Need to know how polite you are to people who are....curious

[Friday]

If asked the question, the response depends on the circumstance. It is a serious question under the right conditions, I will answer that I have the same choices that he/she does when they get dressed. However, which one I choose is between me and my wife. If it does not seem to be a sincere question then I normally look down and answer shoes and socks.

The hard one occurred on one of my first outing wearing a kilt. A group of kilties were at a Irish Bar in town. There were a group of women who had been drinking and as I walked by one reach over and tried to flip my kilt up. She did not succeed and I kept walking. Now that I am more self assured I am not sure how I would react.

[MizzouScotsman]

If asked the question, the response depends on the circumstance. It is a serious question under the right conditions, I will answer that I have the same choices that he/she does when they get dressed. However, which one I choose is between me and my wife. If it does not seem to be a sincere question then I normally look down and answer shoes and socks.

The hard one occurred on one of my first outing wearing a kilt. A group of kilties were at a Irish Bar in town. There were a group of women who had been drinking and as I walked by one reach over and tried to flip my kilt up. She did not succeed and I kept walking. Now that I am more self assured I am not sure how I would react.

Not sure how I would have handled that one for sure. Now if the wife were with me, I can guarantee what would have happened...lol. In my younger days who knows how I would have responded. I was at a football game last year and as my daughter and I were walking back to our vehicles, a couple of young ladies passed us..one of which promptly as they passed swatted me on my backside and just kept on walking. My reaction was one of stunned silence and dropped jaw. My daughter's reaction was one of laughter.

[Riverkilt]

I get a LOT of comments - maybe because we get tourists from all over the world - but locals ask questions too. I'm for assessing the intent and responding accordingly. Its okay to have fun with it.

One of the keys is staying current on this board and stealing some of the best lines and trying them out yourself.

Main thing is not to take any guff from anyone...they initiated.

I believe I've met more new friends wearing a kilt than I'd have met the rest of my life wearing jeans.

Some very wonderful things have evolved from flirty questions. Don't zing sarcasm back at a flirty lady...

"Aren't you cold?" "Nope, I have a heater under there."

"What's under your kilt?" "A magnificent penis."

"What tartan is that?" Tell them in detail and why you're wearing it today.

"Why are you wearing a kilt? Is there a highland games in town?" "Not that I know of - just comfort and freedom."

"Are you from Scotland?" "No, but my ancestors are."

[gordontaos]

yeah, never give 'the question' a staight answer !

My sentiments exactly.

I have also found that you are never lonely when kilted. There is usually a fairly constant stream of smiling folks, wellwishers and the curious. A few weeks ago while standing on a crowded corner in Crested Butte, Colorado it was almost one a minute, now its not always like that, but I was also not very surprised.

[Rob, ClanMacMillan, NM]

Regardless of the "tone" of the question, or who is asking, I always treat it as an honest request for information. Never have I responded in a sarcastic or, shall we say, feisty, manner. My attitude is to believe that whomever is asking deserves a simple answer and I give it to them. There have been a couple of occasions where the asker was, or seemed to be, less than "nice" in the way they spoke -- but after giving them a calm considered answer, they changed their tone quite a bit. One gentleman, what we refer to around here as a "gang-banger" type, even went to the local games and I saw him there with a brand new Utilikilt -- made my day, for sure .

Rob.

[Sir William]

I have been wearing a kilt for about two years now and wear mine whenever I get the opportunity. I have to deal, as I assume you all do, with the odd questions and comments.

My question is..how do you handle when someone asks you "What's under the kilt?" Or when they think it's "funny" to say that you are wearing a "skirt". Are you polite, do you "play" along with the comment jokingly? What do you do? I am sarcastic at heart and I do not say what first pops into my head because it will be sarcastic. I also know that these people do not run into the kilted very often if ever, so I'm trying to bear with it.

Any advice or help would be appreciated.

Much depends on how the question is asked. Most people are just curious, having never met a kilted man before. To them I usually give a polite but joking response such as "shoes and socks".

I once had a woman ask me on a cold day if it was breezy underneath. She was wearing a skirt so I replied that she should know as well as I did. She got a startled look on her face and then laughed and said she had asked a stupid and inappropriate question.

For those who try to bait me by calling it a skirt (and its almost always a man), I smile and reply that its called a kilt and only a real man can wear one.

I ignore the drunks as I've no time to waste arguing with a fool.

[Sharkman]

MizzouScotsman,

It depends on their demeanor. If they're simply curious I play with them a bit, if they are male and somewhat confrontational I'm polite but I challenge their insecurities. I just poke'm a bit to see where they're weak! lol!!

The ladies are almost always engaging, curious and polite. So far I haven't had to be nasty to anyone, which is alright by me. I have noticed the most obnoxious ones are usually the most insecure and that makes them easy targets!

Good Hunting my brother!

[MizzouScotsman]

MizzouScotsman,

It depends on their demeanor. If they're simply curious I play with them a bit, if they are male and somewhat confrontational I'm polite but I challenge their insecurities. I just poke'm a bit to see where they're weak! lol!!

The ladies are almost always engaging, curious and polite. So far I haven't had to be nasty to anyone, which is alright by me. I have noticed the most obnoxious ones are usually the most insecure and that makes them easy targets!

Good Hunting my brother!

So I should sort of play with my sarcastic nature a bit then....hmmmm. Should be ok as long as I don't let it out too much....

[MizzouScotsman]

Much depends on how the question is asked. Most people are just curious, having never met a kilted man before. To them I usually give a polite but joking response such as "shoes and socks".

I once had a woman ask me on a cold day if it was breezy underneath. She was wearing a skirt so I replied that she should know as well as I did. She got a startled look on her face and then laughed and said she had asked a stupid and inappropriate question.

For those who try to bait me by calling it a skirt (and its almost always a man), I smile and reply that its called a kilt and only a real man can wear one.

I ignore the drunks as I've no time to waste arguing with a fool.

Never thought of turning it back on the women in that way....thanks for the idea. And I do have a shirt that reads "Real Men Wear Kilts".

[jgcunningham]

"As a matter of fact, I do need more room than you obviously do in your trousers."