What's a Nice Way to Put This?

[ratspike]

The problem they have is not what it is or isn't. Your post states they believe it's to be worn for specific purpose. Taking them to a Highland Games/Clan Gathering/etc will NOT help your cause, as they have relegated the kilt to "Scottish Event Wear" (for course, this doesn't mean you shouldn't go!). Seeing other men in kilts at the Games just re-enforces their view.

This is complete win. As I've been bouncing this around in my head, asking myself what I'd do if it was me, I keep coming back to this. It's pretty hard to imagine even a casual version of traditional kilt wearing would do much to dispell the 'rents notion of kilts being a costume. Again, if it were me, I'd start looking in a completely different direction. Guys wear kilts hiking and backpacking, shooting, and doing crossfit or running marathons. They're artists, or they build stuff, repair roofs, run pizzarias and coffee shops, or do blacksmithing. Regular guys doing regular stuff, but wearing both tartan and not-tartan kilts.

This will be an unpopular statement with many, but Utilikilts has it right when it comes to this. If you just brush away the outer layer of attitude, they've absolutely nailed it. I wouldn't send the parentals to the Utilikilts site, but IMO that's a good direction to go to start gathering examples of "regular dude, but he's wearing a kilt".