Odd Questions and Interesing Comments

[sorcererdale]

Just the other day I had on the blue Mocker from Utilikilts and I was waiting to use the men's room when another guy came up to wait, too. He looked at me and said, "Is this a special occasion or do you always dress LIKE THAT!?" I just told him I dress like that quite often because it is comfortable.

Last night I had a really odd comment. A man walked up to me and said, "You are Lutheran, aren't you?" He could see I looked puzzled, then said, "You were at the Lutheran Synod Meeting last year, weren't you?" When I replied yes, he said, I thought I recognized you because no one else wore a kilt. He was a Lutheran pastor.

The other day at church I was asked if I was at a certain event on Saturday. When I said that I wasn't, the guy was so sure I was because there was someone there in a kilt and he said he was sure it was me. We live in a small town and I only know of two or three other kilt wearers and one of them is gone to England. Maybe I will meet that "other" kilt wearer someday.

Sorcererdale

[Highland Lass]

Good idea for a thread.

I had a strange reaction from Dad on St Patricks Day when I dressed in a nice weathered green hunting tartan kilt, black T shirt, kaki socks and black boots, to go out and support a friend performing at a gig with her Celtic band. Dad said, "Are you going to wear THAT?" This caught me off guard, but then he said, "Remember, you are Australian." Wot the ....!!! He was the last person I expected that comment from as its from his side of the family where I get my Scottish heritage! How could I forget I was Australian? Of course this comment totally upset me and I didn't know what to say as I hadn't understood what he had meant. I tried to talk without arguing but I couldn't get a straight answer. It stuffed up my night as I couldn't stop thinking about it and trying to understand it! Later that night, I wrote my thoughts down in a poem (yes, I'm going all Robbie Burns ) to 'get it off my chest', it did help.

Eventually after talking about it with Mum and finally questioning Dad about it, I think I got to the bottom of his strange and unexpected comments....He thought I was wearing a COSTUME! I do costume a lot as a member of The Australian Costumers Guild, I make and dress up in all sorts of stuff, but he had mistaken it for one of those times. I pointed out that its 'normal' clothes for a Scot or someone with Scottish heritage. I then went on to tackle the "...remember you are Australian" comment which was the one that really upset me. I think he was frightened that I was going to "go all Scottish" and go all cliquey and only hang around with Scottish people, eat Haggis everyday and end up speaking only Gaelic (I can't but would love to.) I thought it was strange that he thought about me like that, but we have seen people around us, from other countries, our neighbour is one, that actually discriminate against others who are not of their own ethnic group and can get rather nasty about it. I explained that, yes I am Australian, but of Scottish (...and English, and Irish...descent) but you can be both. Its this mix that goes into making up who I am. I am proud of my 'Scottishness' and want to celebrate it by wearing a kilt sometimes, eating Haggis occassionally, going to ceilidhs and getting involved at Caledonian Societies. It doesn't make me any less Australian and I was certainly not going to end up like our neighbour.

Believe it or not, this was the main reason that I joined X Marks, to be amongst fellow kilties, that for them, this is everyday wear and not a costume. Its taken me until now to talk about it as it was hurtful, but now I understand that he is learning about what it means to display one's heritage externally. I hope that one day, he will be proud enough...and bold enough to celebrate it too.

[Nighthawk]

Hey Lass, you know one thing you could do is to get a tartan that is exclusively Australian. I know there's an Australian Highland wear vendor with a number of really beautiful (and exclusive) tartans, but I can't remember the name. Maybe someone here can help! One way I get around the whole "wannabe Scot" criticism is to wear a kilt in my state tartan. Just a thought...

So- back on topic! I was in Best Buy today, and I walked by a guy who went all slack-jawed. I thought "Here we go- skirt comment incoming" and got a snappy comeback all ready. He seemed to gather his senses and said "Wow!! A guy in a kilt!!" I was not taken by surprise, luckily, and was quick witted enough to totally change my snappy comeback. I spun around in a circle said "Where?!? Where?!?!" He busted up laughing and his wife said "The one on your body!" with a grin on her face. Their kids asked what a kilt was, and Mom and Dad explained it to them, and I proceeded to elaborate on the specifics of tartan, an what tartan I was wearing- which, I might add, happened to be my Colorado state. So- fun day!

