Okay, Saturday was my second time wearing the kilt in public, and really the first all day, multiple location wearing. We took a train to the city in the morning, walked to the Celtic Festival, enjoyed the festival, then walked Navy Pier, and then took a train back home.

Like others, I have read many (maybe all) of the posts here and on other sites regarding "The Question". I had memorized my own personal favorites and thought I was well armed to answer it. However, a situation arose where the concept of going regimental came up in conversation and I found myself at a loss for how to respond and I wanted to see what other would have done.

Here is what happened, we were walking to Navy Pier from the Celtic festival and decided to stop at a restaurant with outdoor tables to get a have a drink and get a small bite to eat. After we had sat down and ordered, another couple sat down behind us and started talking. At some point the gentleman noticed the kilt and asked if we had been at the Celtic festival and if it was fun. We said we had and it was. He then inquired if a kilt was required for attendance and I assured him it was not. I thought that was the end of the conversation, as he seemed to be getting ready to turn back to his girlfriend/wife/SO. Then he paused and declared "I would not mind wearing a kilt because I hear you don't have to wear underwear with it and I would like that. Is that true or is it just a rumor?"

Well, I did not really know how to respond. I could have explained "going regimental", and gone into the reasons, and some arguments, for choosing that approach, but in my mind I could see him following up with "The question" and all of a sudden I realized I REALLY did not want to get to that point, because while I had explained to my Mom, who was visiting for the weekend, that I was going to wear a kilt to the festival, I had not seen a need to bring up the topic of regimental or not, and really was not prepared to answer "the question" from her or with her around, regardless of how many witty answers I had memorized!

My wife, who does know about regimental, obviously was having some of the same thoughts, so while I was sitting there quietly trying to decide how to respond, she jumped in and replied with something completely irrelavant, something about the type of clothing a woman would have worn in past times. This gentleman apparently decided that we had either misunderstood him or were crazy, said thanks for our answer and turned back to the group he was with.

My question for the group is how you would have responded in this situation?

RJI