'Tis better to ask forgiveness... The Sequel

[Retro Red]

6 weeks ago I posted a new thread mentioning that after 3 years of only wearing a kilt to work on casual-wear Fridays or Celtic holidays (which is what HR said I was allowed to do), at the encouragement of my immediate co-workers, I started wearing a kilt every day. I said I'd report back & let everyone know how it's going. And the answer to that is... Great! No problem!

In the intervening time I've had a very favorable mid-year review (while wearing a kilt) & the clincher was the townhall meeting last week where my VP & Sr VP were both in attendance & I walked in proudly wearing my new Arizona tartan kilt. I did get a comment - "Nice kilt!"

I kind of figured that there'd be no issue because of -
1. 3 years of acclimating my co-workers to seeing me in a kilt had pretty much made it a non-issue,
2. I work with a bunch of other computer geeks in a cube farm without any interaction with the general public,
3. I'm the Subject Matter Expert in one company-wide application & soon to be the SME on another, so I'm not easily replaced, &
4. even before I started wearing kilts I had a well earned reputation for being, shall we say, a bit eccentric!

Just like in poker, it's a matter of knowing how to read the other players at the table & knowing when to make your move.

The Salvation Army will be getting a sizeable donation of pants next time they're in the neighborhood!

.

[Andrew Green]

Sweet!

[A Dhuglas]

Good for you! Hope to follow suit in my digs. I have a while to go to reach 3 years here...like another 35 months...but I'm patient. Upside: may take less time because we're a pretty small shop of only 120 or so.

[Riverkilt]

Very cool Red,

Sounded much like my own process to full time kilting at work - except I gave my pants to the local detox.

Main point to those considering is its a non-issue most places once bosses and coworkers are used to seeing you kilted - much of the resistance is in our own minds. (We have met the enemy and they are us. Pogo)

And, many places the HR folks are our ally. There's so much emphasis on cultural diversity these days. HR would never hammer an African American in a dashiki, or a Hindu lady in a sari. Don't know about a German American in Liederhosen(?)....but you get the point.

Yes there are exceptions, of course.

Worst that can happen is you're still at square one. Everything else is good, even if its to negotiate a small window as many have.

It do take juevos though...more than to wear a kilt shopping.

If you got a pair, why not give it a shot?

Ron

[pbpersson]

Congratulations!

[NewKilt]

Very well done, Red. I think your experience is an excellent example of how to reach the point of wearing a kilt every day at work (for anyone who has the desire to do so). And kudos to your employer for their support of cultural diversity.

Ron made a very good point that HR can actually be your ally in such situations.

Darrell

[michael steinrok]

Eccentric is an old wealthy guy who eats bugs! What is eccentric about a kilt wearing guy?

[Livingston]

Good job, RR. I have a ways to go here and I'm one of the senior people (6 yrs). No one on the Federal team has been here as long as I have and only one other has been here longer. But, I still check before wearing the kilt to work since the dress code says slacks for men. Probably could push it but....

[O'Neille]

My boss won't let me wear a kilt to work. I'm going to go give him a punch in the head. There I hit myself and I still won't let myself wear a kilt in the office. I do have a few kilted pictures here with the PCS (AKA Mountain Goat Girl). I would consider myself an eccentric wearing a kilt in my setting; mostly, because It's hard to find a white consulting jacket w/ a sporran cutaway. O'Neille

[David Dalglish]

Nice to be appreciated in what we wear-Good for you