WHY NOT WEAR TROUSERS?

[highlandtide]

Uh oh! Time for me to speak up!

I also am not a full time kilt wearer. And :GASP: I also dont have any problems wearing pants or shorts.

The reason I started this forum was just to have a community of people who like wearing kilts. The great thing is we all run the gamet on that, from full-time kilters to only at the Scottish Games kilters.

I think it is great! We have some great diversity here. My main goal is for the kilt to be an "accepted" male garment whether wearing it to a concert or going to Wal-Mart. I think everyone will agree on that.

So in the meantime -Keep on Kilting!-

[Rob]

There again I've never had any opposition or problems in respect of wearing the kilt: so do not feel there are barriers to be broken down, or that I need to worry if wearing it to a social occasion or for something as mundane as going to the supermarket.

Obviously I'm seeing the matter in a very different way to many: so I'm asking why?

James

James,

There is one very good reason why you are seeing the matter in a very different way to many. You, I and a number of others here at Xmarks are living in the UK. If you walk down the street wearing a kilt, the most that is likely to happen is for one or two people to look up, see you and think to themselves: "Hey, there is a guy wearing a kilt." After that, they won't give it a second thought.

Most of the guys who post here live in the USA, where seeing a man wearing a kilt is a much rarer experience. It even appears (from what has been said here) that there are still many Americans who don't even know what a kilt is. This works two ways. Some men who wear traditional kilts are frowned upon for 'cross-dressing', by people who do not know what a kilt is. On the other hand, some men can get away with wearing almost any unbifurcated garment in a tartan material, because there are many Americans who have heard about kilts and their association with Scotland, but wouldn't have the faintest idea of what one looked like, so they would assume that if a man was wearing any pleated tartan garment, that it must be a traditional kilt. One only has to take a look at some of the photos taken at Highland Gatherings in the US, to see that this is so. If a man were to wear such a garment to any similar event in the UK, he really would be stared at, and maybe even ridiculed.

Rob

[Graham]

Hank!! so rumours of your death have been greatly exaggerated!

Nice to hear from you

[RockyR]

I also have the advantage of wearing a kilt more than trousers now.

MDR-V300's post is right on the money. This is a kilt forum and why would we want to discuss, "I went to XXX in my trousers." Someone could start a trouser forum for that. It will won't have many participants ..

James your situation is different then many of us. wearing a kilt IS a big deal for many of us and that is why we came here. Believe me wearing a Kilt casually around town in The US is not the Norm and in this part of Ohio USA it is really a head turner so even if it was mundane for me around the house, as soon as I step out ... whew... People notice and the mundane becomes novel again.. Unlike Mychael I grab my Amerikilt first and only put on trousers if the situation requires it or to keep kilting from becoming mundane, I don't want it to become that normal for me I want to enjoy it, I never could say that about trousers. The cold does not bother me enough to make me put trousers on first thing, My routine in the Morning is a long Kilted walk down my country road with a cup of coffee. Then back to read my Bible and pray before the work begins for the day.

Now if the work requries it I put the tubes on, but the Kilt is another freedom to me.

Sometimes I put trousers on and my wife looks at me like.. I wish he was wearing his kilt with that shirt so Mychael's comment about it becoming mundane instead of novel is true also. (That is not quite how he put it)

Again MDR-V300's post was right on.. at lest it expresses my view pretty well.

[GMan]

I must confess that when I do not want to stand out in the crowd, trousers are for me. I find that if I am kilted people want to talk to me, and sometimes I just want to be another face in the crowd. I know that that may shock some, but being visible sometimes has its drawbacks.

With that said I am a person who likes to live life. Kilts are one way in which I live life to the fullest. A wonderful experience comes over me when I am kilted, with the wind blowing my (thinning) hair I find that some kind of romantic notion comes over me of many centuries ago running through the mountains trying to get home to a nice warm meal. Yes kilts are a fantasy too me also, one of my heritage. The practicality of kilts really is what appeals to me most. I find no confinement on any part of my body, and to me that is well worth it.

But I also get compliments like Mychael got from his wife about the tush, (and no it was not from Mychael's wife) when I am in trousers. But like it was said earlier, it is all about choice.

[bubba]

This one is interesting. I do wear jeans on rare occasion, like for crawling under the car or particularly filthy jobs, but I've worn kilts full time since last March because they're comfortable. The comfort factor sold me on kilts from the first time I put one on. I don't make a big thing out of it, when I go out I just go about my business the same as always, my wife is the one that watches others reactions. Folks around here have pretty much gotten used to the guy in the kilt so it really doesn't raise eyebrows much anymore. When I have a choice I wear kilts, which is all the time and I don't care to give up the comfort of it.

[Blu (Ontario)]

I wear kilts for fun, relaxation and socializing. Work is none of those things so I'm in trousers all week. Kilts most weekends. Always on holidays.

[mcnice]

i wear my kilts whenever i can. my blockings there are:
a)winter and b)dirty occasions.

as winter slowly starts here and we have the strong wind period yet, i discovered one thing: when i get up early in the morning to go to university and i can already feel the warmth of my bed on my legs, having then the view from my window to the garden... and seeing all the trees bend from wind, i just could´t resist putting my inaccurate trousers on. i have to add that they are well cut, not so near by the croth and except one which is a jean, they are cotton made and not as hard as denim.
to finish: when i get out in the same weather during the day and came not right out of my bed, i always wore my kilt, and it is alright. so thats a psychological thing with me...


when doing the garden or other work near the floor, a kilt just isn t as practical. or when i ve to sit for 2 hours on the floor in full classroom cause there is no more seat for me at university ( as it is quite often in vienna ): the nearer the dirt, the nearer the pant ;)

[Kiltedmusiclover]

I wear kilts for fun, relaxation and socializing. Work is none of those things so I'm in trousers all week. Kilts most weekends. Always on holidays.

That is a pretty close description of my kilt wearing.

[Mychael Sporrano]

Unlike Mychael I grab my Amerikilt first and only put on trousers if the situation requires it or to keep kilting from becoming mundane

Actually, I prefer to wear the kilt whenever possible. That said, if the occasion warrants I'll toss on pants or shorts and not feel as though I am violating some rule of the guild of the perpetually kilted. I have mentioned a few times in the past that I like LL Bean flannel-lined jeans. If you have never had a chance to slide your legs into a pair of fesh flannel-lined jeans, you don't know what you are missing. Saying that it is as good as sex would be taking it a bit too far, but it is certainly a nice feeling. With me, pants have their place.

But I also get compliments like Mychael got from his wife about the tush, (and no it was not from Mychael's wife) when I am in trousers. But like it was said earlier, it is all about choice.

Variety is certainly the spice of life! It is good to mix it up a little, be unpredictable.

I find that if I am kilted people want to talk to me, and sometimes I just want to be another face in the crowd. I know that that may shock some, but being visible sometimes has its drawbacks.

I know what you mean here. Sometimes I am simply not in the mood to attract attention. I want to blend in.

Mychael