Not exactly a poll, but a question-How often are you the only one kilted?

[Kiltboy]

Ok, here's my take:
Do you go to gatherings in your kilt where you are the only one? How do you decide when to wear your kilt?= I'm almost always the only one.
Wear the kilt for daily casual wear= Yes, almost daily. Especially when out and about. Except in high wind.
Wear the kilt for work= Very rare. But it has happened. Depends on the boss. I ask first.
Wear the kilt for "social occasions" = Always
Wear the kilt to events- weddings, balls, the opera, the ballet, shows= Public events, yes. Private invitation events such as a wedding, I ask first.
wear the kilt to funerals= Yes. In fact, twice last month. The departed would have expected me to do so. And yes, I was the only one.
Would you wear the kilt to a meeting at your bank, where you wanted to borrow money, or to a first weekend away to your significant other's parents'?= Meeting or interview? Probably not. I dress the part they want/expect me to play. Similar to the workplace. I have worn one on an interview since they asked me to "grab their attention". So I did. And it worked. Weekend away? Absolutely. I dress the part I want to play.

[Couper]

I wear a kilt more often than I wear p@nts but have not worn one to either a wedding or funeral. I find that I am the only one with a kilt nearly all the time. The exceptions being (recently) to a Celtic Festival in Snow Hill, the Irish Festival in Timonium and a St. Georges Society luncheon. I do expect to see a couple of kilts next Friday evening at a Scotch tasting event at the Engineer's Club in Baltimore (my SIL and I will both be wearing kilts).


USAKilts American Heritage casual kilt - very casually worn at the Furnacetown, Snow Hill, MD Celtic Festival

[Rick M]

Ask and it shall be answered...

Do you go to gatherings in your kilt where you are the only one?
Yes, unless it is a gathering where kilts are common, such as Highland Games or Ren Faires.

How do you decide when to wear your kilt?
Whenever I discover I should probably be putting on clothes now.

Wear the kilt for daily casual wear?
Yes, definitely.

Wear the kilt for work?
Yes, if the work allows. Some construction work does not lend itself to kilt-wearing, sad to say.

Wear the kilt for "social occasions" (i.e, out drinking, to parties, etc)?
Oh, yes. Why go out to a fun and colorful event if you are not going to be fun and colorful yourself.

Wear the kilt to events- weddings, balls, the opera, the ballet, shows
These are not the circles in which I walk, but if I did I would walk kilted. Unless, for instance, the wedding party preferred all the lads wear trousers. The venue sets the rules.

Wear the kilt to funerals?
It depends on the person being remembered. Most of my friends and family would want me to say goodbye in the same manner I accompanied them in life.

Would you wear the kilt to a meeting at your bank, where you wanted to borrow money, or to a first weekend away to your significant other's parents'?
Bank, yes, and have done so. The people at my bank have only been complimentary of my style of dress. For other business meetings it would depend, but in general yes I would be kilted.
As regarding the SO's parents, I'd have to go back in time decades and I did not wear a kilt back then. But if I was doing such now then yes I would meet them kilted. Best to be upfront right from the start on what kind of person you are. Otherwise the role you assume for appearances sake might be the role you get confined in.

As e.e. cummings said, "to be yourself, in a world that tries, night and day, to make you just like everybody else - is to fight the greatest battle there ever is to fight, and never stop fighting"

Rick M

[GMan]

What are pants is a common question that I ask myself. I don the Kilt everyday. One time I went to meet with someone, and I overheard the receptionist say Mr. Jones, your 10:00 o'clock Kilt is here.

[Peter Crowe]

Do you go to gatherings in your kilt where you are the only one? How do you decide when to wear your kilt?
In more or less ascending order, do you
wear the kilt for daily casual wear
wear the kilt for work
wear the kilt for "social occasions" (i.e, out drinking, to parties, etc)
wear the kilt to events- weddings, balls, the opera, the ballet, shows
wear the kilt to funerals

Would you wear the kilt to a meeting at your bank, where you wanted to borrow money, or to a first weekend away to your significant other's parents'?

I referred on another thread to "wearing your hunting clothes to play golf". Please note, I didn't say wearing your golf clothes to go hunting. As nearly as I can tell, there is no practical reason NOT to wear hunting clothes to play golf. However, I almost never wear my kilt to church and I would only wear my kilt to a wedding if I knew of some connection between the wedding party and kilts. The same goes for funerals.

Thanks for your replies.

Unless it is Scottish themed like some I mention below I am most commonly the only kilted one. Being from Scotland and living in the States it is probably not regarded as out of place any more than my accent and speech are when I open my mouth to speak. I still have a noticeable West of Scotland accent although my speech has slowed down a little over the years. My decision making is a combination of what is appropriate for the event and how I feel. I don't ever dress to give offence, but nor do I believe the norms of THCD (the way and manner in which I normally choose to wear the kilt) to be offensive to any reasonable person.

