Fear of Impending Doom, What Was he Most Difficult Place to Wear Your Kilt?

[James MacMillan]

" If you can imagine any circumstances under which you would be embarrassed to wear the kilt, then you should not wear the kilt under any circumstances." ~ J. Charles Thompson

[Riverkilt]

" If you can imagine any circumstances under which you would be embarrassed to wear the kilt, then you should not wear the kilt under any circumstances." ~ J. Charles Thompson

Ahhh yes, BUT....that quote is at the BOTTOM of Page 2. He starts his book on the TOP of Page 1, "...the first time you wear it [your kilt] downtown by yourself in daylight. You will be nervous as a cat in a meeting of the American Kennel Club."

And that was written 30 years ago in 1979...

[Ryan Ross]

The first time I rode the subway into downtown Atlanta after dark...while kilted, that is... is probably the closest I've come to really being nervous about going somewhere. Just as I thought, it was no problem at all.

In fact, I find that some of the places that you might worry about most, are the places that you get the warmest welcome.

[kilty]

First, let me say that this is a great topic.

Second, it's "comforting" knowing that I am not alone in my apprehension whenever I plan on wearing my kilt somewhere. Not that I give a darn about what people think. But, well, you know...

Third, I have worn my kilt a few times to Tim Horton's and today I wore it to the mall with my wife. Got plenty of stares and a few compliments. Always makes me feel great.

Lastly, although I don't have a story as to what my most apprehensive time wearing a kilt was, I do have one about where I would like to wear it. And that's right here in my upper middle class suburban neighbourhood. I have known some of these people almost 30 years but don't know what their reaction would be. And it's not like I'll only see these people once in a lifetime.

To me, the apprehension comes with wearing it in front of people you know as opposed to people you don't know.

[Teufel Hunden]

A friend and i wore kilts our Sophomore year in high school (1998), for heritage day. It was a small school where everyone basically knew everyone, but still, we feared the worst.

It actually went over quite well, and the fears were a waste of energy. Besides the normal behind-the-back snickers and quietly told jokes, no one said anything, and most people were actually quite friendly. Two years later, I again wore a kilt, this time for my senior pic, holding my basket hilt.



I looked too damn good to get razzed by anyone.

[Dave K]

There have been two place where I became nervous wearing a kilt. One was planned the other took me by surprise.
The first time was going out to breakfast at Denny's with the wife. All the times I wore a kilt before in public had been either around friends or at a store where I could get in and out without caring what anyone else thought. Somehow sitting down in a restaurant like a Denny's bothered me. Everything went fine but I did notice several groups look over together then huddle up to talk. As we were leaving an old guy in a Marine Corps style hat muttered to his wife "guy in a dress." His wife looked and muttered something that ended in "kilt."
The second time took me by surprise. I went over to a friend's house, Kim, to look at her sewing machine. I had borrowed and fixed her spare (for an X-Kilt) and she wanted me to look at her main machine and show her how to set it up. Kim has seen me in my kilts before but her twelve year old daughter never has and this day she was home early from school. Now here comes the problem; the sewing machine is in the loft, her daughter is on the couch, the stairs to the loft are the narrow steep spiral type with open railings, the couch is three feet from the stairs, and I'm regimental. My best hope is that she keeps watching TV as I go up. As I begin my climb I hear "Why are you in a skirt?" There is no way she's not going to notice me if I keep climbing the stairs. I had hoped to make a quick unnoticeable accent, but no. I'm stuck on step five of the stairs. "It's a kilt" says mom. "It's weird" comes the replay. I'm still not moving. So I did what I always do when I'm being interrogated by a woman, I stall. For the next few minutes I try to explain what a non-traditional kilt is and why a guy would wear one. I failed to win her over but eventually she decided that watching TV was better than talking to the guy in a "skirt" and I made my way up quickly. Later, when I was back on solid ground I talked to the daughter and found out she did like the look of kilts as long as they were tartan and worn by a guy playing bagpipes.

[The Barry]

So I did what I always do when I'm being interrogated by a woman, I stall.

That really got me going! That's funny!

[CameronTaylor]

In Ireland. I didn't want to look like 'the tourist', but ended up wearing it b/c I really don't care what others think.

I've seen a lot of kilts in Ireland and nobody bats an eye.


CT - and one in a shop window in Limerick town.

[timseh]

To me, the apprehension comes with wearing it in front of people you know as opposed to people you don't know.

I can definitely relate to you there. Of course, I don't even have my first one yet (though I'm hoping the 2 I ordered might arrive today) and I've already considered this kind of thing heavily. The reactions of strangers will be the easiest for me to deal with. My daughters, I'm not worried about. They take great pride in our Scottish and Irish heritage. My mother on the other hand, is an entirely different story... Am I worried about how she'll react, not at all. I know exactly how she'll react. The is closed minded, unreasonable and unable to follow a logical train of thought.

Don't get me wrong, please! I love my mother. But I also know her well. I talk to her a few times a month and see here maybe 8 times a year, including holidays. My mother will get to see wedding pictures of me kilted, and in person that way at the reception (we're going to vegas to get married... no guests, just us. My mother wants to have a "reception" when we get back for the family and we'll wear what we did for the wedding).

I've learned with many things it's just not worth it to even allow the issue to be raised around her.

[kilty]

IMy mother on the other hand, is an entirely different story... Am I worried about how she'll react, not at all. I know exactly how she'll react. The is closed minded, unreasonable and unable to follow a logical train of thought.

Iknow what you mean. My father (85 years old) is the same. I knew he would ask me why I was a skirt the first time he saw me in a kilt. I stared him down and said in my best Scottish accent "It's nae a skirrrrt. It's a kilt!!".

My mother, on the other hand, had a smile from ear to ear when she learned that the tartan was the MacKay tartan - her mother's maiden name who was born in Scotland and came to Canada as an orphan at the tender age of 14. The look on her face was worth it!!!!