When the rubber meets the road

[pbpersson]

Well, of course people stared at you. They were all thinking, "Why's he wearing that kilt below his knees??"

Before I went out, I kept making the kilt lower and lower. I basically had it down where I wear my pants, on my hip bones and below my belly. I looked at myself in the mirror and the kilt was level - so I guess I don't have THAT big of a belly and the more I walk in my kilt the smaller it will get. The bottom of the kilt was just at the bottom of my knees so I figured it wasn't TOO low but I was happy that it wasn't at the TOP of my knees because that would just be TOO short as nervous as I am wearing this thing and thinking that I'm exposed.

[Panache]

Blu wrote:

Memorize this

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

Excellent quote from Frank Herbert! I taught the phrase "Fear is the mind-killer" to my son Sinbad. Whenever he is afraid I ask him "What is fear?" He gives that answer and 9 times ouit of 10 he begins to relax. A perfect bit of advice to one who is hesistant to go forth kilted.

Cheers

[Moose McLennan]

Before I went out, I kept making the kilt lower and lower. I basically had it down where I wear my pants, on my hip bones and below my belly. I looked at myself in the mirror and the kilt was level - so I guess I don't have THAT big of a belly and the more I walk in my kilt the smaller it will get. The bottom of the kilt was just at the bottom of my knees so I figured it wasn't TOO low but I was happy that it wasn't at the TOP of my knees because that would just be TOO short as nervous as I am wearing this thing and thinking that I'm exposed.

I prefer mine at mid-knee. I dislike drawing attention to myself too, and one thing that will help is this; be perfectly at ease with the REST of your clothes. Chunky shoes/boots and rolled down thick hose "earth" you and balance out the wide kilt. An unfussy top half, not too snug fitting (vest, jeans jacket, dark polo shirt or whatever) helps too - but never any longer than where the pleats begin. I also do without a sporran whenever I can - but you probably don't have one on your UK anyway. Keep the look clean and and simple and WALK TALL (easier for you than me at 5'6"!).

Have a good weekend!

M.

[pdcorlis]

The bottom of the kilt was just at the bottom of my knees so I figured it wasn't TOO low but I was happy that it wasn't at the TOP of my knees because that would just be TOO short as nervous as I am wearing this thing and thinking that I'm exposed.

I teach college level photography courses kilted and prefer my kilts at the top of my knees. I'm sure my students would be more than happy to point out any "overexposure" of their instructor so trust me when I say you won't be exposed unless you are standing on a ladder - or on your head. To be honest, I think they look more masculine and less skirt like there.

Now... don't take this the wrong way but we're on page six of this thread, at some point you need to decide if this is something you want to do or not.

Best of luck!

[Cawdorian]

With all of this intensive counseling you have received in the last few days, you have to be gettiing better.

Wear the kilt often, the more you wear it the easier it will become for you.

[mbhandy]

Look at it this way, you wear a swim suit and it is shorter than below the knees? Or at lease right around there and no one would say boo about that. So why worry. Not a question a statement. Just go with the flow and you will feel some what funny but think how an actor feels each time they walk out on stage, Butterflys. You get over it. I do a radio show and the first time I went live mic I was so nervous but I got over that and now when I make a mistake or mispronounce something I JUST KEEP GOING AND GOING-------
You get the idea.

MrBill

[Scott Gilmore]

Now... don't take this the wrong way but we're on page six of this thread, at some point you need to decide if this is something you want to do or not.

Can't help wonder if what's really going on here has nothing to do with the kilt and everything to do with the attention this is getting.

Wear the ferkin' kilt already. Sheesh!

Regards,
Scott Gilmore

[pbpersson]

Now... don't take this the wrong way but we're on page six of this thread, at some point you need to decide if this is something you want to do or not.

Best of luck!

Well...it is very comfortable and it is very fun.....

I just need to relax and perhaps the weekend will help.

I will go to a strange place this evening and see strange people on the streets and get lost in a violent thunderstorm with flooding rains. Certainly that will help me get used to wearing a kilt. It's an "artsy-trendy" part of town where they should be used to seeing kilts.

[motorman4life]

I have to admit, I never had any problem wearing a kilt around strangers, but I was very self-conscious around people I had known for a long time. It is like you know that they are re-evaluating you or something. I had many ask me some of the stranges questions. It was like they were asking themselves, "How did I miss this?"

I just told them it was comforable and they should try it. Most of the women said they wished their men would wear one. Most of the men were afraid their women would want them to wear one!

Read my sig below... if anyone asks you why you have a kilt on or makes a snide comment, tell them it is Kilt Day and send them to KiltDay.com. Easy solution and that is why I created it... for guys like you.

"***...BACK OFF DUDE, IT'S FREAKIN' KILT DAY!!!"

I get e-mail most every day from people that have used my site to deflect uncomfortable questions. You need to have the confidence to not follow the pack and do your own thing... even if it happens to be "the thing" of 1000's of other self-confident kilt-wearing guys... it's still your choice and you have to have the balls to pull it off. If you LOOK self-conscious, you will be a target. If you carry yourself like Sean Connery, you will be unstoppable!

[pbpersson]

Read my sig below... if anyone asks you why you have a kilt on or makes a snide comment, tell them it is Kilt Day and send them to KiltDay.com. Easy solution and that is why I created it... for guys like you.

So YOU are the person who created that??

I found that yesterday, when I was thinking about doing my first public appearance in a kilt. I was so surprised that it just happened to be kilt day - the first day I was going to wear it in public.

However, then I did more Google searching and found old comments from people saying, "Did you know that today was Kilt Day?" and they all had different dates so I figured it out. But I think it's a great idea, I really do.

I spent an entire hour walking from one end to the other of Old Scottsdale tonight SEVERAL TIMES in broad daylight until my feet fell like they were going to fall off. People said hello and asked how I was doing, one lady stopped me and asked if I knew where to find a certain restaurant (I didn't) but not a single person said anything about my new kilt! :confused: