Public acceptance of kilts?

[LKM]

In my experience people react like to anyone looking different then they expect. Some people don't expect to see a kilt outside a festival or wedding. Let them get used to seeing a kilt more often. I have seen several people wearing kilts in stores, hiking trails, and other places in Colorado yet there are still people who don't expect to see it.

Castlewood Canyon is a beautiful place and until we moved last year you might have been able to hear me practice the bagpipes from part of the canyon. Once people know I play bagpipes, if they see me in pants they ask why I'm not wearing a kilt.

[GMan]

Some wise person told me awhile back that people may just stare at you and give you problems in regards to anything. They are just misinformed or they are drunk

[AFS1970]

I hesitate to call it a tradition, but we have a fair history of kilts (albeit a rarity) due to immigration patterns and our colonial past. So I think kits are at least known if not fully understood among Americans. I never thought about how other cultures would view an American wearing a kilt but it makes some sense that they would immediately think crossdressing for two reasons. One kilts are not common here and two crossdressing and transgender stories are currently frequent news material. Someone only here for a short time might jump to this conclusion fairly easily. Glad to see you are educating them!

Oddly enough the most interesting reactions I get are from friends who may not have known that I own a kilt or knew but rarely see me in a kilt. They seem to be mostly positive but sometimes a bit confused.

[kingandrew]

Living in Florida and in China, I have never received anything but positive comments. People seem excited and intrigued to see me wearing my kilt. Of course, I am comfortable and relaxed in the kilt, not making a big deal out of it. As Steve points out, it is a real icebreaker.

In my experience, hiking boots make a great look with a kilt. Most "hiking" in China is more of the "walk in the park" variety, rather than hard-core backpacking. I've certainly done plenty of walking around parks and natural areas in my kilt, and people are welcoming and ask interested questions. You can hear them mentioning Scotland, which is pronounced "say-gu-lon" in Chinese.

I also wear a kilt when I run in races. The other runners all like seeing the outfit and there is much interest in the benefits of less chafing and more ventilation. The best part is that nobody notices how slow I am, they just notice my kilt.

So enjoy your hiking and don't worry about any weird looks you might get. If you are friendly, you'll find most folks will be curious and likely have a few friendly questions for you.

Andrew

[Father Bill]

I'm wearing my Hunting Sinclair box-pleat today for Rabbie Burns. I'm going over to a friend's place shortly to look at a table saw. They're comfortable with kilts & Scotland and probably won't say anything at all.

This afternoon I'm dropping in at the Legion. They'll make a very positive, happy fuss over it because they're very familiar with kilts in military functions and know that I often kilt up. Anyone there that I've not met before can be counted on for a similar response.

This evening I have a business meeting with the Masons. They'll likely say little other than perhaps to ask what the occasion is.

I find that I get only positive, knowledgeable comments, but kilts and Scotland are well understood in Canada which teaches our British connections simply and early, along with international cultures. In areas that are more inward-looking, I'd not be surprised to get strange comments.

I did actually have a bank teller who couldn't understand how I could wear both a kilt and a clerical collar shirt. I guess she thought all Scots were Druids. I couldn't understand that one. I asked her what she thought Scottish clergy might wear, but that didn't make any sense to her. Having said that, she generally seemed rather dim-witted.

[Adoom]

I'm wearing my box-pleat Ontario for Robbie Burns today. This morning pumping gas I noticed that the young lady at the pump next to me was staring from the pay booth, then I noticed her man-friend get out of the car to pretend to look at something while she was taking a photo from the pay booth, when he noticed me noticing him he immediately shot back to the car and got in.

This was a man, wearing pajama pats, letting his lady friend pump gas (in camo patterned track pants), in the freezing cold while he waited in the car. It was on the tip of my tongue to offer to pose with him for the 'secret' photo she was taking, but he got into the car too fast.

[Richrail]

I have always been an introvert. I love my ancestry and history. I do certainly get more positive then negative responses and a lot of the time I'm asked about the tartan. I had a very nice older lady ask me about the kilt I was wearing while shopping. She had grown up in Scotland and loved see a man in a kilt. I was wearing my Sottish wildcat kilt, and was able to explain about the plight of the Scottish wildcat. She was most appreciative and amazed that an American cared about them. Afterwards as we continued shopping my wife said to me "you can't be an introvert in a kilt".

[macmanjim]

It depends on where you live/where you are. I went hiking in a kilt for the first time last weekend and the women I passed seemed fine, one guy may have had a smirk. Pay no attention. You're out there for a hike, not a fashion review. That said, I did get funny looks once while coming back from a Scottish society meeting my wife wanted to go food shopping. I wish I had a go pro strapped to my head. One guy was there with his small children and the deer in the headlights look was priceless. I could see the gears turning. Something like, how am I going to explain the man in the skirt to my kids. The only people that talked to me were the cashier and the person in front of us in line. She asked what tartan is was and what was the occasion. The guy in line was a dead head, so it was all cool to him. I think if you live some place metropolitan, it's probably not a big deal. Where I am from we had a guy that played guitar in his underwear and I used to see pan handlers with fake casts. A kilt? It's clothes. I've lived in Iowa and now Arizona since moving. it is different in these places, especially Iowa in terms of cultural tolerance/acceptance of things that color outside the lines for some, but we all have to make our own way.

[Tobus]

It probably needs to be said here that the reactions you get in a kilt will vary greatly by region, customs, and venue. But more importantly, HOW you wear your kilt.

If you look sloppy and wear a kilt grunge-style or mix in modern metropolitan fashions, it may be easier to understand how people might wonder about cross-dressing or other "alternative" lifestyle choices. If you are wearing it like a costume, with a pirate shirt and Renfaire boots, they may think you're eccentric. If you wear it more traditionally, perhaps with a tie and tweed jacket and a more refined look, people generally will have no question about your lifestyle.

So the important thing here is that the reactions you get in the kilt will most often be a reflection of how you present your kilted self to others. If you're searching every face for a reaction, they'll know that you're an attention-seeker. If you act more suave and natural and self-confident, their opinion of you may be different.

[Archxpat]

I often wear my kilt for week weekend walks in PA, along the Delaware towpath and in the woods. I’ve never had a neagtive reaction to it. It has actually been a good conversation starter. I find some people won’t make eye contact etc, but they are in the monority and don’t bother me. As one of the previous posts said if you just do it with some self confidence you’ll get very positive reactions. My other hiking gear are some tweed plus fours for when it’s really cold.... now they do cause people not to know how to react, which I get a real kick out of! I wore kilt today for work in honour of Rabbie Burns, so my students and other faculty members got a little history and culture lesson, with a totally positive repsonse. I walked back from school about 20 blocks in NYC and had one guy say if he had legs like mine he’d wear a kilt! Keep going with it and enjoy it for yourself. Here's a pic of the Plus Fours.....