Damn Gale Force Winds!

[Angus MacSpey]

How many of you are out kilted when we have days like today and yesterday here on the Front Range, with winds enough to put out the small dog and trash can alert? Trying to get my work done while making a half-assed (!) attempt at preserving my modesty was enough to make me start checking the weather forecast in the morning.

I'm already racking my brain for a way to design a windproof kilt.

[Magnus Sporrano]

There have been a few times when my modesty has been greatly compromised due to wind and that all but one of my kilts are PV. My lined/camo Pittsburgh Kilt is the only one that stays down in the wind (the tradeoff is it doesn't really swing like a wool or PV kilt).

One time I was outside carrying a $30,000 piece of computer hardware in the parking lot at work to the data center... the wind picked up, and my hands were full. I had to just keep walking with my cheeks in the wind and there was nothing I could do about it.

[Andrew Breecher]

Ironically, the strongest winds seem to be in populated areas. I walked the breadth of the USA, and only in "civilisation" were the gusts the sort that lifted the kilt. Out in the woods and mountains, the breezes seem to flow steadily, whereas in cities and towns the buildings channel the wind in quick gusts so they blow kilts up.

The worst times are: going into subway tunnels, exiting trolleys and busses, exiting buildings, and when large automobiles pass by on the road.

Mostly, though, I just don't care. I've walked over subway gratings in the street and pulled a total "Marilyn Monroe" and just laughed and said "Whoops!" and carried on.

Andrew.

[James]

I agree with Andrew-it is not the known wind in the countyry however strong that is the problem.

Rather it is the sneaky eddies and breezes aroud buildings-bouncing off parked cars-even a passing large lorry that adds to the 'fun'.

Whilst on occasion not even the heaviest traditional kilt is immune.

Long experience suggests that major incidents are rare, and often no one will be looking anyway: the best solution is to regard it as life having a sense of humour and get on with wearing your kilt.

The alternatives are to either go around as some sort of neurotic clutching your kilt like a maiden at her first dance-or stop wearing the kilt.

If some one does notice-be the first to laugh.

James

[Livingston]

Angus, I know what you mean. The wind channels along the Front Range are amazing. Too bad we can't blame it all on the buildings. I've been out in some high wind kilted but been concerned also. Since I'm not full time with the kilt yet, I pick the nicer days to wear it.

[davedove]

It's not the steady winds that are a problem. You tend to make adjustments for those.

As James said, it's the sneaky gusts that will get you and there isn't much you can do about them.

[JayFilomena]

It's not the steady winds that are a problem. You tend to make adjustments for those. As James said, it's the sneaky gusts that will get you and there isn't much you can do about them.

Last year in Amman Jordan, I was walking down a steep hill toward the temple of Hercules. A young girl 10 or 12 and her smaller sibling were walking up the hill. Just as she was eye level with my waist, the wind gusted, blew my kilt all the way up to my chest and the young girl just exploded in laughter. I would really really like to think she was laughing with me....

[michael steinrok]

Last year in Amman Jordan, I was walking down a steep hill toward the temple of Hercules. A young girl 10 or 12 and her smaller sibling were walking up the hill. Just as she was eye level with my waist, the wind gusted, blew my kilt all the way up to my chest and the young girl just exploded in laughter. I would really really like to think she was laughing with me....

Jay thats a Marilyn monroe moment if ever I heard one. Did catch a pretty good breeze my self in Alexandria a couple of days ago :-D

[NewKilt]

I agree that steady winds are not a problem. It those unexpected gusts that seem to turn your kilt into a parachute. Especially the light weight kilts such as a SportKilt. My Stillwater heavyweights and standards stay down better, but even these get their pleats raized in strong gusts.

I have to walk with a cane, so I only have one hand free. I have simply stopped worrying about it. I don't go regimental and I wear dark briefs. So if the pleats are going to fly up occationally, let them fly. It's all part of wearing a kilt.

I was talking to the neighbor lady on one occasion and had my pleats fly up. We just continued our conversation like nothing had happened. If someone wants to laugh, I have no problem laughing with them.

Darrell

[GlassMan]

Ironically, the strongest winds seem to be in populated areas. I walked the breadth of the USA, and only in "civilisation" were the gusts the sort that lifted the kilt. Out in the woods and mountains, the breezes seem to flow steadily, whereas in cities and towns the buildings channel the wind in quick gusts so they blow kilts up.

The worst times are: going into subway tunnels, exiting trolleys and busses, exiting buildings, and when large automobiles pass by on the road.

Mostly, though, I just don't care. I've walked over subway gratings in the street and pulled a total "Marilyn Manson" and just laughed and said "Whoops!" and carried on.

Andrew.

It's the wind tunnel effect created by the concrete canyons of downtown areas that create the worst wind gust opportunities. Combine that with the topography of some cities (San Francisco is a good example) and you get all sorts of unfortunate opportunities for wind up your kilt.