The "Don of Fear"

[CMcG]

...admiration sparks a feeling of pride--of identity...

Yet, despite this pride and admiration, I find it difficult to wear my kilt even in appropriate settings for fear of criticism, snide remarks, and negative attention....

I doubt that I am alone. Can anyone else relate to this feeling--the "don of fear" (being afraid to wear it)? Maybe most of you have grown past this fear and proudly sport your colors anytime of day. What can you say for the rest of us? Can you share any stories of your first time wearing your kilt?

Hold onto that feeling of pride and identity, but don't discount a healthy fear of social censure. The first time I wore the kilt was to junior high school graduation (9th grade) and it was awesome, but the kilt was borrowed. When I eventually got my own kit together, I tried wearing it out and about on random occasions and it was OK, but somehow didn't feel quite right. It's not that people were being critical, negative, or rude, but it certainly drew a lot of attention, which I don't always want.

These days I find plenty of events (or excuses!) to wear the kilt at Scottish, Irish, Canadian, Celtic, or multicultural events that are tartan friendly, as well as weddings and the like. It also helps having gathered a lot of good sartorial advice from Xmarks over the years because I can usually pick an appropriate style of dress and level of formality, which helps to defray any naysayers' negativity.

There's no need to be paralyzed by the "don of fear." Try using it to guide good judgment about whether a kilt fits with an event or social situation, then make sure you are well dressed and kilt on!