To kilt in modern north american society

[DrakeC]

It's just another kilt. Another damn kilt. And you're a black man and black men don't wear kilts , and it's just plain wierd, and you're just trying to draw attention to yourself, and you make her look bad yadda, yadda, yadda.

I’m a standard Alabama white guy, so my life remains generally easy in spite of my quirks, but I can possibly understand where thecompaqguy's wife could be coming from. I work with a young black lady who "bucks the trend" with her fashion and musical choices (cowboy boot-shoes, yodeling, and opera). In discussions with her on the topic, she admits that she catches grief from people in her own family/community for "stepping out of line". According to her, southern black women experience considerable peer pressure to conform to the expectations of the community. I can’t pretend to know that I would have the confidence to “go my own way” if the pressure to conform were too high, but I hope that I would always have the strength to own and live my own choices. I truly believe that in order to be a person of good character, one must have the confidence to be who they are and allow others to do likewise.

If it’s peer pressure that is making thecompaqguy's wife so uncomfortable, then I can still empathize with her feelings of negativity toward the kilt. We are social animals, and most of us seek the approval of our tribes, likely out of survival instinct. I won’t say that her discomfort isn’t real or even “unjustified”. Even if she doesn’t enjoy the look, I hope she can see the strength of his confidence as a virtue… because it is, and that level of character should be respected.

[Alan H]

I’m a standard Alabama white guy, so my life remains generally easy in spite of my quirks, but I can possibly understand where thecompaqguy's wife could be coming from. I work with a young black lady who "bucks the trend" with her fashion and musical choices (cowboy boot-shoes, yodeling, and opera). In discussions with her on the topic, she admits that she catches grief from people in her own family/community for "stepping out of line". According to her, southern black women experience considerable peer pressure to conform to the expectations of the community. I can’t pretend to know that I would have the confidence to “go my own way” if the pressure to conform were too high, but I hope that I would always have the strength to own and live my own choices. I truly believe that in order to be a person of good character, one must have the confidence to be who they are and allow others to do likewise.

If it’s peer pressure that is making thecompaqguy's wife so uncomfortable, then I can still empathize with her feelings of negativity toward the kilt. We are social animals, and most of us seek the approval of our tribes, likely out of survival instinct. I won’t say that her discomfort isn’t real or even “unjustified”. Even if she doesn’t enjoy the look, I hope she can see the strength of his confidence as a virtue… because it is, and that level of character should be respected.

This is insightful. I have no idea whether Compaqguys wife is under peer and social pressure from family and friends concerning her husbands choices, but it's certainly possible. If that's the case then that requires a bit more thought.

Regarding the idea that every lass likes a sharp-dressed man... that is emphatically NOT TRUE.

SOME lasses like a sharp-dressed guy. See, because "sharp-dressed" means "dressed nicely in the Rich White Dudes" style, right? Other lasses like guys with slouched, calf-length pants and white wife-beater tank tops. I bet you don't think those guys are "sharp". Other lasses like guys with oversized NFL team jersies and baseball caps on backwards.

You don't think these guys are "sharp dressers"?



I've got news for you. Some lasses LIKE how those guys dress.

You probably don't think that these guys are "sharp dressers", either. Well, surprise, surprise, there's a mess of ladies who'd MUCH prefer one of these guys to you in your pretty little plaid miniskirt.



The idea of "sharp dresser" very much depends on the context, my friends.

[Alan H]

And if you don't like those two pictures because they're gangsters and not white guys of Scottish descent, then I might point out that there's a lot of ladies who'd prefer these guys...



....to this guy.



Maybe you want to say that you might not LIKE those women, but I'm not sure y'all want to make that judgement call. Sometimes the lad or lass in what YOU see as a scroungy costume has a heart of gold. And after all, some of our esteemed brethren are hardly "sharp-dressed".

[Alan H]

Normally on a "Kilt forum" I wouldn't point this out, but the title of the thread is about wearing a kilt in modern American society, and I think it's probably a good idea to remember that in fact, not everybody thinks that a kilt is the bee's knees. Lots of people prefer looks other than the natty, buttoned-down traditionalist Scottish Kilt look.

