...The soon to be Pulitzer-Prize-winning pamphlet

So Your man is wearing a Kilt
A Short Guide: Facts, Fallacies and Philosophy
for the Hesitant Significant Other

OK, here are guidelines for writing something up. Remember who this pamphlet is written for!!!

For the Men

1. you can't be a professional kiltmaker, for obvious reasons...you're a biased author.
2. you need to have been wearing kilts "on a semi-regular basis" (you interpret that how you will) for at least six months. If "semi-regular basis" means six times a year to you, then fine. If it means six days a week...your call.
3. One page of text in the word processor of your choice, font size 12, font Times New Roman. Anything longer than one page will be brutally and insensitively edited into ugly, Neanderthal-level drooling.
4. Must include one picture of you in a kilt, a comfortable size for a reader to view, which fits into the one page of text. eg; text plus picture fills up one page.

For the Women

1. Anything goes in terms of profession and "kilted experience". This is one of the perks of being female, this time around, eh? Other women will really want to hear what YOU have to say (I think).
2. One page of text in the word processor of your choice, font size 12, font Times New Roman. Anything longer than one page will be brutally and insensitively edited.
4. Must include one picture of you and your kilt-wearing male person....husband, boyfriend, dad, kid, whatever. It must be a comfortable size for a reader to view, which fits into the one page of text.

Kiltmakers

I'd be up for adding an "appendix" concerning a bit of kilt history and construction information written by a kiltmaker or two as well. If the whole thing (not including appendices) is about 10-12 pages, then two pages of history and a "view from the industry" is probably about right.

Deadline: Friday October 21st, at 5:00PM Pacific Time

Just a suggestion... I think that this should focus on philabeigs, not Great Kilts or Ancient Kilts. Not too many guys will consider wearing a Great Kilt around to work at the Bank of America, or down to the hardware store on Saturday afternoon. However, if I'm wrong on this, write otherwise!!

Cut and paste your text into this thread here at X Marks, and then watch for further instructions from me or Shay by PM or e-mail sometime shortly after the 21st.

What to write:

Suggestions:

Name, age, job status.... part of the country you live in, nature of your connection to Scotland, if any.

What kind of kilt(s) you wear. How many do you own? How did you get into kilt-wearing? What is/are the three (or four or five) main reasons you wear a kilt?

That could take perhaps 1/3 of a page. The rest should be your comments addressing some of the keen issues that "nervous" or "unsupportive" spouses/SO's will have.

Do you wear a kilt to work? How did the first few days go? Has kilt wearing affected your career? The work issue is a big one for a lot of SO's.

Do you wear a kilt "around town" ? Do you wear it primarily to Scottish-associated activities? Why or why not?

Do people treat you differently when you wear a kilt? In what way do they treat you differently? Do men give you a hard time about wearing a kilt? Do women give you a hard time about it? Do women "hit on you" when you wear a kilt? Do you get the "where are the bagpipes?" question? Do you get the "underwear" question? How do you respond to these questions?

Ladies, I'm sure you can think of your own slant on all of these questions, as well. I have no doubt whatsoever that you will think of great things to write that would never cross our (the male) mind.

All of us: You may not be able to answer all these questions or address all these issues. Perhaps you need to pick just two or three and write about them and leave the rest for someone else.

Remember that what you're doing is writing a short treatise that shows that

A. you're not a flippin' nut case (unless you ARE a flippin' nut case!!)
B. you understand that some SO's will have issues with their partners wearing kilts. You are sharing information and your personal experiences, not passing judgement.

Let's see how this goes, and if we get a dozen or more responses, including 3-4-5 from women, perhaps we can make a pdf out of the document and have Hank make it available for download from the site.

Alan