Clothes Make the Man

[Allan Thomson]

My Scottish ancestors, being borderers, tended to wear trews instead of kilts. They also tended to not really care which side they were fighting on as long as they were getting paid by someone.

The same went for Highlanders too generally. Adolphus employed many Scots including Highlanders in his Army to Fight the predominantly Catholic states forces arrayed against him. I dare say a few of those Highlanders were Catholic too....

Or which side their Chief told them they should be fighting on..... who in more major conflicts often hedged his bets by sending one son out for one side and the other out for the other.....

[jumary]

I'm not suggesting wearing it to work. I mean wearing it at all, even during off hours. Hypothetical:

I'm out and about town in a kilt. People see me and think "weirdo". Then when I go to work dressed normally, one of those people who saw me thinks about hiring my employer but stops when he or she sees that I might be on the team. "I don't want a weirdo like that working on my stuff! I can't trust him!" That's the scenario I fear.

I really don’t like the almost casual acceptance here of the word “weirdo” as if that is an acceptable reaction to someone wearing a kilt. It may not be for everyone, but I would have a hard time working with people who applied such a label on me or anyone. I am a teacher, and being kilted when off work should not cause a problem. Now I have seen photos on FaceTime of teachers obviously drunk and disheveled, and I can see of course how our administration would not want that reputation for our staff. But wearing a kilt? What’s next, a strict dress code for weekends because someone might see me? Should I make sure my bathing suits are a certain length? No, I would not react kindly if someone called me a weirdo for wearing a kilt.

[imbrius]

I really don’t like the almost casual acceptance here of the word “weirdo” as if that is an acceptable reaction to someone wearing a kilt. It may not be for everyone, but I would have a hard time working with people who applied such a label on me or anyone. I am a teacher, and being kilted when off work should not cause a problem. Now I have seen photos on FaceTime of teachers obviously drunk and disheveled, and I can see of course how our administration would not want that reputation for our staff. But wearing a kilt? What’s next, a strict dress code for weekends because someone might see me? Should I make sure my bathing suits are a certain length? No, I would not react kindly if someone called me a weirdo for wearing a kilt.

My original point was that regardless of what should happen or what I want to happen, people WILL think it's weird. Like tattoos and piercings. There's nothing wrong with those, either. But some people have decided that they have a negative association and avoid people who have them. Same with wearing something other than what's expected. It's different. And that makes people uncomfortable. They wonder WHY. They wonder about your values. It makes them not like you because you don't conform to the way they want you to behave. That's suspicious.

[Tobus]

imbrius, it is a valid concern, and I think you described it well. It really depends on where we live, work, and play. There are some folks here who cannot fathom the idea of being thought a weirdo for wearing a kilt. Perhaps kilts are more accepted where they live, but it doesn't apply everywhere. I can say with absolute certainty that most people where I live, in rural and small-town Texas, think a lot worse than the term "weirdo" when a kilt is seen out of context.

Local culture is different everywhere. We all have to realise this and choose our manner of dress accordingly.

[Allan Thomson]

Just a thought, but if one is a more traditional kilt wearer and is concerned about getting hassle for wearing a kilt at work, who would prefer to spend their money investing in kilt wear rather than more saxon clothing but demonstrate their heritage is there not a happy medium with getting a pair of well made nice tartan trews for work and wearing that with your kilt jackets?

I am possibly going to have to go back to more office based settings where will be wearing typical clothes and not a uniform and I was thinking if I have to invest in more 'office wear' I am tempted to go down the root of more tweed based kilt jackets with the more typical cuffs (such as Crail, maybe Braemar too?) teamed up with a fishtail set of Tartan trews - still smart but more conventional than wearing a kilt all the time to work - with the option to slip in a kilt as and when the circumstances allow.....

[OC Richard]

It really depends on where we live, work, and play.

Local culture is different everywhere. We all have to realise this and choose our manner of dress accordingly.

Here we're so multicultural, with people walking on the sidewalks wearing saris, turbans, sarapes etc that the kilt doesn't seem so out of place. I honestly don't get all that much reaction.