1) I don't often wear the kilt casually to be honest (excet for perhaps 3 below), although I dress it up or down depending on factors like weather and social context.

2) Very occasionally as an educator in schools which promote multiculturalism on a 'themed' day, to model for students the diversity of cultures and my own origin in Scotland.

3) Sometimes as the mood takes me out for dinner at a restaurant or at a party, very seldom at a pub and then usually with Scotland Rugby shirt if going to watch the five nations rugby tournament at bar that has a cover for the cable rugby and Scotland are playing.

4) Most often I wear the kilt to my Masonic Lodge (only in station if requested to do so by the Master) otherwise to any Masonic event connected with the Knights of St. Andrew (AASR) or the Kilwinning Club of Boston. I occasionally wear my Kilt with tweed day-wear to church although I more often wear a dark suit (as per the customs I grew up with in the Church of Scotland) even at my Congregational (UCC) Church here in Massachusetts. Unless there is a particularly Scottish theme I do not wear the kilt to the opera, ballet or theatre, more often I'd wear a dark suit or dark separates (eg Black velvet jacket, dark grey trousers, pale self coloured shirt and appropriate tie). I have never attended such events when black tie was required but would wear my dinner suit (tuxedo) rather than PC if that was what was expected.

5) I have never worn my kilt to a funeral here or in Scotland, but would if specifically requested to do so by the immediate family of the deceased. My personal practice is to wear a dark suit and a regular black tie unless there is a request not to wear black in which case I wear a favourite dark plum tie.

6) I once went into my bank to transact business with the manager (who already knew me), having been kilted for work as referenced in 2 above, but it is not my usual practice. My wife and I have been together for 15 years, the first time I met my future in-laws was in Webster Groves MO in July and I can't remember exactly what I wore (it certainly wasn't the kilt) but when we went out to a restaurant for dinner in the evening it was probably blazer and khakis with a shirt and tie.

[cck]

I live in a city with a metropolitan population of 1.5-2 million and I always felt, when not attending a Scottish or Celtic themed event, I was the only one wearing a kilt in the entire city. I am out and about quite a bit and do not wear a kilt on a casual basis, but I do when attending more "dressy" events. For parties and receptions, cultural events such as the opera, ballet, and occasionally at concerts and the symphony, I will go kilted. After several years of doing this, and finding it well received almost every time, there is now a small group of men joining me. Hopefully, this trend will grow. It is nice to see others wearing their kilts and to have their support.

[MacEanruig]

Here are my responses to the questions:

1. Do you go to gatherings in your kilt where you are the only one? Yes. Occasionally.
2. How do you decide when to wear your kilt? Depends on the event or affair.
3. In more or less ascending order,
a. do you wear the kilt for daily casual wear No.
b. wear the kilt for work No.
c. wear the kilt for "social occasions" (i.e, out drinking, to parties, etc) Yes.
d. wear the kilt to events- weddings, balls, the opera, the ballet, shows Yes.
e. wear the kilt to funerals Yes.

4. Would you wear the kilt to a meeting at your bank, where you wanted to borrow money, or to a first weekend away to your significant other's parents'? Probbaly not.

[Liam]

Do you go to gatherings in your kilt where you are the only one? Yes How do you decide when to wear your kilt? I wear it most of the time. In more or less ascending order, do you wear the kilt for daily casual wear Yes wear the kilt for work, N/A as I have recently retired although while working I only wore it occasionally for special functions. wear the kilt for "social occasions" (i.e, out drinking, to parties, etc) Yes wear the kilt to events- weddings, balls, the opera, the ballet, shows Yes wear the kilt to funerals Yes

[Taskr]

I've not been wearing a kilt for very long, but here goes:
1. I was dissapointed I was the only one kilted at a down-home themed pub on NYE
2. The audience. If it's going to be 'too different', I won't
3a No
b No
c. Yes
d. Argyll on order, when I have it - Yes
e. See Q2
4. I have worn it to significant meetings. I would to the bank if a 'kilt day'. Wore it all weekend on an in-law territory occasion; no issues and compliments.

[Kylahullu]

Do you go to gatherings in your kilt where you are the only one?

Yes. There are no other type gatherings around.

How do you decide when to wear your kilt?

Mostly ask myself, am I today in a social enough mood to tolerate the extra attention. The weather dictates also; no stroll wearing a kilt in minus 30C (-22F).

In more or less ascending order, do you
wear the kilt for daily casual wear

Yes

wear the kilt for work

Depends on the work. Maybe will wear in the future but not done yet.

wear the kilt for "social occasions" (i.e, out drinking, to parties, etc)

Yes.

wear the kilt to events- weddings, balls, the opera, the ballet, shows

Yes to opera or show type occasions. Depends on the participants on wedding type occasions.

wear the kilt to funerals

Haven't been but it depends on the situation. Same as weddings.

Would you wear the kilt to a meeting at your bank, where you wanted to borrow money,

Maybe

or to a first weekend away to your significant other's parents'?

Why not?