LOTS.

[DrakeC]

Goth. Cowboy western. Lederhosen. Punk. Bohemian. Indian. Gangster. Redneck. Whatever.

As long as my leg remains unbroken, my pocket unpicked, and my children largely untraumatized, I couldn't care less what anyone wears. If YOU like it, rock it.

De gustibus non est disputandum.

[Alan H]

Goth. Cowboy western. Lederhosen. Punk. Bohemian. Indian. Gangster. Redneck. Whatever.

As long as my leg remains unbroken, my pocket unpicked, and my children largely untraumatized, I couldn't care less what anyone wears. If YOU like it, rock it.

De gustibus non est disputandum.

Yup. I'm down with that.

[ratspike]

Normally on a "Kilt forum" I wouldn't point this out, but the title of the thread is about wearing a kilt in modern American society, and I think it's probably a good idea to remember that in fact, not everybody thinks that a kilt is the bee's knees. Lots of people prefer looks other than the natty, buttoned-down traditionalist Scottish Kilt look.

LOTS.

This is actually a very good point. A while back I tried to get a monthly kilt night going. Portland being Portland, I thought it'd go over well and would be popular. Unfortunately it was a bit of a fail, due in part to this very thing. Getting dudes who liked to wear a kilt now and again, or were kilt-curious, to show up more than once was impossible. Too much Scottish dress-up was too much for the folks who weren't already kilt nerds. Even the guys who dress up as pirates couldn't hang, which is saying something.

This is in no way a dis on THCD. It's just an observation I made over a period of months while watching non-kilties in Portland, home of the Unipiper, the World Naked Bike Ride and countless other oddball things, try to interface with kilt enthusiasts.

[thecompaqguy]

This is actually a very good point. A while back I tried to get a monthly kilt night going. Portland being Portland, I thought it'd go over well and would be popular. Unfortunately it was a bit of a fail, due in part to this very thing. Getting dudes who liked to wear a kilt now and again, or were kilt-curious, to show up more than once was impossible. Too much Scottish dress-up was too much for the folks who weren't already kilt nerds. Even the guys who dress up as pirates couldn't hang, which is saying something.

This is in no way a dis on THCD. It's just an observation I made over a period of months while watching non-kilties in Portland, home of the Unipiper, the World Naked Bike Ride and countless other oddball things, try to interface with kilt enthusiasts.

I think it is like trying to get a cat to take a tablet Kilts are quite particular, I think it looks smart, but nerds, who are struggling to be like everyone else, may not embrace the kilt for fear of becoming 'weirder', so I could see why they may not want to kilt up. 'Kilt-curious', lol

Alan H, my wife isn't so bothered by the guys in the 'urban wear', perhaps it's the fact that other girls may dig the kilt, creating 'competition'... She has no umbrage toward my 30+ kilts I own already, though rolls her eyes at another purchase. The latest being a Glasgow Rangers tartan. I am of the 'if you like it, rock it' school of thought, and am weighing up wearing a kilt to a gathering tonight, but it is on the windy side and a little cold. I think it also depends on the right setting to be kilted, it's nice to be different, but wearing one in windy weather to 'make a a statement' won't endear people to it either.

[tundramanq]

There is s spectrum of mentalities:
Sheep------------------------------to---------- sheep dog
Mindlessly running with the herd-to---------- running the herd
Little self esteem -----------------to---------- a lot of self esteem
highly subject to peer pressure--to-----------immune to peer pressure
Follower----------------------------to-----------Leader
Meek-------------------------------to-----------Bold
etc. etc.
Routine kilt wearers generally fall a lot closer to the right hand end of the spectrum.

Compaq, I have a real hard time convincing people that I really am quite warm and comfy in the winter in my just below the knees, winter length, kilts and a warm jacket. I own some polyester running leggings but have yet to find it cold enough and/or windy enough to need them and I am going into my 6th winter kilted all day, everyday. However, I do live at mile high altitude and dry climate - two things that really reduce the thermal conductivity of air. The opposite of your situation.