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

[Spartan]

I've had several over the past several weeks and three this week. Going on the light rail in downtown Phoenix was a little apprehensive, but then one time I was headed to the Highland Games, and the other to the St. Patrick's parade. At least there was something going on in town. Turned out to be a non-event. Any remarks were positive.

But this week, I had three hurdles that had been haunting the back of my mind.

1. Tuesday, St Patrick's Day, I was committed to wear a kilt to work. My normal routine on Tuesdays is gym first thing in the morning, then shower, shave and change into work clothes and off to work. So, this was the first time kilted leaving the gym. Not too busy at 7 am. One of the trainers, who I know well, asked me where were my bagpipes. I gave him the standard answer, which got a laugh. (I did not ask if he wanted to play them!)

2. Walking the dog in the park. Didn't have much reaction. One guy did pass me on a bike and asked me if I am Scotsman. Aye. As well as Irish, Welsh and English. He said he had a bit of Irish in him.

3. Today, I did my shopping at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. The first lady to see me at Wal-Mart said that she liked the kilt and wanted to know my family name. She was Irish. No other comments. At Sam's Club the checker (African-American) asked if I played the bagpipes. Yes, I'm learning. She said that would be cool.

[sathor]

I kinda had that feeling when I attempted to work kilted on Tuesday. My mom, the owner of the store, did not like it one bit, and did the whole "Change or don't come in to work" thing so I took the day off.

On a side note, it was the 3rd time I had gone regimental for a full day out of the house. I was partly inspired by the video from Cincy. Wasn't windy, which helped, and it was nice to walk the trails at the park kilted.

[Kiltman]

I've never had much concern about wearing tartan kilts, but when I first wore my Utilikilt out and about, I was a bit anxious until a teen spotted me and said, "A Utilitkilt! Cool, dude!" After that any concerns melted away.

Dido. By now I get razzed if I don't wear a kilt to certain places. I must keep my public satisfied! This evening Mrs. Kiltman and I were out in downtown Spokane when a car came by and I heard "Real Men wear Kilts" yelled out. Right on my public!

[The Barry]

when a car came by and I heard "Real Men wear Kilts" yelled out. Right on my public!

That just makes me smile. I love the sudden bursts of public support!

[Akilter]

This is a great thread and great stories. With your permission I’ll add mine too.

I would appear to be about the same for all of us venturing out at first and testing how others will respond. Some are affected by it more than others….

The worst first time for me was almost 20 years ago, my youngest sister was getting married 200 hundred miles away from home late in December. It was a dress Highland wedding, and a grand affair into the wee hours of the morning. We spent the rest of the night in town, however at 10 the next morning my attendance was required without fail at my company’s annual Christmas party (Always a grand and very formal affair), as I said 200 hundred miles away.

When I awoke heavy headed and blurry at 5 AM with it still pitch dark and listening to a downpour outside, I realized all of my clothes including the suit I was to wear to the party were still in the car. I groaned loudly about it and my dear wife said I should just wear my formal Highland clothes to the party since they are the most beautiful and expensive clothes I own. My boss was a very professional lady with high standards for all of the managers in the company of which I was one, to be properly attired in wool suits and silk ties, but what the heck, how could she not approve after seeing how dashing I look in all the finery of formal Highland dress? So after agreeing to wear what I had at hand we quickly dressed and headed for the party. I can’t describe the apprehension and near panic I had for the next 4 hours as we drove to the party.

Once we arrived, I walked in and at first it went very quiet in a room of around 300 people. Most were very complimentary or inquisitive wanting to know all about wearing a kilt. What I noticed most was how the ladies responded, who knew that ladies really enjoy a man in a kilt? It was great! Then the moment I had been wary of arrived and we were greeted by the boss and her husband in the reception line. He said that I looked awesome which made me relax for a moment, and then she looked me up and down with a glaring eye since we both knew that I was really pushing her limits of uniformity, and she whispered “We’re going to talk later!”

