Comment At Church

[Mr. Woolery]

I don't wear one to church, myself, though that may change after this thread.

What I wanted to comment about was the difference in response I've recieved from black, hispanic, and white folks to my kilt.

I went to California two years ago to help my uncle who was going into a hospital for back surgery. Summer in SoCal for a guy who had lived in Alaska for 20 years was not going to be pleasant. I took a twill kilt I had made. I wore that all the time. I found a very interesting trend in the responses that divided up by ethnic group.

White folks would make a big show of noticing my kilt, obviously think about it for a minute, then ask "so, you Scottish?" My least favorite reaction.

Latinos would be talking to each other in Spanish, then one would ask me in English "called a kilt, right?" and they'd go back to Spanish. I liked this one.

Black folks didn't say a thing. They would notice it and it wouldn't be an issue worth commenting on. Just another way to dress. I loved that reaction.

To me, I think a kilt should not be seen as rebellious or daring, just as another form of masculine lower-body wear.

Up here in Fairbanks, there are very few folks who are anything other than white or Alaska Native primarily Athabascan in this area, but as many Native groups as you want to look for) and they are all fine with it. Never had a negative comment from anyone over the age of 12.

-Patrick

[A Hay]

My wife and I attend the Protestant service at the military base where I work.
I've worn kilts for the last 4 years.

Never a negative comment and many, many positives.
It has enabled me to have conversations with many other folks that would not have happened if I were not kilted.

I vary the look depending on the weather. Often with a jacket and tie, but sometimes a sweater, and sometimes an open collar shirt.

Just wanted to add my two-cents for any out there who need a little nudge to start wearing their kilts to Church.

Tom

[Ian.MacAllan]

Today, in addition to a kilt, I wore miniature service medals because of Memorial Day. This is the first time anything else I've worn has upstaged the kilt.

The only people to comment on the medals were three veterans who wanted to know what the middle one (Army of Occupation, Germany) was. I hope this will encourage other veterans to wear their medals as appropriate.

I think that grateful recognition of the services of Viet Nam and more recent veterans is grievously overdue.

.

[kennethrmc]

I'm the senior Pastor at The Journey Church. I wear my kilt for "high" occasions because the church is normally very informal (lots of 20 somethings). People understand that this is my way of dressing for a special occasion and honoring my heritage, and I've now got another man in the congregation who wears his UK on "ordinary" Sundays. I've never heard a negative about the kilt, and there are actually a few people who decided to adopt The Journey as their church because of "the pastor that wears the kilt."