First general outing...

[cacunn]

It should be mentioned that not too many years ago the Grand Dragon of the KKK lived about 20 miles from ACSTOON. The Grand Dragon lived less than 5 miles from Camp David (the Presidential retreat in the Maryland hills). This might give you a better understanding of the area ACSTOON lives in.

I'm about 10 miles down the road from ACSTOON and have gotten no comments yet, but I do enjoy the looks as I walk through WalMart, Lowes and other K-uality business in south central PA.

[sporranlegionaire]

This is a popular vacation area, with thousands coming in from far and wide during a handful of months, so wearing a kilt at peak holiday times around town maybe doesn't come across as particularly unusual - I'm probably just seen as being a very patriotic Scottish visitor (until anyone asks which part of Scotland I'm from and I have to say, no, I live just up the road.)
Actually the local convenience store has held an unknown quantity response-wise for a while. Every time I went in there in a kilt there was a particular youngish 'loudmouthed' guy who didn't happen to be working that day. I'd always wondered how he would react with his own particular brusque charm. Anyway, I went in the other day and he was serving. He's known me as a customer for some months (unkilted), and I think suddenly appearing in a kilt left him short of words. He was actually interested, and said he knew nothing about kilts but always thought they were red (mine was green/purple). I told him he was probably thinking of the Royal Stuart. And that was it. I've been in several times since and if he's there he always greets me with none of the heckling/one liners than he aims at other regular customers out of fun.

[Phil]

I live in Scotland and hear comments like "why is that man wearing a kilt mummy?" although my wife tells me it's mostly admiring glances (from the women!). Most of the comments you'll get will be positive and you can be sure the other ones are jealous because they don't look as good as you.

[acstoon]

It should be mentioned that not too many years ago the Grand Dragon of the KKK lived about 20 miles from ACSTOON. The Grand Dragon lived less than 5 miles from Camp David (the Presidential retreat in the Maryland hills). This might give you a better understanding of the area ACSTOON lives in.

Huh... I never knew that fact... I ride my bike in the Catoctin region, quite a good bit.
I'm well aware this area is has it's share of bigotry, but I don't play along... I've got better things to spend my time & efforts on.

(actually I was posting about Mercersburg, where I spent a good portion of my youth, not my current residence. I'm not a native to either locale)

[turpin]

Now, a bit of background: this is a town of 1000 residents, very rural, very colloquial, and extremely set in their ways. Very stereotypical small-minded-blinders-on hick historical town stuff. The carnival is BIG time for a lot of these natives. Kind of comical, actually. Should write a book about the antics around there... nobody would believe it.

I think Thornton Wilder already wrote that book. Congrats on a positive first outing in such a "tightly knit" community.

[parpin]

Hi all ,

Wearing a kilt to go to the supermarket or any stores in a shopping mall has become a routine for me. People say nothing and when they say something the reaction is positive.

In fact we are acustomised to cross people from other countries wearing typical cloths from their country of origin. One more or less doesn't makes difference.

[acstoon]

I think Thornton Wilder already wrote that book.

Trust me... (and I'm sure Cancunn can back me up on this) any truthful book about the established citizenry of the town in question would be viewed as unbelievable fiction! It took them 40 years to get a second traffic signal, due to comical bickering, etc. And that's the tip-of-the-iceberg!

I chose that time & location for my 1st general outing, because it would be a extreme case scenario (and cross-sectional study of human response ... anywhere else would be cake.

[Perldog007]

Hey watch it! No badmouthing of Southern states allowed.

Unless you were born here. Like me.

We do have a fine collection of in-bred, backward a$$ country folks and they might give you a strange look now and again. On the other hand, most of them look strange all the time so who would notice?

Besides I've met plenty of redneck bumpkins from north of the Mason-Dixon line.

Born in the Blue Ridge - Abingdon Virginia. I meant the feed store. Went back to where I grew up and stopped in at a store I actually worked in as a teen. Talk about a showstopper.

I know what you mean about the North. My first restaurant job in New Jersey the owner looked at me and said "Ya know, I normally don't hire any anglos kid, but I think you'll do allright".

The Southern States guys thought it was pretty brave, and unique, just took them a minute to wrap their minds around the idea.

[Packhound]

I have been following some of these "1st Time Out's" with a great deal of interest. I have yet to wear a kilt anywhere yet. I hoped to finish my X-kilt in time to wear to a family reunion tomorrow, but I will not quite have it finished and the reunion was cancelled.

I am still one of those "Saxon" clad men who are envious of those of you who go about kilted.

[Perldog007]

I have been following some of these "1st Time Out's" with a great deal of interest. I have yet to wear a kilt anywhere yet. I hoped to finish my X-kilt in time to wear to a family reunion tomorrow, but I will not quite have it finished and the reunion was cancelled.

I am still one of those "Saxon" clad men who are envious of those of you who go about kilted.

Where I live ignorant people are not scarce. Still most reactions are positive. It has gotten easier for me to deal with the odd stare and/or doofus than it is to deal with wearing pants.

Don't be envious. You will be among the kilted sooner than you think. Be sensitive to the poor uninformed souls who will never be free from the trouser tyranny.