers for comfort any day, and can be a good conversation starter. Had I never injured my leg and had to wrap a kilt round my waist to go into the office when I was unable to put on trousers four years ago I would probably still only be wearing kilts for a special occasion whereas I now wear a kilt almost every day. I posted a photo thread of my trip to London last Tuesday. Being kilted in London caused me no problems whatsoever.

[McClef]

The first time is always the most difficult, it's a psychological barrier - standing out from the crowd and their expectations about what they expect to see.

Now the local shops expect to see me kilted and would ask me where it was if I turned up in jeans!

[SoldierSpike]

Daily Kilting on a US Army installation is quite the experience, and involves getting strange looks from pretty much everyone. Although the practicality and comfort level more than make up for this.

[Hamish]

Steve, I hadn't realised that you had not done 'the casual' before! So, "Well done" and here's to the next time ...... like tomorrow?

'Casual' in one form or another is my daily dress, although I have not done the scrunched-down hose for several months. That's more of a summer thing for me these days! Maybe I have been doing the everyday kilt exercises for so long (it'll be 8 years in May since I last wore trousers - anywhere) that I am totally oblivious to 'looks', and I very, very seldom get any compliments or comments of any kind (All together now: "Awwwww!") So, if you are getting them, that's great!

[Doomsday]

Dude, aside from the increased level of comfort wearing a kilt casually in public is just plain fun. Stand tall, proud, and know that you have stopped being a sucker of the mainstream and stepped out of the masses.

[IEScotsman]

Congratulations! It still amazes me how uncommon casual kilting is in Scotland or England. And for a person to say she's NEVER seen one in person before!!! I'm amazed.

[BEEDEE]

WAY TO GO!!! It get more confident each time you do it.

Brian