Well this past weekend was my first going kilted full-time, so I thought I'd share. As the title alludes (and alliterates) I live in Contra Costa County which is a suburb of San Francisco, and is very suburban in parts. My particular town if full of driven Type-A personalities. Anyway, one of my family's favorite annual events is the town Art and Wine festival, a community fundraiser in which the main street is closed to traffic and lined with art vendors, and booths selling glasses of wine and beer. (The wine is donated by California wineries and poured by volunteers from various businesses, more on that later.)

There was no question in my mind, I'd wear my UK to the festival, but I still had some qualms about wearing it to my kids' early morning soccer games. So on Saturday I partnered the UK with my Clan Macpherson T-shirt (I'm Scottish by marriage only ) and figured people would get the idea. I got some mild inquiries from people who don't know me whether my last name was Macpherson, and the coach asked if it was a special occasion. I said, Nope, just wearing it because I can. One soccer-mom we are friends with said she had recently seen someone wearing a similar denim kilt at a museum in SF.

At the festival itself I got one "that rocks," one "wish I had worn my kilt" (from a firefighter who has a tank for ceremonial events,) and one "real men don't wear dresses." The last I think was said in somewhat good spirits, as it was said to my face, but still who needs it.

Sunday was the best day. I helped pour wine with my wife at the booth of the company she works for. It was just her and I, and she heard lots of friendly comments and questions about my kilt, mostly from women. After a particularly flirtatious exchange about "the question" (hey, it was the customer who brought up the lipstick answer, not me!) my wife laughed and said she was beginning to see why I liked wearing that thing. Someone else reported seeing a similar kilt at another art event, and wondered if it was the new trend.

All-in-all I felt like I'd got some people thinking about kilts in a new way, got my wife a little more enthusiastic about my new obsession (previously she was tolerant but not ecstatic), and of course I believe I was the most comfortable (and confident) guy there.

Best regards,

Jake