First negative reaction in over 1 1/2 years

[Stratherrick]

Thankfully, living where I do, and knowing that most of my kilt-wearing is done in Alba, I get only a very few negative comments. When I do, I just smirk and think to myself, "you're jealous, really."

Slainte

Bruce

[Merlin]

I just saw this for the first time and I had to laugh at Peacekeepers response about a coward and his retreat. So true.
I still don't get why so many Americans find the kilt so hard to understand.
Example: 2 days ago I'm heading to work and stop at a local Walgreens to run in for a drink and a snack. As I'm perusing the drinks, a female employee walks by, stops, turns and says "Oh...are the Highland games going on?"
My reply nothing more than "No ma'am... those are in April."
She pauses with a confused look and says "Then where are you going?"
Reply.."To work"
Now at this point she still can't understand that I am wearing CLOTHES and not a costume. She wont let it go.
"You wear your....ummm... your Irish stuff to work?"
Reply.."No ma'am. I'm Scottish"
Again.... she is derailed.
"Where do you work?"
To avoid a lengthy conversation about my job...I merely stated WHERE I was working and not what I do for a living so I replied "At the University".
Still..... she can't make the connection to working at a University and wearing a costume.

To further this story...later in the day while walking across the campus, a lady in a Sari with full head dress stops in her tracks and stares at me.
She's wearing a Sari and head dress in Texas and she stares at me as if I were the one sticking out in the crowd!!

In short..the ignorance of others wont stop me from wearing the kilt when and where I chose to wear it.

[ziggy]

Now of course I know better because I have a familiarity with many of you and you're some of the nicest people I've known....but as a general stereotype, the image I have of the kind of guys who wear kilts.... I'd keep my mouth shut lest they prove they have more than a enough masculinity to be wearing a man-skirt and it not be queer! :P

Seriously.... it just seems so.... cheap. (do call someone in a kilt a queer), especially when you consider how many women dig the kilt!

[Stratherrick]

Once, in a pub on the Grassmarket in the capital, which was full of guys in kilts watching the national team playing football, a small bunch of holidaying English guys were giving me a ribbing over my kilt.

My reply was to point out just how English they looked in their trousers. It was only then that they properly saw that they were in a tiny minority in the bar! It reminded me of the bit in Braveheart where the English soldiers think they've cornered some fleeing Scots, only to see that they're surrounded!

They didn't stay long!

Slainte

Bruce

[ziggy]

Sounds like a brilliant example of Anglo-Scottish relations to me ;)

Some things never change, it seems

[Sir Robert]

I had spent a 12 hour shift guarding some US Army families in a off base housing area in Germany after the war started, only to be called a "Perv" by some little teeny bopper at the PX. Made me want to just not want to keep them alive.

The next night I was back, four of us sitting in a van with NVGs, gas masks, and M-16A2s once again keeping those dependants safe with out them even knowing that we were there in the dark. What is that saying about rough men?

[Strings]

Most of the encounters I've had have been good: "Nice kilt", and so forth.

Had one of my BACA brothers ask me if I wore a kilt on my scoot: no teasing, just genuine curiosity.

The few who HAVE wanted to go negative are usually responded to by my wife and girlfriend (you have NO idea how quickly the mouthy ones shut up when corrected by two attractive and assertive women!)