Inappropriate times to wear a kilt?

[MonRiver]

In reading the thread "A friend asked my why I wear a kilt", a few folks mentioned that there are "inappropriate times" to wear a kilt.

I know that it would be frowned upon for me to wear a kilt to work. I'm an outside salesman and call on industrial facilities and coal mines. Outside of the fact that it would call unwanted attention, it would be considered dangerous to have a loose fitting garment that could get caught on moving equipment. However, I'm struggling to come up with other scenarios that would be inappropriate--outside of one's profession.

What situations do you find the kilt to be inappropriate?

[Father Bill]

I'm a parish priest. For me to wear a kilt when visiting a parishioner would, since it is unusual, distract the conversation from the issues on their hearts and would therefore be counter-productive and make me less effective. The same will be true for many human-services situations.

At any social gathering focused on a given person or persons, I do not want to detract from the attention given to them.

At a gathering where political opinions such as those we avoid here on XMarks might be part of the discussion, it would be inappropriate and a challenge to those who might hold various views.

Others may chime in, but those are the ones that come to my mind quickly.

[ratspike]

It really depends on you, your general attitude and outlook on the world, and the kinds of activities you get up to. Speaking only for myself, there's almost nowhere I'd ever go or things I'd ever do where I'd think a kilt was inappropriate. If I had a job interview I definitely wouldn't wear a kilt, or if I was going somewhere that had a dress code which didn't allow it. While I was still working as a photographer, I wore a kilt to a ton of weddings and never gave it a second though. Clients loved it, guests loved it, and it was a smart business move.

Every other year, the non-profit I work for has a big fundraiser gala, and I always wear a kilt for that. It's been very popular. I'm free to wear a kilt at work if I want, so sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. Aside from that, my life is a very t-shirts and bare feet kind of place so this isn't a conversation I ever need to have with myself.

[dutchy kilted]

I have seen it mentioned before that wearing a kilt to a wedding is inappropriate unless you get the permission of the bride first.

I guess brides usually do not want anyone looking better than them at their wedding.

[ratspike]

I have seen it mentioned before that wearing a kilt to a wedding is inappropriate unless you get the permission of the bride first.

I guess brides usually do not want anyone looking better than them at their wedding.

Having been an integral part of over 300 weddings, ranging from east coast old money black tie to barbecue in dad's backyard, I'd say this is not the case at all.

[derosa]

I have to replace the roof of my barn, even with knee pads the kilt would not be appropriate. The barn sits just off the road half way up a hill, I have to do the downhill side and is hit with a perpetual breeze. Besides the very clear risk of flashing everyone my underwear, slipping on a roof will teach you why pants were invented, not to mention how hot a shingle roof is on bare skin. I'm sure there's plenty more examples, like mowing the lawn, yes the kilt would be fine but it still strikes me as silly even though I think nothing of wearing it when I was cleaning windows.

[Taskr]

In general, any time I have questioned myself if I should wear my kilt to (event) - I don't. That's not a simple, "hmm..maybe my kilt", but a serious, "should I wear my kilt to that?". I figure if my brain/gut is asking me the hard question, there's got to be something to it.

Ratspike; If I was going to a job interview at a Scottish shop or "Men in Kilts" I'd wear it!

[Tarheel]

I was the only male escort to a birthday event where 3 of the five women attending were turning 58 years old. I wore my kilt (even though my wife, "one of the three") suggested I not. Later I was congratulated for my diversion to the question for the party's purpose.

In another evening event, my wife was representing her office to honor board members. I did not wear my kilt because The folks receiving the awards were to stand in the spotlight and I may have been a distraction.

The last motorcycle rally I attended, I changed into my kilt after setting up camp. I would not be riding for a day and was received by most with positive results. However, one guy made the evening so unbearable for me that I will not wear my kilt to a rally again.

The decision is yours to make at any time and sometimes the results will be unexpected. I try to imagine how others will receive my kilt independent of my persona or status.

[McKerrell]

In reading the thread "A friend asked my why I wear a kilt", a few folks mentioned that there are "inappropriate times" to wear a kilt.

I know that it would be frowned upon for me to wear a kilt to work. I'm an outside salesman and call on industrial facilities and coal mines. Outside of the fact that it would call unwanted attention, it would be considered dangerous to have a loose fitting garment that could get caught on moving equipment. However, I'm struggling to come up with other scenarios that would be inappropriate--outside of one's profession.

What situations do you find the kilt to be inappropriate?

Your question depends on a person's place of origin. You covered the best reasons not to wear a kilt, which are safety and workplace decorum.

"What you can't do is try to tell me I am wrong to wear my kilt my way."
-Steve Ashton at http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/kilt-kops-68828/

[Willie T]

I recently was asked by a second cousin once-removed on the McIntosh side of my family to play the Mackintosh Lament on the bagpipes for his father's funeral. Even though most people usually expect a piper to be kilted, I still asked him if that is what his family would want. The family said absolutely but I'm glad that I asked. In the last couple of weeks an old acquaintance of mine asked if I would play the pipes for his wedding. I wasn't able to attend his wedding but I did recommend another piper. If I had been able to attend, I still would have made sure that he wanted me kilted. I would never wear a kilt to a wedding or funeral (in the U.S.) if I wasn't piping unless the family reached out to me and specifically asked me to.