A Question for Those with Masculine Jobs...

**Thunderbolt** · 13th September 08, 02:09 PM

The first time I wore my kilt to the shop....Oh, man....

Ruthless it was. However, I have thick skin. I put up with it for a while then I just started to get smart-a$$ed right back. We had a good time.

Then someone put a paper sign on my car, something about cross-dressing. I went back in and bluntly stated that that had crossed the line and that was the end of the over-the-top stuff.

The still gave me flack about it, but nothing ever got serious as that ever again.

For me, it was about setting the boundry. And letting them know when it was crossed, and that was that.

Wearing a kilt in an all-male, testosterone-filled environment, one must have a thick skin and be able to laugh at yourself and roll with it.

Oh, and a lot of comebacks are helpfull as well!

YMMV, but I had fun with it. It would be a lot of help to have one of your closest co-workers/buddy in on it first to go in with some backup. That was fun....(different job).

T.

P.S.- To quote a line: "A target-rich environment" would be a good place to do the introduction, as you would get a lot of attention from the lady sort, helping your cause dramatically!

**Highland Logan** · 13th September 08, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by Birddog

However, I should have made it clearer in my original post. I am wondering if anyone in these type jobs have gone out casually with coworkers while kilted.

I did wear my kilt while in the military to social non-uniform occasions, and since I have "retired", I wear it out to any military events to which I am invited. Remembrance Day is coming up (Nov 11) and I well wear it out well visiting the regt. I never recived anything but complements.

Frank

**Birddog** · 13th September 08, 03:08 PM

I would imagine that in the UK, kilt wearing at casual functions with coworkers would be more accepted than it would be here.

**Highland Logan** · 13th September 08, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Birddog

I would imagine that in the UK, kilt wearing at casual functions with coworkers would be more accepted than it would be here.

I imagine it would be.. I'm from Canada.

Frank

**starbkjrus** · 13th September 08, 04:41 PM

Deleted

**bigdad1** · 13th September 08, 05:22 PM

I am in the scrap steel industry and the places I visit and people I see aren't the best places to be kilted so I don't wear it for work. I would if I could. But I did get a surprise recently while having lunch with my boss the topic somehow got around to kilts and he admitted he had one that he wore sometimes. Small kilted world.

**Cassidy** · 13th September 08, 05:52 PM

I unload trucks at Wal-Mart. It's not exactly a factory job or something, but it's pretty physical work. The guys all know I wear a kilt, I've worn the kilt in to work on my days off, most of them have seen me in it. They know I'm fine with joking about it but also know that I take it seriously and would wear it to work if dress code didn't specify trousers.

They're pretty cool about it. The rest of the staff occasionally makes a smart remark but these guys have seen me work and know I'm just as man as any of them, skirted or no. :-P

**Howard Clark** · 13th September 08, 07:04 PM

Well, I am a professional bladesmith, and have been for 20 years now, full time. I really only got into kilts a couple of years ago. This summer I took my kids to the second annual youth hammer-in (knifemaking classes for kids), sponsored by the American Bladesmith Society, and held at Smoky Mountain Knifeworks in Sevierville, TN. I was kilted the whole time. I wore a Matt Newsome box pleat when not working, and a box pleated kilt of my own make for working in at the event (I was one of the instructors as well as taking my kids to learn). There was only one ignoramus who tried all weekend to insult me into a confrontation. I managed to ignore him for the most part, and outwit him when I could not (that was not difficult). The main movers at the event all know me and have for many years, since I have been an ABS Master Smith since 1992, and a couple of them are actually quite good friends. Most of the conversation about the kilt was where to get one, and which tartan is that ?

I do wear a kilt almost everywhere now, and work in my own shop in a kilt almost all the time, but alone, so I don't know how much that helps.

I think the most important thing is to be confident in who you are.

If you are comfortable in your own skin, and with what you see in the mirror in the morning, less if this stuff is an issue. If not, well then there is work to do in other areas of your life, aside from wardrobe and the response to it.

**ChattanCat** · 13th September 08, 07:08 PM

I work on the Rail road (insert railroad horns here). Ok, I am a design engineer for a supplier to the RR. I gotta say, it is a man's environment from the engineers to the maintainers who swing sledge hammers... working on the railroad...

**Shinchan** · 13th September 08, 08:04 PM

I'm in Law Enforcement. I braved the kilt last week at a BBQ honoring the memory of a fallen hero. With more than three hundred present, I had nothing but good comments. I also attended the Highland games today in Fresno with two of my co-workers, and they continue to say how much they dig it. It won't be an issue.