Well, we never did. We actually didn’t talk much at all for the next year, but everyone else still does!! She did get over it. Although she left the company a few years ago, that day has given many of us a lot of laughs. It has made all the difference in my confidence in going kilted.

Once others have gotten used to me to seeing me in it, I get a lot of comments when I don’t wear it.

Cheers,
Dave

[Frank McGrath]

One of my coworkers suggested I wear the kilt to work on St Patricks Day. I obtained permission from the President of the company. He suggested I check with the safety guy just to make sure. He also gave his permission. I walked into the shop at 05:00 hrs that morning, wearing my kilt and my uniform shirt. For the first hour it was just hard enough to stand at my work area and do my job without all the morons coming by to make comments. One woman attempted a kilt check, but I stopped her. At lunch, the VP of our division walked into the lunch room just as I had risen to leave. He asked abot the skirt/kilt and I said, "It's not a skirt unless you are wearing pumps." Later on I bumped into the HR manager and she said, "You better be wearing shorts under there". Those two comments were the worst of the day. I have since gotten many favorable comments about the kilt. Maybe I'll wear it again on artan Day.

[Thebigeman77]

My first time wearing a kilt to my classes in college was a little daunting, but it turned out very well. Both of the professors I had on that day commended me for having the guts to wear it and that it also looked great!

Also, back in the Fall my (now, not then) girlfriend's mother and her then-boyfriend came to visit us at our college since she had an orchestra concert. I was kilted and wasn't sure how either of them would react. Her mother was fairly indifferent, if slightly impressed, but her now ex was very snobbish about it and I later found out that he felt I had "gotten up in my ostentatious best" for her (which, granted, I kind of did). He felt uncomfortable and threatened by me, which, in all honesty, made it all the better.

[MartinW]

I have all this to come...

As some of you may know, I have just purchased my first kilt to get married in this coming August...I was going to suprise my fiancee but I told her my plans...she's great with it and thinks I will look great. To be honest I am so bored with the standard suit for men for celebrations like this...give me something that will turn some heads eh!!!

However...no-one else knows about it. My parents, sister, kids or my fiancee's family either...

My kids will just understand cos they know I'm nuts anyway...I will not be surprised with any comments I get though.

Do you think I should tell them all?

[timseh]

I know how you feel MartinW. I started looking into kilts because I wanted to wear one for my wedding in May. I bought 2 instead of just the one for the wedding (the one for my wedding is the Leatherneck tartan, the second is an Irish Saffron).

My bride to be is good with it, and though I haven't 'gone a kilting' about town yet, she seems to believe I should.

Her parents are fine with it for the wedding and will probably be fine with more frequent wear. My mother on the other hand... well, lets just say I don't go out of my way to see her a lot as it is, largely due to her negative and judgmental attitude toward just about everything and everyone. I'll not be discussing it with her. I'll show up to family events in one, I'm sure... and she'll just have to deal with it.

[funlvnman]

There is a bar not too far from the house that caters to the gay population. It's not strictly a gay bar but during football season, figure skating is on the big tv soooooooooooooo. Anyway, the first time we went there we didn't know any of this. The owner/bartender turned out to be one of the funniest/friendliest people I've ever met and the food is fantastic. So we have become pseudo regulars.

One Saturday we were out and about doing some shopping and decided that we had earned a cold beer. I was kilted in my Stillwater Saffron kilt, looking smashing as always, when my wife decided that we would go to Colors, the aforementioned bar. Little did we know that it was Female Impersonator Nite, or whatever they call it.

I walked through the front door to find myself literally "in the spotlight", and the emcee, a 6'5" monster of a man dressed up as woman, decided that I would be good fodder for the crowd. The next 5 minutes are a complete blur, fortunately he/she didn't do a kilt check despite the pleas from the crowd.

All in all it turned out to be a fun nite, but Whew, I'm sure I don't want to repeat that experience.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that"

Rich