[Wareyin]

My original point was that regardless of what should happen or what I want to happen, people WILL think it's weird. Like tattoos and piercings. There's nothing wrong with those, either. But some people have decided that they have a negative association and avoid people who have them. Same with wearing something other than what's expected. It's different. And that makes people uncomfortable. They wonder WHY. They wonder about your values. It makes them not like you because you don't conform to the way they want you to behave. That's suspicious.

Good luck avoiding people with tattoos! 40% of the US population has at least one.

I get that you are concerned, but like Tobus, I have also lived in small, rural towns. For a few years, I lived in a farming town of 2600 people in Ohio. First, in small towns like that, there absolutely is no night life to wear a kilt out to. Second, even there, people knew what kilts were, and had even seen people wearing them in person.

[kingandrew]

I am lucky enough that my employers think the kilt looks great and encourage me to wear it. Since I'm at an international school in China, everyone sees it as an exciting bit of cultural sharing.

The Chinese have always been supportive and curious when I am kilted. And boy do they like to take pictures with me, too. The Chinese word for Scotland is "Segulan" and you will hear people saying it all the time if you walk about in a kilt here. So they are well aware of the garment and its heritage.

Andrew

[Allan Thomson]

I am lucky enough that my employers think the kilt looks great and encourage me to wear it. Since I'm at an international school in China, everyone sees it as an exciting bit of cultural sharing.

The Chinese have always been supportive and curious when I am kilted. And boy do they like to take pictures with me, too. The Chinese word for Scotland is "Segulan" and you will hear people saying it all the time if you walk about in a kilt here. So they are well aware of the garment and its heritage.

Andrew

Interestingly enough I recall going to a chinese restraunt in Beijing and the only negative interaction came from some rude British drunks (not sure if they were on holiday or expats) who thought it was so funny and original to say Donald where's your troosers'.... The Chinese people were respectful and admired the kilt....

[auld argonian]

Chiming in after a long absence...

One of the reasons that I've not been following the forum lately is that I grew tired of seeing posts about this very thing: when is it appropriate/inappropriate to show up in a kilt. Just couldn't take any more of the posts that said things like "better to ask forgiveness than permission" and such...basically saying that you should just impose your will on other people and, if they had any problems with it, say "too bad, this is me, take it or leave it" or using the argument of wearing the kilt being part of your heritage to justify things.

So....since then, I've been to Scotland...and the only times that I saw kilts was in a pub on game day and on streetcorner pipers....oh, and on me when I attended a closing night dinner for the conference that I was attending...and I was the only one there in a kilt. But it was Glasgow...a 21st Century urban center...so it all made sense.

My daughter is now planning on getting married and let me knows how much the kilt has meant to me and let me know that I should feel free to wear it to the wedding. I replied that I've seen several posts on this forum where the question of a kilted guest (or Father of the Bride) being a distraction and taking some of the focus away from the bride and groom has been raised and I would prefer to not be a distraction on her big day. She's still keeping the option open for me and we'll see how it goes when the day approaches.

So it's actually nice to see you fellas being considerate about where and when to be kilted. I would encourage the OP to not abandon the kilt entirely...just cuz you can't wear it at work is no reason quit. There are still occasions and Scottish events where it'll be appreciated so hang in there. My wife actually told me that we should attend the Chicago Scots Haggis Fest...sort of a St.Andrew's/Burn's Night formal thingy...again this year just because she misses some of the people involved after having met them a few years ago in preparation for that conference in Glasgow that I mentioned earlier...I am quite happy that she's saying this because I had the impression that she thought the whole kilt thing was some kind of middle-age crisis (it wasn't) and would be happy to see it fade away. So, you see, there are great opportunities to get kilted and enjoy yourself even if you don't feel that wearing it to work is appropriate.

Keep the faith...I especially found Father Bill's perspective to be right on. Hey...the kilt is STILL cool and still a heritage thing.

Best,

AA