[BroosterB1]

Did a wedding this afternoon. Both the bride and groom were of Scottish decent. The bride's brother passed years back but was a real enthusiast of all things Celtic. She asked if I do do the wedding kilted ( twist my arm :o) ) to honor the memory of her brother, which of course I did.

I looked up the family names and did a bit about family, and the importance there of to their respective families and clans.

Here is a bit that made almost all of the women tear up ".....it was this kind of family that when necessary could not only raise an army, but also care for all of the children while that army was at war. " The ladies from the bride to the MOB to the Grand MOB all stood a bit taller and thanked me for thinking of their brother/son /grandson. The best complement I received was from a lass who was 11. Her words:

The ceremony was just too legit, and I was super sick for wearing the kilt. Could she take a picture to FB all her buds to show them how they should plan their weddings?

Then she gave me a big hug.

[Cowher]

Highland Lass. I totally relate to you on this one. My step father who was born in Wales UK laughs and rolls his eyes about me learning how to play the G.H bagpipes and wearing a kilt. He's the one who got me into UK history and Celtic culture in the first place. He isn't really the best support in anything I have ever done but I was a little surprised about his flippant attitude twords my discovery of the kilt.
Fast forward to about a week or two ago we took them to a local Boston brittish pub. I wore my kilt with a sweater and rather casual accessories. He rolled his eyes when he saw me and asked "you brought your blue jeans right?!?". Well I laughed at him and walked away and at the end of the night we came back to my mother and his house and as I was in the other room I overheard him telling my mother how he thought I looked "pretty cool" and commented on how I seemed more confident in it.
It's strange why he is so afraid of showing me approval but either way it felt good.

[Highland Lass]

Hey Lass, you one thing you could so is to get a tartan that is exclusively Australian. I know there's an Australian Highland wear vendor with a number of really beautiful (and exclusive) tartans, but I can't remember the name. Maybe someone here can help! One way I get around the whole "wannabe Scot" criticism is to wear a kilt in my state tartan. Just a thought...

The Aussie tartan significance would be lost on Dad, to him, a kilt's a kilt. It's a good excuse to buy more kilts though With a nice Black Watch on the way and secretly saving up to eventually get a tailor made Grant, I think I'll pass.

Cowher, Dad gave me a strange look the other day when he saw me researching the Black Watch Regiment on the Internet. I dunno if he thought I was gonna run away and join the army or just got a thing for Scottish soldiers Actually, I was finding out the history and links to our Clan. I think he's learing to live with all of this as he didn't even flinch when I told him I bought a PV Black Watch kilt on ebay! I think I'm wearing him down.

[Nighthawk]

I think I'm wearing him down.

Good! If getting an Aussie tartan won't do the trick, a heavy club will!

[Doc Canary]

I get it coming and going when wearing a kilt in public. Am African American, 50 years old, still have much of my football player build from back in the day, and wear a kilt at least 90% of the time. Loss of anonymity is just a part of wearing a kilt in public.
Seems people can't get past wearing a kilt as being a choice and is not always related to any specific cultural or heritage connection. For the most part I entertain the polite questions and ignore the stupid/rude questions.

[Nighthawk]

I get it coming and going when wearing a kilt in public. Am African American, 50 years old, still have much of my football player build from back in the day, and wear a kilt at least 90% of the time. Loss of anonymity is just a part of wearing a kilt in public.
Seems people can't get past wearing a kilt as being a choice and is not always related to any specific cultural or heritage connection. For the most part I entertain the polite questions and ignore the stupid/rude questions.

I like this exchange:

"Are you Scottish?"

Me: "By ancestry."

"So you're not a real Scot."

Me: "You're wearing jeans. Are you a real cowboy?"

"Duh... Wha...?" Not seeing the connection...

Or this one, from someone at the store in her pijamas:

"Nice skirt!"

Me: "At least I have the dignity to get dressed before going out in public."

[Chirs]

I like this exchange:

"Are you Scottish?"

Me: "By ancestry."

"So you're not a real Scot."

Me: "You're wearing jeans. Are you a real cowboy?"

"Duh... Wha...?" Not seeing the connection...

I thought I was the only one who said that!!! And nobody EVER gets it! Or... depending on what brand name they're wearing on their clothes, I'll ask "Are you from Areopostale?" Another favourite: "Why are you wearing the kilt?" "Because, if I took it off in public, everyone would know." No one has ever asked me what they would know...

As for some Auzzie tartans, I found some at House of Tartans. They look good. http://www.houseoftartans.com.au/australian.html