It isn’t a skirt it is a kilt

[Friday]

I live is a small town in south central Pennsylvania about a hour south southwest of Gettysburg. I know that there are a number of kilt wearers in the area, but, I am more likely to meet a hiker from the Application Trail then one of the local kilt wearers. Imagine my surprise when I started in to one of the local restaurants and find a man in a kilt. He was facing away and as I came close to him I said in my normal irreverent manner “I love a man in a skirt.” He whirled around and said “it’s a kilt not a skirt.” In another thread it was said a number of times that when someone apologized for calling a kilt a skirt "no offense was taken."

To me “It is not a skirt it is a kilt” is the same as saying “it is not a dog it is a Border Collie.” Not all dogs are Border Collies, but, isn't a Border Collie still a dog? Dictionary.com defines a skirt as “a one-piece garment extending downward from the waist and not joined between the legs” sounds like a kilt to me. A kilt is one form of skirt. The best looking form of skirt but still a one-piece garment extending downward from the waist and not joined at the waist. It would seem to me that not all skirts are kilts, but, all small kilts are skirts.

When I have heard the comment “great looking skirt” I say back in pride "it is a nice kilt isn’t it", since, it is the subclass of skirt called a kilt. To be offended by this statement would be the same as a German Shepherd being insulted by being called a dog. If anything I just assume that the person is having a “brain gas" and couldn’t think of the proper subclass of skirt.

In honesty Dictionary.com does go on to say “worn especially by women and girls.” I have little doubt that there are more women’s and girl’s skirts in Scotland than there are men’s kilts, so this is also true.

If we are men enough to wear a kilt in public shouldn’t we be men enough to admit that is a kilt is:

Class -> Clothing
Order -> Skirt
Family -> Kilt
Genus -> Clan or fashion
Species -> Pleat style

[LitTrog]

While I've never been directly insulted for my kilt-wearing, I've prepared myself for the eventuality that someone will call it a skirt. My response will follow your reasoning in some form. It is, technically, a skirt, so why deny it? Embrace the kilt and educate the twits with fervor and great big balls.

It is not a dress, however. That is just silly.

[pugcasso]

let's not 'skirt' around the issue... a kilt is a type of skirt ;-)


the problem of a certain word and associations in typical language is at hand.... the word 'skirt' should not imply a woman's clothing automatically (but the habit of language by many users ad misuser leans that way) ... theoretically the word should be neutral and mean "go around"

it all comes down to biased language assumptions attached to words (two of my favourite people who often pointed out many odd assumptions about language were Alan Watts and George Carlin).

[Kvasinka]

I´ve found very nice T-shirt in Edinburgh, Scotland. It says "This is a kilt, if I wore underpants, it would be a skirt." That is usually my answer to skirt vs. kilt question, but always meant as joke, offcourse I agree that kilt is kind of skirt.

[RogerWS76]

My standard answer is "Reel men were weerin kilts loooonngg before the lassies eeever THOT aboot weeerin a skirt!!!"

[Bill aka Mole]

Depending on the situation, even I will refer to the kilt as a "Mans skirt." It tends to allow others the ability to both save face and have a laugh when one is needed, especially when the error was accidental. Not that I am so sensitive to the needs of others that I haven't used the "panties" line when it was deserved.

[Friday]

I´ve found very nice T-shirt in Edinburgh, Scotland. It says "This is a kilt, if I wore underpants, it would be a skirt." That is usually my answer to skirt vs. kilt question, but always meant as joke, offcourse I agree that kilt is kind of skirt.

So if I do a "skirt check" and find no underpants it is a kilt? I am so confused.

[Kvasinka]

So if I do a "skirt check" and find no underpants it is a kilt? I am so confused.

Friday, don´t be confused, I posted this as a joke!!! Really, I am not angry or rude when somebody tell me "nice skirt". Usually I smile and explain that it´s a kilt because of ... (add any explanation). No need to do "skirt check"

[Lyle1]

Yes, of course, a kilt is unquestionable a type of skirt. However, knowing that some kilt wearers take offense when their kilts are referred to as "skirts", why would you use that terminology with a stranger who is wearing a kilt? Would you walk up to an overweight stranger and crack a fat joke, or walk up to a bald stranger and kiss his hairless pate for luck?

[LitTrog]

Would you walk up to a bald stranger and kiss his hairless pate for luck?

Heavens, no. I'd do it for giggles.