Kilts in Church,..your experience?

[timber]

On the rare occasion that I go to church, I am kilted. Most of the people like it, but I get teased by the pastor and his wife. That's not a big deal though, they happen to be my parents .

[Galician]

I went to share St. Patrick's Day in another town with a friend, and we both attended Mass at the local church there wearing out kilts. No comments were made, though I think I caught a few looks and smiles. I think that the congregation was more focused on the fact that their pastor had just had a heart attack the night before.

I attended the national gathering of my order (Secular Franciscan) this summer, and got lots of positive comments, even met several kiltmakers among the attendees. One friar I just saw again, though, commented that he was glad to see that I do wear pants, oy!

[Rampant Lion]

I've only worn my kilt to church once (not including my wedding). It was for my wife's younger brother's confirmation. He wanted to rent a kilt for it(like he had for my wedding). His dad was going to wear his and he wanted me to wear mine, so I did. I got a couple "that's nice" type comments and that's it. The only problem I had with any of it was that my brother in-law wore it with the jacobite shirt, which to me is costume and not appropriate, but it was HIS confirmation.

Next month he and his dad be wearing his kilt for our nephew's christening. This time I think I'll make a comment(ahead of time) about the jacobite shirt being costume. I haven't decided whether or not I'll wear mine to the mass; perhaps my Ancient Grant hunting because it's more subdued. My Modern Grant really stands out.

[haukehaien]

I wear my kilts to church fairly regularly and have never gotten anything but compliments. That being said, I'd been piping in church* for several years before I owned a kilt, so people had had a lot of time to get used to the fact that I'm an insane Scotsman before seeing me in all my finery ...



*This is why I have the quote from "The Parish of Dunkeld" in my sig.

[James MacMillan]

I wear tartan kilts and almost always with hose, belt and sporran, and I can never recall a negative experience. Maybe I just don't remember the bad things, but I feel that my kilt is appreciated, liked, respected and enjoyed, where-ever I go. To church or any-where else.

I do feel that the way one wears the kilt is the key. I try to always wear the kilt with respect towards the kilt as well as respect for myself.

In fact since I started wearing the kilt full time, I know my appearance is better than before.

However, I would not wear a UK to church just as I would not wear a pair of jeans. While I don't own a UK, in my mind they are for casual wear the same as jeans, and are not right for going to church.

[arrogcow]

I haven't been in Church not kilted in nearly 6 years. It has always been a non issue. I had questions when I first started, and do still get the occasional person wanting to know if I'm gonna be playing the pipes (I haven't played them in the last 6 years, why would I be doing it today?). There is a fairly new guy in church who seems to be trying to get the courage to wear his (his excuse so far is that it is too hot to wear).

Adam

[Coemgen]

I've gone to Liturgy kilted several times, and my priest, who is of Irish descent, definitely approves and encourages the behavior.

Coemgen, I take it from your comments and the icon in your avitar that you are Orthodox. Where in Southern Ca are you? Which parish do you belong to?

It's definitely possible to make a (modest) prostration kilted. The trick is to be aware of where your backside is and what your pleats are doing. Take your time, and kneel with both knees together.


BTW, congratulations on your tonsure!

ICXC NIKA

Yes, I'm Eastern Orthodox. My family converted back when Fr. Peter Guilquist and all of those people came over (we're still good friends with Fr. Jon Braun). We originally went to St. Steven's in Cupertino, though they've now moved to Campbell, and we were there during the Ben Lomond Crisis (hopefully that was before your time - very ugly). We've since moved, and we now attend St. Anne in Pomona, which is under the Romanian Episcopate of the OCA.

And thank you. I still need a bit of work on my chanting, though.

I am planning to go kilted to church on some sort of regular basis, once I expand my collection of kilts, of which I have ordered two from Frugal Corner (if they ever arrive), and my dad is getting me a Utilikilt. I may need to stick to trousers for church, since my mom is, shall we say, less than enthusiastic about my obsession with kilts. I just want to keep the peace.

[fluter]

I am aware that some kilt wearers do not wear their kilts to church for fear of drawing attention to themselves and and therefore away from the true purpose of why they are at church in the first place... I don't think that it would cause such a problem that the whole service would be disrupted.

Or else my congregation would probably have to call off Easter services.

I've routinely worn a kilt to church for several months; but then, the first thing I do on arrival is to put on a cassock over it. I'm seen briefly on the way to and from the choir room.

I'm happy to report that in our sultry summer weather, the kilt is the most comfortable thing one can wear under the choir vestments.

[Howard Clark]

Generally the only question I get at church is "what's the occasion". Often the answer is "there isn't one, this is just the nicest stuff I own", which is true. I have gone to the last three Presbytery meetings, and many committe meetings kilted, and now I occasional get asked why I am not, if that is the case. My wife started out not real comfortable, but she is getting over it. All comments that were editorial in nature have been positive. Though one fellow was uncomfortable with the sgian dubh. But hey, I'm professional bladesmith. I go nowhere without a knife except on the airline, and I dinna like that one bit !

I cannot imagine getting a bad time for a kilt in a Presbyterian church. That would reflect a very sad state of the history (and Presbyterian) education on the part of the individual doing so.

[starbkjrus]

I've only worn my kilt to church once (not including my wedding). It was for my wife's younger brother's confirmation. He wanted to rent a kilt for it(like he had for my wedding). His dad was going to wear his and he wanted me to wear mine, so I did. I got a couple "that's nice" type comments and that's it. The only problem I had with any of it was that my brother in-law wore it with the jacobite shirt, which to me is costume and not appropriate, but it was HIS confirmation.

Next month he and his dad be wearing his kilt for our nephew's christening. This time I think I'll make a comment(ahead of time) about the jacobite shirt being costume. I haven't decided whether or not I'll wear mine to the mass; perhaps my Ancient Grant hunting because it's more subdued. My Modern Grant really stands out.

Jacobite shirts are not costumes. There are quite commonly seen in Scotland worn with the kilt.